Which tin whistle should i get?

[TheFlyingScott100]

Hey i'm sure you heard this question a zillion times before, but which tin whistle should i get. I'm looking for something within the 30-50 dollar range. I like the sound of clarks but i'm not too picky and i want something a little more classy.

[Kypfer]

unnecessary comment removed ... if you like the sound of a Clarke, get a Clarke, they're sound is fairly unique. In fact, for $50, you could get several ... an "original" and a Sweetone, each in C and D, maybe in a choice of colours?

edited to remove ambiguity

[hoopy mike]

Surely the question should be "Which tin whistles should I get?"

[MTGuru]

I'm wondering whether you want a whistle as an instrument or as a fashion statement

That's a bit harsh, Kypfer ... Just put yourself in the shoes of someone facing the bewildering choice of whistles out there for the first time.

[Kypfer]

That's a bit harsh, Kypfer ...

... sorry, should have put a in there ... was trying to be a bit tongue-in-cheek

You're absolutely right ... difficult choice, but I still think a Clarke is the best in the given circumstance. FWIW, I'd go for a Sweetone in D then expand from there

edit : ambiguous comment now removed from previous posting

[Pipe Bender]

$ - Feadog or an Oak. For a complete beginner the Clarke Sweetone/Meg.
$$ - Dixon Trad or a Freeman Mellow Dog.
$$$ - Dixon Aluminum DX006 or a Parks Every. EDIT: The DX006 looks "classy".
$$$$ - Sindt
$$$$$ - Burke

[talasiga]

I'm wondering whether you want a whistle as an instrument or as a fashion statement

That's a bit harsh, Kypfer ... Just put yourself in the shoes of someone facing the bewildering choice of whistles out there for the first time.

I think that would be quite difficult because that "someone" comes in all shapes and sizes. For instance this one

........i want something a little more classy.

has class aspirations. Not everyone facing the bewildering choice brings classiness to the party (of considerations).

[crookedtune]

Welcome, Scott. Consider yourself introduced to Talasiga.

[maki]

$ - Feadog or an Oak. For a complete beginner the Clarke Sweetone/Meg.
$$ - Dixon Trad or a Freeman Mellow Dog.
$$$ - Dixon Aluminum DX006 or a Parks Every. EDIT: The DX006 looks "classy".
$$$$ - Sindt
$$$$$ - Burke

Someday I'll have them all!

I have one good Oak and one terrible Oak. How well others have fared, I don't know.
Between my wife and myself we have three Sweetones, I like them.
I have one Freeman Mellow Dog D/C set and REALLY enjoy these.
My next purchase is a stock Feadog.
(Of course, I am a real newbie.)
Good luck.

[LorenzoFlute]

$ - Feadog or an Oak. For a complete beginner the Clarke Sweetone/Meg.
$$ - Dixon Trad or a Freeman Mellow Dog.
$$$ - Dixon Aluminum DX006 or a Parks Every. EDIT: The DX006 looks "classy".
$$$$ - Sindt
$$$$$ - Burke

$$$$$$ - Abell

I'd add the Susato to the $$ and Reyburn to the $$$$$

[highland-piper]

I have all the Clarke whistles.

For $40 I'd get the Jerry Freeman Mellow Dog with the C body. It plays easier and it sounds good. Easier to play means you'll make faster progress.

[DrPhill]

I have all the Clarke whistles.

No you don't. I know somebody who has some too.

[Thomaston]

You'd probably like a tweaked Shaw from Jerry Freeman. Unfortunately, he doesn't tweak them anymore, but if you look around you might find a used one.

[ecohawk]

Many who have commented are far more experienced than I but I faced this same dilemma two 1/2 years ago when I matriculated from recorder to whistle.

]This is strictly my opinion based on my personal experience. YMMV

I would not buy any mass produced whistle such as: Clarke, Generation, Feadog, Clare, Oak, Walton's etc unless it was tweaked by someone who knows what they're doing. Or you might take a look at the Tweaking thread on this site and try it yourself. I was modestly successful at this. The only whistles of the aforementioned I've purchased off the shelf that actually were playable were a Feadog Pro and a Walton's Little Black. The rest were too inconsistent. I have heard others say that they've purchased Oaks and Generations recently that were fine but I have not enjoyed that experience. Some shops will let you try out whistles, most won't. If you are lucky enough to find one that does, you will likely find a good one from a box of any of these whistles.

I became so frustrated at the inconsistencies of these that I almost gave up until my wife proved her love and devotion to me by telling me to stop whining, give up one bottle of good wine, and buy a Mellow Dog D. This proved to be the turning point for me. I've gone on to acquire a book-worthy case of WHOA (look it up) since but that's another story for another day.

Getting a good whistle will make a big difference to a beginner. My experience is that great whistle players sound good on any whistle but it's hard to learn on one that squeaks or buzzes or requires such deft breath control that it makes for difficult transitions between octaves.

I'd get either a Mellow Dog D or a Generation or a Feadog tweaked by Jerry Freeman or Tommy Dion or Cillian Obriain (sp?) if I was starting from scratch. You will learn quicker and you might not need another D whistle in your lifetime unless you catch that dreaded disease.

Also to Pipe Benders list:

$$$ - Tommy Dion,
$$$$$ - Busman, Goldie

[kokopelli]

I learned on a stock Generation and it was my favorite whistle until the head cracked. They're cheap, can be made tuneable and, in my opinion, sound good.