Advice on buying a conical whistle

dwinterfield · Post by **dwinterfield** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 6:57 am

I'm having that "need to try something new" whistle feeling. I'd welcome thoughts, opinions, guidance, warnings etc about conical whistles. I picked up my first working whistle the other day - a sweetone. It's still fun to play. I also realized that all the better whistles I've acquired in the past year are cylndrical. My current favorite is a Burke narrow bore D in brass.

So if my next whistle will be conical, what should I be considering. Any thoughts on Shaws, tweaked Shaws, Sweethearts, Copeland? What else is out there? I noticed a lot of Copelands in the 3 favorite whistle thread.

Thanks in advance

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 7:41 am

Bleazey makes conical bore whistles too.

I have owned Shaw, Sweetone, Copeland and Bleazey. I currently only have the Bleazeys. He makes them in 4 or 5 different woods.

I don't know of any other conical bore whistles.

OBrien · Post by **OBrien** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:49 am

I really like my Jerry-tweaked Shaw.

markbell · Post by **markbell** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:01 pm

I am an admitted cheap whistle freak, but one of my favorites is the Clarke traditional whistle in black. They tend to be breathy and take too much air out of the box, but a gentle windway-mashing with the thumb has rendered a couple of them into extremely nice-sounding whistles.

I have one that I play so often that the much-maligned gold diamonds and logo are worn away with use. It's at least 10 years old, and gets more play than anything else that I have.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:26 pm

IDAwHOa wrote:Bleazey makes conical bore whistles too.

I have owned Shaw, Sweetone, Copeland and Bleazey. I currently only have the Bleazeys. He makes them in 4 or 5 different woods.

I don't know of any other conical bore whistles.

I have a Bleazey high D in blackwood. (Now ask Steven exactly how many Bleazeys he has.)

The tone is complex, but not raspy or breathy.

It has fairly high volume and good backpressure, and can handle quite a bit of blowing in the lower octave without jumping to the upper, making it good for bending notes.

It does require a bit more force toward the top half of the second octave, and I'd rather not play the second-octave C# indoors.

It's a very attractive whistle, with silver rings at the tuning slide. The workmaship is superb.

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:37 pm

I haven't tried any wooden conical whistles. I do have a Sweetone and a Shaw and a Clarke. But my favorite is my Copeland.

Definitely find a place to try these out if you can, especially if you're thinking of spending lots of money! I like the Copeland because I think it sounds more complex and flutey than other whistles I'd played before. It's more challenging to play, but gives a lot back.

Jennie

KDMARTINKY · Post by **KDMARTINKY** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 1:57 pm

Whistles by Dave Shaw

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:45 pm

Of all the conicals I've played, I'd order them something like this in terms of desirability:

Copeland
Sweetheart Pro in Dymondwood
Freeman Tweaked Shaw
Freeman Tweaked Sweetone
Sweetone (or meg...the ones I've tried have been identical)
Clarke Original
Shaw

Now, I'm arranging them like this for a variety of reasons. The Copeland up top because the nickel Copeland D i have (which used to be Mick Woodruff's) is just a dream. Easy to play, and very sweet sounding in both octaves.

The Sweetheart next because it's a strong-toned instrument, and very stable. Plus, I can take it to places like Renaissance Faires and it'll fit right in. It's nice and wind resistant, and should be somewhat more moisture/temperature resistant than natural wood, so it'll make a good travelling whistle.

The tweaked Shaw is next, because of the cheapie conicals I've played, I just like the way it sounds best, even if I have to push it a little with the breath pressure.

Tweaked Sweetone after that, due to the improvements Jerry makes to them, followed by the regular sweetone.

The Clarke original is down there, because, untweaked, it takes a lot more air than I care to push through an instrument.

And the untweaked Shaw is last, because it takes even more air than a Clarke, and is a little too breathy for my tastes.

OBrien · Post by **OBrien** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:59 pm

Have to get me one of those Dopeland whistles. What else can you use it for?

Whistling Willie · Post by **Whistling Willie** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:35 pm

O'Brien wrote:Have to get me one of those Dopeland whistles. What else can you use it for?

I think you can smoke them once your done playing

StewySmoot · Post by **StewySmoot** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:51 pm

The only thing I notice about conicals is that I was able to get a bwaaah sound out of them transitioning from A-B-Cnat (oxxooo) that I cant seem to get from cylindricals. This is true on both a Copeland I gave away and the Freeman tweaked Shaw I have.
The Copeland had probably the sweetest sound I have heard on a hi D but it never had playability for me. I never could adapt to it personally.

Whistling Willie · Post by **Whistling Willie** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:39 pm

At the end of the day Stewy,everyone of us knows what we like and what we don't,that's what makes us such a diverse and complex species...long may it continue

Whistling Willie · Post by **Whistling Willie** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:39 pm

BY the way Stewy...who's bouncing the most here

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:54 pm

Darwin wrote:(Now ask Steven exactly how many Bleazeys he has.)

I have to change hands to count now!

Wood is Mopani

Left to Right: High D, C, Bb, A, Low G, D

Renee and I were playing Bleazey/Overton duets in parts yesterday. POWERFUL stuff!

The Overton Bass A (alto part) with Bleazey Low D (soprano part) was particularly wonderful.