Plastic isn't bad!!!!

[*Cedar The Whistler*]

I have a great sounding Dixon Low D one piece tin whistle. Yes, its plastic. That doesn't mean that it sounds bad. My Dixon has been very easy to play. I have very small hands and it took me a while to get used to the fingering. After I got it, Iv'e played it so much because its beautiful.

So: Plastic whistles aren't always bad.

You can get the whistle here:
http://www.amazon.com/Dixon-Valve-Coupl ... in+whistle

[ytliek]

I'd be curious about the longevity of the plastic whistle(s), and specifically the Dixon Low D you mention.

There seems to be a notion that plastic lives forever, does it?
How old is the oldest plastic Dixon Low D and how has it held up to time? Cracking? Brittleness? Tone change? Surface change? Any change?

I have a friend that just bought one too on a recent trip to Ireland. He likes it too.

[*Cedar The Whistler*]

I'm also very curious how long it will last. I hope it lasts for a long time.

I ordered a Dixon Low D with a fipple and chiff attachment. I don't think its tunable. Oh well. Its plastic, too.

[Tor]

How long it lasts? It depens on the plastic
I have some SGI computers from the 90s, the plastic breaks to pieces if you just look too hard. This morning the plastic cover over the electric outlet in the bathroom broke. In both cases the plastic became brittle due to age.
The PVC in the few plastic whistles I have (I'm assuming it's PVC) seems to be a very different kind of plastic so I hope it lasts much longer.

[pancelticpiper]

For me the Dixon conical all-plastic Low D whistle is very nice. (I've had two, they were not identical buy very similar.)

One of the most ergonomic Low Ds out there, due to close fingerhole spacing, narrow tube, and lightness.

It's air-efficient. Yes not as much volume comes out as with most Low Ds but you're not putting much air in, either.

The tone is pleasant.

My complaint is the excessive flatness of the 2nd octave. This forces you to underblow the low octave so that it doesn't reach its potential volume and tone. If you blew the low octave up to its maximum you're at a pitch level the 2nd octave can't get to no matter now hard you blow it. That's the thing, if you want to play in tune you have to find the pressure at which the octaves are in tune with each other, and with those Dixons it means rather underblowing the already soft low octave. This also makes for a greater volume differential between the octaves than on many other Low Ds.

Anyhow if Tony were to bring the pitch of the 2nd octave up to where it's in that happy middle ground where most Low Ds are, that whistle would be a wonderful all-around thing.

[jkrazy52]

I'm also very curious how long it will last. I hope it lasts for a long time.

I have a plastic 2 piece Dixon, regular high D, that was purchased in the fall of 2001. Other than a gold band (seemed like a tape of some sort) around the bottom that has disappeared, the whistle is still in great shape. The greatest dangers to plastic whistles are probably hot cars and back pockets ... and curious youngsters.

[pancelticpiper]

About the Dixon high D whistles, when I met Tony at the NAMM show and got to try a large number of his whistles my favourite high D was one of the sort with the metal tube body and plastic head.

They varied a bit, and one was a real cracker. Like an eejit I didn't buy it.

Back a few years: Tony Dixon and Yours Truly at the NAMM Show, Anaheim, with his prototype one-piece conical bore all-plastic Low D. This prototype played great, better as I recall than the two-piece models I have

[Reyburnwhistles]

It's important to keep in mind that all plastic is not the same. Injection molded plastic can get brittle and break easily while Delrin (acetyl plastic) is very tough and can take a real beating like dropping or sitting on it etc. Delrin comes in rods, sheets etc and needs to be machined so the end product is very different compared to an injection molded part so will last a long time. I've never seen a Delrin part crack or break for any reason.

[ytliek]

while Delrin (acetyl plastic) is very tough and can take a real beating like dropping or sitting on it etc.

I prefer wood, but, for the above reason there is a place for delrin in the kit.

[trill]

Greetings,

I have a Dixon 2 piece Low D.

I bought it used more than 10 years ago.

There are no cracks of any kind.

The only wear+tear is some tooth-marks from the previous owner.

One of the most ergonomic Low Ds out there, due to close fingerhole spacing, narrow tube, and lightness.

It's air-efficient. Yes not as much volume comes out as with most Low Ds but you're not putting much air in, either.

The tone is pleasant.

