Page 1 of 2
approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 10:19 am
by nduanetesh
Like many, I go through spurts of frenzied whistle buying, and then years go by when I don't buy anything new at all. Anyway, going through my old collection, I remembered that I have one of Noah Herbeson's(?) Laughing Whistles. I remember that they used to be quite sought after, and am considering whether to sell this one. On one hand, I feel it should be played more. On the other, it's a really neat curiosity to have in my collection. I have absolutely no clue what it might be worth. Anyone have any opinions on the value? Thanks.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2024 5:21 pm
by Loren
Noah made at least 2 types of whistles: Telescoping and the more standard type. I assume you’re talking about the telescoping version? Key of D?
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2024 7:28 am
by avanutria
Long-time connoisseur of Laughing whistles here. I even have an ebay saved search.
Laughing used to be the only telescoping maker on the marker, which was most of what drove their appeal. The rest was the sound which is similar to a Hoover. There are at least two or three makers of telescopers now. That said, if you decide to sell I'd love to see photos and a sound clip, as I am still a collector of telescoping whistles, but I also have a ton of them so am not in urgent need.
If it is his low D I am very interested. I sold mine at a time of financial need and always regretted it.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2024 8:14 am
by Flotineer
Not to thread-jack, but who else makes telescopers?
avanutria wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 7:28 am
Long-time connoisseur of Laughing whistles here. I even have an ebay saved search.
Laughing used to be the only telescoping maker on the marker, which was most of what drove their appeal. The rest was the sound which is similar to a Hoover. There are at least two or three makers of telescopers now. That said, if you decide to sell I'd love to see photos and a sound clip, as I am still a collector of telescoping whistles, but I also have a ton of them so am not in urgent need.
If it is his low D I am very interested. I sold mine at a time of financial need and always regretted it.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2024 3:58 pm
by ecadre
Flotineer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 8:14 am
Not to thread-jack, but who else makes telescopers?
The chap who markets his as "Dante whistles." There are some reviews on Youtube.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2024 7:06 pm
by Cyberknight
ecadre wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 3:58 pm
Flotineer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 8:14 am
Not to thread-jack, but who else makes telescopers?
The chap who markets his as "Dante whistles." There are some reviews on Youtube.
These look really cool!
I've never tried a telescoping whistle, but the idea sounds very appealing. I have no idea if this is part of why people make them, but I always imagined the telescoping feature would allow you to fine-tune the instrument better in response to temperature changes. Since you can change the space between certain holes, I'd imagine you can sharpen or flatten parts of the octave more than others.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2024 11:03 am
by avanutria
Flotineer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 8:14 am
Not to thread-jack, but who else makes telescopers?
O'Brien (whose site no longer exists) and
Parks used to, but it looks like both of them are closed down now.
Hoover is technically in retirement, but he made some for a while and
this Youtube video made his popular for a while. He trained a successor (*cough*hi*cough*), who is just starting out at the moment.
Cyberknight wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 7:06 pm
I've never tried a telescoping whistle, but the idea sounds very appealing. I have no idea if this is part of why people make them, but I always imagined the telescoping feature would allow you to fine-tune the instrument better in response to temperature changes. Since you can change the space between certain holes, I'd imagine you can sharpen or flatten parts of the octave more than others.
Not so much. Since some of the holes are still fixed in place relative to one another, and the overall root note is based on the overall length of the whistle, you can tune it by shifting the top portion up and down, but shifting the distance between the bottom two sections won't really get you anything musically appropriate. However, depending on the construction you might be able to shift the lower three holes to the side a little bit to make the whistle more ergonomically comfortable; you can easily pivot the top piece to face backward for wind protection; and the most important thing, they are ultra portable, and reinforced when collapsed so that if the DO get bonked, they're less likely to suffer major damage.
If you get a custom made one, you could potentially request one wherein if you shift the lower tube sideways a certain amount, you end up with a built-in half hole for F natural or something, or a model that you can cover a hole to get pentatonic/Native American tuning (I think that's leaving out the fourth hole but I forget right now).
