Good Travel Whistle

jfritz · Post by **jfritz** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 11:53 am

I'm interested in some reccommendations for a good travel to travel with. I spend lots of time going thru security lines at airports, so the key qualities I need are that it doesn't look like a weapon to an x-ray machine, and doesn't invoke wrath of those in the next hotel room (just lost my PVC Susato -- great but very loud).

Anybody travel with a Water Weasel? Can it handle being slung around in a laptop laden messenger bad?

Thanks,

jf

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:06 pm

So you're looking for an inocuous-looking whistle.
Never thought one could accuse you of attempting to hijack a plane with a tweaked Feadog in Eb and 3rd octave...
In any case, don't get a tuneable low D. X-rayed, it probably looks dramatic.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:07 pm

I've always traveled with a Generation. Granted it's metal, and will show up on X-rays (and possibly generate some questions), but all you have to do is pull it out and show them what it is. In fact, I think if I were to travel today, I'd just have it out and in my hand as I went through security...toss it in the basket they have for your keys and such.

FWIW, we once (years ago) got pulled out of a security line and asked to open our carryons because one of our wedding gifts (an antique dessert silverware set, that we'd decided to carry rather than ship because the box was fragile) caught the attendant's attention. When we looked at the security films, sure enough...it looked like a crossbow! Once they'd actually seen it, however, there was no problem.

Redwolf

Kar · Post by **Kar** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:14 pm

I traveled with my Dixon A. It has several advantages--it's relatively light, it isn't so loud (or high) that it will bother hotel neighbors, and if you have a tuneable model, you can take it apart so it's not even that cumbersome. Security didn't even blink twice. Plus, being plastic & not metal, it can take climate changes, if you're traveling across dramatic climates.

I also bring my Walton's LBW everywhere--it's so weightless, it couldn't possibly seem threatening.

Liam · Post by **Liam** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:19 pm

Well I would recommend getting something not to expensive, maybe the Dixon. Afterall, if it is a travel whistle it should not only be durable, but it should be cheap enough that you can afford to loose it.

chas · Post by **chas** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:25 pm

I often travel with a WW either Bb or A. They don't carry as well as D's in a hotel. Tried a low-D once, but couldn't play it in the car.

I have had a Burke brass in my carry-on, and it's never caught the eye of the x-ray reader. I was pulled for a search in the boarding line a couple of months ago, and the metal detector found it. But, as the others have said, it's not a problem once they see it.

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:34 pm

I've traveled a couple of times with a Laughing Whistle in my carry-on and had no problem. I intend to bring a laughing, feadog, and meg with me on my next trip in a few weeks. It was requested that I bring a low D but I am not going to - partly because it's so much bigger and could look clublike and partly because it's too long for my bag.

edited for tyop.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: avanutria on 2002-10-21 14:55 ]</font>

TonyHiggins · Post by **TonyHiggins** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 12:52 pm

There is a Clare two-piece high D in brass. It pulls apart right at the middle of the tube, more-or-less. Fits in the shirt pocket. Cheap. Feadog head, more-or-less. You can switch with your favorite cheapie fipple. They're pretty uniform.
Tony

Isilwen · Post by **Isilwen** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 1:15 pm

My 2pc Doolin works great for travel, as well as my Three Clarke origs.

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 1:32 pm

Well, Mack Hoover makes whistles out of cpvc (plastic plumbing pipe. try saying *that* 3x fast) and they're supposedly really quiet.

Not that I have one or anything.

I just *wish* I did.

Bobj · Post by **Bobj** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 2:12 pm

I have a Water Weasel but use a Clarke on travel because its quieter.

Never had a problem going through security with it.

BillG · Post by **BillG** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 2:43 pm

I will be traveling this weekend and will take a Hoover A and a Hoover F. Both are nice and quiet and I will play in the motel.

I keep them in tubing I bought some years back to wrap hot water pipes in to retain the heat. The A fits in 5/8" ID X 3/8" Nominal Wall tube and the F (CPVC) fits nicely in the larger 7/8" ID X 3/8" Nominal Wall. I cut the tubing about a half inch longer than the whistle and leave the head just barely peeking out of the top. When I pack them (I leave them in the tubes when finished playing around the house too) I put another small piece over the tips for extra protection. They're not intended to be hiden from xray machines but to protect them from bouncing around needlessly.

BillG

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 3:17 pm

They don't hassle whistlers at the airport, even with metal whistles. Since you live in San Jose, too, where do you go for Irish music? The only place I've found is the King's Head on Thursday nights.

brianormond · Post by **brianormond** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 3:22 pm

-Ive had good luck recently with a towel -roll of whistles in carry-on ranging from Sweetone-C, Silkstone soprano D to plastic Susato VSB and WW Low G.
-None aroused security concern, but maybe a pointy-ended Sweetone/Meg D
might.
-A Water Weasel Bb might be great but I don't know how quiet they are. My WW Low G travels well, but I've twice knocked the fipple out of alignment in travel, once radially and once vertically. Its reset easily by pushing it back from in the tube using a soft or blunt ended push stick. It can also be rotated when doing this if its not aligned radially. It can be super-glued permanently in alignment by a drop at the bottom of the exterior lip undercut-where the fipple lines up with the intermediate shroud and the mouthpiece tubing.

MurphyStout · Post by **MurphyStout** » Mon Oct 21, 2002 3:53 pm

I'll second the clare two piece. A good and consistant, cheap whistle. Sounds good, is compact, and you won't lose any sleep if something happens to it. They're at the whistle shop for under ten bucks.