Ditto on all counts. I especially like the lightness.

trill

[Feadoggie]

I'd be curious about the longevity of the plastic whistle(s), and specifically the Dixon Low D you mention.

I'm also very curious how long it will last. I hope it lasts for a long time.

There's little reason to be concerned about longevity of many of these plastic whistles. As Trill has said, the Dixon polymer whistles will last a long time. My original Dixon low D must be at least 15 years old. I can't remember exactly when I bought it anymore. How long has Dixon been offering a polymer low D? It's still a good player, has a little plumbers tape on the joint now though. The newer ones are better made and better tuned. Heat is the only obvious enemy of the material Dixon uses. So just keep it away from high temps and you'll have the whistle for a long time.

I also have a number of PVC/CPVC/ABS whistles that go back a couple decades and they are still in good shape as well. Then there are the plastic molded heads on many of my old favorites that are pushing towards the half-century mark. Just take reasonable care of them and they last a long time. No worries.

It's important to keep in mind that all plastic is not the same. Injection molded plastic can get brittle and break easily while Delrin (acetyl plastic) is very tough and can take a real beating like dropping or sitting on it etc. Delrin comes in rods, sheets etc and needs to be machined so the end product is very different compared to an injection molded part so will last a long time. I've never seen a Delrin part crack or break for any reason.

Very true that not all plastics are the same. And Delrin is a great material to work with. I have seen delrin parts crack - matter of design and usage. It is still very tough stuff and better than most plastics for durability and dimensional stability. But .... Delrin does not have to be machined. Delrin and generic polyacetal are readily available in bead/pellet form for injection molding. It is a fairly common material used in that process. Quite common practice in the automotive industry. Anyone who has ridden a bike equipped with Simplex Prestige derailleurs (I know, I am showing my age.) has depended on molded delrin parts to change their gears. These were space-age bicycle components before carbon fiber became the rage.

Craftspeople can even mold delrin parts at home - like whistle heads. Just takes a small benchtop molding machine (which do show up second-hand for reasonable prices if you look hard enough).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTrRM82YOrY

Feadoggie

[Lempriere]

Does anyone know how to get scratches out of ABS? A Susato that I picked up second hand has quite a number of scratches, a couple quite deep on the body. They don't affect the play in anyway but if would be nice to have rid if possible.

[Feadoggie]

Does anyone know how to get scratches out of ABS?

I've only polished maybe a thousand whistles or so. I'm still learning.

Polishing will get most of the scratches out. Leave the deep scratches alone. If you try to buff them out you will likely have to get too aggressive which is not a good idea with many plastics.

The polishing methods espoused by pen makers that work on acrylic and polyester resins are worth looking into. That's where I started out my inquiries originally.

A slow speed benchtop buffing motor with soft buffing wheels and plastic polishing compound works well for me on ABS as well as PVC, CPVC, Acrylic and Delrin. I use a two wheel system with a muslin wheel and a flannel wheel. You do not want to use any method that will build up much heat or you'll have more than deep scratches on the body.

I suppose a variable speed Dremel running at the slow speed with a buffing wheel and compound would work but just take ages to get done from top to bottom.

I've also used a shoe buffer. I happened across an old Dremel shoe buffer for cheap. It spins slower than many motors (1500 rpm?) and the brushes are very soft wool. Just make sure the polishing brushes are clean before you have a go with one of those. I doubt shoe wax/polish would help you much.

Do not apply pressure. Let the compound do the work. Keep the work moving. Do not stay in one place long. Beware of the tone holes catching in the buffing wheel. Try to keep away from the holes if at all possible. They can catch in the buffing wheel. Sometimes that'll just plain ruin a whistle. Stay well away from the Labium, particularly the edge. It is by far the most vulnerable part of a Susato.

You could leave your whistle battle worn as a well used badge of credibility.

Good luck.

Feadoggie

[kkrell]

Stay well away from the Labium, particularly the edge.

That's what SHE said.

[ScotsJim]

I've got a set of Dixon polymer whistles ( From high D to low D ) and I really like them. They don't play as loudly as, say, alloy or brass whistles, but have a beautiful tone and they suit my needs. They also don't require as much breath to play. The Dixon polymer in A is one of my favourite whistles to play when busking ( Exquisite tone IMHO ) and, according to the many people who've came out of their way to hear where the music's coming from, the sound really does carry.