Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds

Subject: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 01:34 PM

Been playing around with 'Generation' penny whistles for a while and getting to the stage where I am picking up a few tunes. I am not happy that the sounds coming from them are sweet or mellow enough...they are quite harsh. If anyone has any suggestions as to the best makers...or sounding whistles....please help.
Thanks and best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 May 07 - 01:39 PM

try japanese plastic susato

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Vixen
Date: 03 May 07 - 02:26 PM

Actually, Susato whistles are made in the US. They're nice sounding and inexpensive. I like Copeland's the best, but they are hard to come by and not cheap. Check out
Chiff and Fipple

I hope the blicky works...

V

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Ernest
Date: 03 May 07 - 02:32 PM

Tony Dixon has a model half plastic/half aluminium that has a nice mellow sound...
Best
Ernest

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Tim theTwangler
Date: 03 May 07 - 02:49 PM

Hey there is a Guy we met in the six bells at Barrow on Humber.
He was a local chap and made whistles
I am sure Mike from Cara would know him or of him.
Might be worth a trip to try some out if you can find him
Happy tootling mate

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 04:23 PM

Thanks for the info so far folks....Cheers Tim but not sure when will see Mike R again....

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: RTim
Date: 03 May 07 - 05:03 PM

If you want a really really good long lasting and great sounding whistle and you can afford it - and live in the USA - Try a Chris Abell whistle.
See - http://www.abellflute.com/whistle.html

Sorry - I tried to make a Blue Clicky thing - but it never seems to work for me?

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 03 May 07 - 05:38 PM

Have added the site to favourites RTim..thank you.

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Rowan
Date: 03 May 07 - 06:17 PM

Bob Ballantine used to play on a tin whistle (possibly a Generation) that had had its mouthpiece removed and replaced by that of a platic descant recorder (probably an Aulos); it was excellent. His articulations were really crisp, suiting his Northumbrian repertoire really well. I gather he was a piccolo player originally and occasionally played a piccolo with its head piece replaced by a plastic descant recorder mouthpiece.

From all of this I got the impression that the mouthpiece was the critical bit, especially the fipple, when playing. Recorder fipples seem to have better quality control in their manufacture. The timbre, however, is controlled by the bore shape and the material in the body of the instrument.

Ian Simpson has a fine reputation as a maker of timber pennywhistles with fine timbre and playing characteristics. He can be contacted by writing (snail mail) to him at Nariel Creek, Victoria, Australia. He's the only Ian Simpson anywhere near there so such minimal details will get him. He also makes rather good anglo concertinas.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 May 07 - 06:39 PM

For a beginner: get a Sweetone. They sound *much* better than Generations for not much more money. Susatos are only a bit more expensive, but so loud you have to be prepared to be the dominant sound in the mix- further on than knowing "a few tunes".

The one problem with Sweetones is that they come shrink-wrapped. For every other musical instrument in the known universe, you can try it before you buy. Fortunately their quality control is pretty good.

Or just get a recorder - a not-quite-bottom-end plastic Yamaha will knock the socks off any whistle at the same price for tone quality and accuracy of intonation.

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Tootler
Date: 03 May 07 - 07:43 PM

Generations tend to be sharp. You can deal with this by putting the head under the hot tap to soften the glue, then pull it out a bit. An electronic tuner helps. You have to experiment a bit because the tuning is not consistent across the instruments range, so you need to look for a best compromise.

I agree with Jack Campin about recorders. The plastic Yamaha Descants are excellent, especially when you consider the price. I have a set of transparent ones which are great fun in a session. They remain in tune in the second octave above top g' which is where tuning on even the expensive whistles starts to go awry. Aulos and Dolmetsch also make very good plastic descants. One or other of the three makes can be found in any high street music shop in the UK.

The downside of the recorder is that it is harder to play than the whistle. You have to learn to control the thumb hole to play above e' in the second octave and this does take some time to fully master. Once you have, though you have a wonderfully flexible instrument which is fully chromatic over two octaves.

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Leadfingers
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:12 PM

Tony Dixon does an all plastic tunable that has a far better tone than the Susatos in my opinion , though the aluminium bodies (At twice the price ) are excellent . There I agree with Ernest.

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: michaelr
Date: 03 May 07 - 08:28 PM

Yeah, but a recorder sounds like, well, a recorder. It doesn't have the breathiness characteristic of a whistle.

Overton whistles are good. So are Dixons and Howards.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Mo the caller
Date: 04 May 07 - 04:57 AM

I've heard a recorder that sounded like a clarinet. Mind you it did have a clarinet mouthpiece.

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: GUEST,Dáithí
Date: 04 May 07 - 05:14 AM

Hi Georgiansilver

The guy at the Six Bells is called Simon, and he makes wooden, metal and resin whistles of various types. I believe he sells under the name Weston Whistles...so you might find a website if you Google that.

Personally I play a Susato (currently around £30) most of the time for gigs and in sessions...but I also have various others. I also have a Shaw conical bore which has been tweaked by Jerry thingy in the US and is much easier on the breath and more consistent in the upper register than the originals. You can get them from The Big Whistle Company in Accrington Lancs - available on line and mail order.A tweaked D whistle would cost about £25 i think

Most of my Generations - on which I learned - are over thirty years old and a tad worse for wear (like me!)

Good luck - see you around soon, no doubt!

Dáithí

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Mo the caller
Date: 04 May 07 - 09:10 AM

Sitting on them doesn't improve the sound quality.

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 04 May 07 - 09:16 AM

Yes...not seen you for a while ...or Ian for that matter but sure our paths will cross again sometime.
Thanks for all the info folks...if anyone has anything to add please do so. Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: Mr Happy
Date: 04 May 07 - 09:19 AM

You need to warm 'em up a bit initially, generally I roll 'em betweenmy palms, but sometimes sit on 'em!

Subject: RE: Penny whistles.Best makers/sounds
From: pitheris
Date: 04 May 07 - 09:38 AM

I own a wide variety of whistles. I like Chris Abell's whistles overall.

Here's a few links
Link to Susato:
Susato

Many of these flute makers also make whisles:
Guide To The Irish Flute: Flute Makers