I've always been partial to extremely portable instruments, since I moved a lot as a kid/young person. Even my concertinas trend toward smaller than average. So for me, collapsible/telescoping whistles meant portability and the fact that the Laughing Whistles I had were also the quieter, pure/sweet tone that I preferred made them the ideal whistle for me. I've had four or five pass through my hands and still have three of them. But I reach for my Hoovers more often these days (which I have a ridiculous number of now).
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2024 1:07 pm
by Kedster
avanutria wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 11:03 am
Flotineer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 8:14 am
Not to thread-jack, but who else makes telescopers?
O'Brien (whose site no longer exists) and
Parks used to, but it looks like both of them are closed down now.
Hoover is technically in retirement, but he made some for a while and
this Youtube video made his popular for a while. He trained a successor (*cough*hi*cough*), who is just starting out at the moment.
Cyberknight wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2024 7:06 pm
I've never tried a telescoping whistle, but the idea sounds very appealing. I have no idea if this is part of why people make them, but I always imagined the telescoping feature would allow you to fine-tune the instrument better in response to temperature changes. Since you can change the space between certain holes, I'd imagine you can sharpen or flatten parts of the octave more than others.
Not so much. Since some of the holes are still fixed in place relative to one another, and the overall root note is based on the overall length of the whistle, you can tune it by shifting the top portion up and down, but shifting the distance between the bottom two sections won't really get you anything musically appropriate. However, depending on the construction you might be able to shift the lower three holes to the side a little bit to make the whistle more ergonomically comfortable; you can easily pivot the top piece to face backward for wind protection; and the most important thing, they are ultra portable, and reinforced when collapsed so that if the DO get bonked, they're less likely to suffer major damage.
If you get a custom made one, you could potentially request one wherein if you shift the lower tube sideways a certain amount, you end up with a built-in half hole for F natural or something, or a model that you can cover a hole to get pentatonic/Native American tuning (I think that's leaving out the fourth hole but I forget right now).
I've always been partial to extremely portable instruments, since I moved a lot as a kid/young person. Even my concertinas trend toward smaller than average. So for me, collapsible/telescoping whistles meant portability and the fact that the Laughing Whistles I had were also the quieter, pure/sweet tone that I preferred made them the ideal whistle for me. I've had four or five pass through my hands and still have three of them. But I reach for my Hoovers more often these days (which I have a ridiculous number of now).
For me, the greatest reason to have a telescopic whistle is having a conical (or as close to a conical) whistle, with the properties it imbues. Preferably, low F brass conical whistle. I know copeland used to make them, but, eh, (bleep)...
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2024 8:47 pm
by avanutria
Kedster wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 1:07 pmFor me, the greatest reason to have a telescopic whistle is having a conical (or as close to a conical) whistle, with the properties it imbues. Preferably, low F brass conical whistle. I know copeland used to make them, but, eh, (bleep)...
What properties do you perceive that are specific to conical whistles? I know the theory behind making one out of a ski pole but have not done it yet myself.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2024 9:46 pm
by OBrien
I still make telescoping whistles, called Stowaways.
Email me at
davidpeterobrien@yahoo.com
If you’re interested. I have deluxe leather cases for them, too.
As I mentioned here before, my website was compromised and I haven’t gotten around to making a new one. I had a TIA, (mini-stroke) in the spring. So things had to shut down anyway, because of that. So far, word of mouth has kept me busy enough, without a website.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2024 11:50 pm
by avanutria
I'm glad you're doing well, David! I was worried when I tried to go to your site and found it down.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2024 12:01 am
by Kedster
avanutria wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 8:47 pm
Kedster wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 1:07 pmFor me, the greatest reason to have a telescopic whistle is having a conical (or as close to a conical) whistle, with the properties it imbues. Preferably, low F brass conical whistle. I know copeland used to make them, but, eh, (bleep)...
What properties do you perceive that are specific to conical whistles? I know the theory behind making one out of a ski pole but have not done it yet myself.
