Feadog, Generation, and Oak. A good choice would be a Feadog brass, a Feadog nickel, and a Feadog Pro. You can order them direct from Feadog.
You will find people who like all of these. Of these I don't care for the Clarke original, the Sweetone or the Meg. If you go with Waltons get a Mellow D.
You pays your money and you takes yor chances. Besides sooner or later you will own all of them.
Ron
Cheap whistle recommendations wanted
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Whitmores75087
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lisdoonvarna
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cheap whistle?
I have an original Clark, Feadog, Shaw, Dixon, Generation and a Sweetone. Thay are all good in their own ways but...
the Sweetone is my favorite.
Pat
the Sweetone is my favorite.
Pat
if at first you don't succeed, buy a new whistle
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riverman
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You probably have enough replies by now, but...
I bought a Walton's little black whistle, and it was so pathetic it ended up in the trash (and I don't throw a whistle away lightly). Imagine a wasp in a tin can...
The Clarke original is the best cheapie whistle (I would have said Sweetone before, but the toyish sound is getting to me). Take your thumbnail and push the windway down a bit right above the end of the wooden fipple (the part farthest from your lips). Presto! A beautiful focused sound that takes a bit more air than the modern whistles but easy to get used to. And that wonderful, fluty sound...
I bought a Walton's little black whistle, and it was so pathetic it ended up in the trash (and I don't throw a whistle away lightly). Imagine a wasp in a tin can...
The Clarke original is the best cheapie whistle (I would have said Sweetone before, but the toyish sound is getting to me). Take your thumbnail and push the windway down a bit right above the end of the wooden fipple (the part farthest from your lips). Presto! A beautiful focused sound that takes a bit more air than the modern whistles but easy to get used to. And that wonderful, fluty sound...
"Whoever comes to me I will never drive away." --Jesus Christ.
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buddhu
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Feadog nickel and Feadog Pro!
The standard nickel Feadogs seem to sound and feel a tad better than the plain brass. Maybe the plating adds a fraction more substance to the tube or something. The Pros (definitely a heavier tube) are just excellent.
Apart from that, Clarke original or Shaw if you're not afraid of providing the air they need.
The standard nickel Feadogs seem to sound and feel a tad better than the plain brass. Maybe the plating adds a fraction more substance to the tube or something. The Pros (definitely a heavier tube) are just excellent.
Apart from that, Clarke original or Shaw if you're not afraid of providing the air they need.
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
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buddhu
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I totally agree about the LBW. I hated mine. Actually, I've never had a Walton whistle I liked. They all had stray bits of plastic swarf in the head and were poorly moulded... And they all sounded dreadful.riverman wrote:You probably have enough replies by now, but...
I bought a Walton's little black whistle, and it was so pathetic it ended up in the trash (and I don't throw a whistle away lightly). Imagine a wasp in a tin can...
The Clarke original is the best cheapie whistle (I would have said Sweetone before, but the toyish sound is getting to me). Take your thumbnail and push the windway down a bit right above the end of the wooden fipple (the part farthest from your lips). Presto! A beautiful focused sound that takes a bit more air than the modern whistles but easy to get used to. And that wonderful, fluty sound...
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
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JohnPalmer
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I have all these cheap whistles many times over and never play them in public. I would order a whistle from Burke and go from there. If you want a good instrument, you have to pay the money. Otherwise, purchase five Oaks from the Whistleshop, tweek them with wax, and then choose one as your high D. If you're not happy with one of those, then order from Burke. He has the most consistent whistles. But you'll still be out $50 from buying cheap whistles. In order to get a playable set of whistles in various keys, it'll take you many years and many orders.
JP
JP
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Key_of_D
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hmmm... all nice suggestions yes indeed...
But... if you really want a cheap whistle.... Try using your lips!
All things aside, I think learning on a Clarke Original D with the wooden block is a grand idea. After a good while on that, then start getting into Generation style whistles. After that, just experiment untill you find what you like. Although I think it's possible that it will take a good amount of time before you find the right characteristics you'll want in a whistle. IE, back pressure, chiff, clarity/breathyness, response, etc.
But... if you really want a cheap whistle.... Try using your lips!
