The elusive Hohner whistle on eBay, a low G at that!

ScottStewart · Post by **ScottStewart** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 5:07 pm

I've decided I'm not going to bid on it, so I'll tell you all about the elusive Hohner low G on eBay. Here's the link - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... =905296100. Four days left! To paraphrase a certain elected official "Bid early and bid often!" No, it's not my listing or from anyone I know.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 6:34 pm

M. Hohner: the real originator of low whistles.

selkie · Post by **selkie** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 6:37 pm

I wonder what the fipple is made of. All the old whistles I have like that or high ones have lead fipples and taste foul. Could be poisonous of course.

lollycross · Post by **lollycross** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 7:40 pm

If the owner "doesn't know anything about whistles" why is his name Big Shinny Tone!!!

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 9:13 pm

Looking at the picture, I suspect that the fipple is a single piece of pressure-formed nickel and that it doesn't HAVE a fipple plug as such.

energy · Post by **energy** » Mon Sep 09, 2002 9:24 pm

On 2002-09-09 20:37, selkie wrote:
I wonder what the fipple is made of. All the old whistles I have like that or high ones have lead fipples and taste foul. Could be poisonous of course.

You're just trying to get it for yourself, selkie.

Feadan · Post by **Feadan** » Tue Sep 10, 2002 6:45 am

FWIW, having bought a Honer Low G about 20 years ago, I don't think that the quality of this whistle is worth what the bid is up to at this point ($42). It is fast reaching a collector’s price rather than what it might be worth to a serious player. The one I bought so long ago was pretty chiffy (not a problem for some folks) and poorly balanced between the octaves. Also the all metal mouthpiece was subject to frequent clogging due to condensation build up. I ended up decapitating it and putting a modified Generation Bb head on it and later the head from an old style Susato Bb tabor pipe. Still doesn't sound great but it was a vast improvement over the original.

Cheers,
David

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Tue Sep 10, 2002 10:47 am

I have one of these which I bought years ago in an as yet undiagnosed attack of WhOA.

It has a beautiful tone, but requires so little breath that I have to relax my lips so that some air bypasses the fipple altogether. It does have a plug, of a dark metal which may well be lead.

PS Feadán: YOU VANDAL!!!!!!!!!!!

_________________
An Pluiméir<marquee>Ceolmhar</marquee> 

[ This Message was edited by: Roger O'Keeffe on 2002-09-10 12:48 ]

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Sep 10, 2002 11:09 am

I've bid on this, and if I get it, I'll have some pics and samples up on my site (if it's in playable condition).

I know it's a gamble, but if the price remains within my reach, we'll see what turns up.

Best,

--James
http://www.flutesite.com

OutOfBreath · Post by **OutOfBreath** » Tue Sep 10, 2002 11:09 am

On 2002-09-09 21:40, lollycross wrote:
If the owner "doesn't know anything about whistles" why is his name Big Shinny Tone!!!

Maybe he plays trombone?...
or sax...
or trumpet...
or tuba...
...

John

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Tue Sep 10, 2002 12:16 pm

Or maybe they're just proud of their shins!

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Tue Sep 10, 2002 12:30 pm

On 2002-09-10 08:45, Feadan wrote:
FWIW, having bought a Honer Low G about 20 years ago, I don't think that the quality of this whistle is worth what the bid is up to at this point ($42). It is fast reaching a collector’s price rather than what it might be worth to a serious player. The one I bought so long ago was pretty chiffy (not a problem for some folks) and poorly balanced between the octaves. Also the all metal mouthpiece was subject to frequent clogging due to condensation build up.

I had very much the same experience with one of th G Hohners, it stood in it's vase for nearly 20 years until an american friend spotted it two years ago, he wanted it, we traded stuff, we were both happy. Isn't it great. I thought the whsitle was completely useless.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Sep 10, 2002 1:58 pm

It's gotten a little too expensive for the gamble of a good whistle...I'm letting this one go by.

--James
http://www.flutesite.com

Jens_Hoppe · Post by **Jens_Hoppe** » Wed Sep 11, 2002 1:50 am

Interesting: A friend of mine has a couple of old Generation labelled low whistles (A and G, if I remember correctly) lying around, and ... apart from the labelling, they look just like the Hohner on ebay. They also have the playing characteristics Roger mentions: Airy and with very low air requirements.

Jens