Turkish Neys are always made with conical reed bamboos, which in my experience gives smoother breath requirements as you move up the scale (the dreaded A/B/C+), along with a greater intonation generally. The trade off is usually the bell note needs a softer touch to keep it from jumping an octave. Those properties are true for Turkish neys as well as comparing my Clarke to my Killarney.
Also, completely anectodally, my cats react harshly to second octave A+ notes on my Killarney, as there's a clear volume jump. They don't seem to mind when I hit the same notes on my Sweetone. Sweetone is generally a quieter whistle but they sound almost the same in volume in second octave, up to the high notes.
And finally, third octave is actually possible on Sweetone. On my Generation, Killarney, etc, yes it exists but, nothing pleasant whatsoever. It's just too harsh for performance.
I don't know how these properties would translate to telescopic whistles tho.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2024 2:18 pm
by Cyberknight
Kedster wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 12:01 am
avanutria wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 8:47 pm
Kedster wrote: ↑Fri Jan 12, 2024 1:07 pmFor me, the greatest reason to have a telescopic whistle is having a conical (or as close to a conical) whistle, with the properties it imbues. Preferably, low F brass conical whistle. I know copeland used to make them, but, eh, (bleep)...
What properties do you perceive that are specific to conical whistles? I know the theory behind making one out of a ski pole but have not done it yet myself.
Turkish Neys are always made with conical reed bamboos, which in my experience gives smoother breath requirements as you move up the scale (the dreaded A/B/C+), along with a greater intonation generally. The trade off is usually the bell note needs a softer touch to keep it from jumping an octave. Those properties are true for Turkish neys as well as comparing my Clarke to my Killarney.
Also, completely anectodally, my cats react harshly to second octave A+ notes on my Killarney, as there's a clear volume jump. They don't seem to mind when I hit the same notes on my Sweetone. Sweetone is generally a quieter whistle but they sound almost the same in volume in second octave, up to the high notes.
And finally, third octave is actually possible on Sweetone. On my Generation, Killarney, etc, yes it exists but, nothing pleasant whatsoever. It's just too harsh for performance.
I don't know how these properties would translate to telescopic whistles tho.
All of this matches my observations exactly.
I am a fan of conical bore whistles because of the excellent tuning they tend to have. However, I find their biggest problem is wildly inconsistent volume - or, at least, the volume is inconsistent when I play them. Sweetones are a good example. They're so quiet in the first octave that you can barely hear them. They can practically whisper in most of the second octave too. But then you get to A and B and suddenly they're as loud as any other whistle.
Morneauxs are similar, except they're not nearly as quiet in the first octave (though they're still fairly quiet on the bell note). But they still shriek when they get to A and B.
That's why I now prefer cylindrical whistles with tapered heads and/or undercutting. They seem to fix all the pitch issues that cylindrical whistles normally have, but they don't break octaves as easily, which seems to allow me to get more volume out of the lower octave. The volume on my Goldie is way more consistent than any of my conical whistle, and the tuning is just as good if not better.
But I've never tried telescoping whistles. They seem like they'd have interesting properties given that they taper suddenly rather than gradually. I'd be interested to try one out.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2024 1:09 pm
by nduanetesh
sorry to be so long in checking back in after I started this thread. Yes, it's a brass telescoping whistle, high D.
Re: approximate value of a Laughing Whistle?
Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2024 2:38 pm
by Loren
nduanetesh wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 1:09 pm
sorry to be so long in checking back in after I started this thread. Yes, it's a brass telescoping whistle, high D.
OK, hard to say exactly since they don’t come up for sale often, but they weren’t very expensive new, so I think $50-$100 would be an expected, and fair, range. That said, there often seems to be a collector out there willing to pay 3-4 times as much for less common items, so I’d suggest asking for what you’re comfortable with and see what happens.
It should be noted that the telescoping laughing whistles were cool little whistles that were unique at the time, but not particularly well made by today’s standards. This is another factor impacting value.