All things aside, I think learning on a Clarke Original D with the wooden block is a grand idea. After a good while on that, then start getting into Generation style whistles. After that, just experiment untill you find what you like. Although I think it's possible that it will take a good amount of time before you find the right characteristics you'll want in a whistle. IE, back pressure, chiff, clarity/breathyness, response, etc.
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Key_of_D
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I guess I misread the topic...
I like my Meg D very much. Easy to play, not a lot of chiff, and isn't the loudest of the loud, but it's a good whistle in my book. I also like the Feadogs. Brass, and the nickle plated one I have is good also. I like some of the Generation whistles in brass, G, F, Bb. I also like the Waltons C whistle in brass. Just my 2 cents.
I like my Meg D very much. Easy to play, not a lot of chiff, and isn't the loudest of the loud, but it's a good whistle in my book. I also like the Feadogs. Brass, and the nickle plated one I have is good also. I like some of the Generation whistles in brass, G, F, Bb. I also like the Waltons C whistle in brass. Just my 2 cents.
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boomerang
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I have tryed all but the oak and acorn,
whistles can be a crap shoot, there are good and bad and indifferent in all brands,
what you decide will also be relative to where you are going to play your instrument,
for a session environment i would not hesitate in recommending a feadog or a generation,
for home a sweetone or a clark original, or waltons mellow D,
I love the sound of a clare,
If you are performing with a mic, any are fine
its kind of like choosing which of your children you like best, cannot be done, they all have their own personalities, for some tunes you will prefer the chiff and responsiveness of of a feadog, others you will prefer the sublties of a clark, and many in between,
the happy compromise i would recommend is either a feadog, with the cleanup and putty tweak or Jerry Freemans tweeked generation I have 3 waltons mellow d whistles, all are lovely, sweetones are fairly consistant, and a good buy i prefer these to the meg,
I dont believe there is an easy answer to this, only personal opinion with the whistles each of us own, but for $10 a pop, its not a huge investment to try a few...welcome to WHOA
regards
David
whistles can be a crap shoot, there are good and bad and indifferent in all brands,
what you decide will also be relative to where you are going to play your instrument,
for a session environment i would not hesitate in recommending a feadog or a generation,
for home a sweetone or a clark original, or waltons mellow D,
I love the sound of a clare,
If you are performing with a mic, any are fine
its kind of like choosing which of your children you like best, cannot be done, they all have their own personalities, for some tunes you will prefer the chiff and responsiveness of of a feadog, others you will prefer the sublties of a clark, and many in between,
the happy compromise i would recommend is either a feadog, with the cleanup and putty tweak or Jerry Freemans tweeked generation I have 3 waltons mellow d whistles, all are lovely, sweetones are fairly consistant, and a good buy i prefer these to the meg,
I dont believe there is an easy answer to this, only personal opinion with the whistles each of us own, but for $10 a pop, its not a huge investment to try a few...welcome to WHOA
regards
David
Never argue with an idiot, they will bring you down to their level then beat you with experience!!
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buddhu
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The Walton LBW is metal, but painted aluminium rather than plain, laquered or nickel plated brass.Crysania wrote:I love my Oak. It's my favourite quiet whistle. I also think the Walton's little black whistle has a decent sound (their metal ones I don't like at all).
I have a feadog and it's simply horrible.
~Crysania
If your Feadog has a mark III head (the current one) then they are pretty consistent from a quality point of view. The putty tweak steadies them a bit, but Feadogs do need a bit of practice with breath control before they start to sing. The ones I've tried with the older heads I couldn't get on with.
I was surprised to see in the Tourist centre in Killarney last year they had Feadog gift packs containing whistles with the Mark II heads...
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
-
riverman
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I agree totally with John Palmer.
There are no bargains in the modern world. If you want a whistle to be proud of, you have to pay for it. Save up for a Burke. They're sweet, the second octave is easy, and they are very forgiving for the beginner.
There are no bargains in the modern world. If you want a whistle to be proud of, you have to pay for it. Save up for a Burke. They're sweet, the second octave is easy, and they are very forgiving for the beginner.
"Whoever comes to me I will never drive away." --Jesus Christ.