Best D under $100

[sgriob]

I know, you all get this question all the time. I need a D whistle that's better than basic, but doesn't cost a fortune. The Black Knight Merlin looks pretty. The 'tweaked' Freeman's are cheap and intriguing. The Susato's are reliable, but I don't want to go through the heartache again. (Long mournful story.)

I half expect my original whistle collection to come back to me one day, but for the meantime I need something to assuage my misery.

Any ideas, lads? (and lassies)

[fancypiper]

My absolute favorite D whistle is the Every Whistle by Parks Whistles. My second fave is the Clarke original design in D.

[dspmusik]

the Freeman's are my fav for $$/quality ratio. the merlin black knights are really interesting, a wide bore, lots of chiff, but *extremely* hard to get the upper 2nd octave. plus you can get 2 Freeman's for the price of 1 black knight...

[sgriob]

Cool. Thanks guys.

[straycat82]

For immediate gratification:
Ó Briain Improved Feadóg

If you can wait for it:
Sindt

My recommendation:
Both

[Mr.Gumby]

For value for money it's probably hard to beat the €25 Cillian O Briain improved.

'Best' is a bit of a subjective thing though.

[sgriob]

My brain hurts too. I don't like having to wait for immediate gratification.

"Best" is like whisky, I suppose. Above a certain price level it's only a matter of taste. I've been playing a nickel Copeland for years -- until it got half-inched. So I'm used to that silvery, pristine sound that's audible in a session but doesn't stop dogs in their tracks.

[MTGuru]

until it got half-inched.

Translation?

[Feadoggie]

until it got half-inched.

Translation?

Pinched?

[ubizmo]

The Impempe high D is pretty good, and under $100, even with shipping added (to the US). I just got one a few weeks ago, and so far I like it a lot. It's fairly quiet, with a moderate amount of chiff. The bell note, though not especially loud, is not fragile either. The 2nd octave is playable without much difficulty, although high B requires some extra kick, as it often does. The Impempe is an all-metal whistle, beautifully made of rather thick aluminum, or so the web site says. It looks and feels like stainless steel. It's heavier than I expected an aluminum whistle to be. It's tunable, as well.

Ubizmo

[sgriob]

Pinched, yes. Rhyming slang -- or "thieve's cant" as my cheese and kisses insists on calling it.
Thanks, Ubizmo. I'll check all these out.

[sgriob]

Okay. So now I'm looking at the Excalibur, 7-hole model. Could be a nice change from having to to fudge the low C, blow it high or improvise a 'harmony.' Anyone tried it? Would you recommend?

[AlBrown]

Original wooden fipple Clarke, without a doubt. There are sometimes flawed inexpensive whistles, but the majority are perfectly serviceable. Most of what makes a whistle good is the player, not the whistle. Too many people go chasing perfection by buying whistles, instead of practicing and playing whistles.

[sgriob]

You are so right, AlBrown. It's the singer, not the song. But some whistles DO sound better than others. Every individual instrument, however humble, has its own personality. A good instrument makes a good player.

FWIW, I had a perfectly serviceable bouzouki from Lark in the Morning but it wasn't until I got a Sobell mandola that my musicality, and enjoyment, improved by leaps and bounds.

[Adrian]

Mellow Dog, Impempe and Feadog are all very nice whistles and cost less than $100. Get all three!

I'm a fan of Susatos in some keys but D is not one of them.