To thumbhole or not to thumbhole - that is the question!

[Cris Gale]

I was recently given a Michael Burke soprano D tin whistle. I instantly fell in love with it and actually took it with me everywhere. Because of that love, when my car was broken into this past friday - it was stolen . Soooo now I'm going to buy one for my very own, and I'm wondering if I should get the thumb hole. I'm really leaning towards it, but I'm very new at playing the tin whistle (less than a month) and I'm concerned that it will adversely affect playability. I'm also wondering if simply taping over it would be an option if I find that I don't like it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[MTGuru]

I'm also wondering if simply taping over it would be an option if I find that I don't like it.

Yep, that's basically it. And welcome!

[Mike Anderson]

I gave this some thought recently.

Against a C-natural thumbhole:

You might grow uncomfortable cross-fingering other whistles.
The thumbhole might not be in a natural position for you.
Your thumb must now have the discipline to stay put, which adds tension to the grip.
Who wants tape or tape residue on a beautiful Burke whistle?
Since thumbholes are atypical, perhaps they negatively affect resale value?
Seven hole whistles are not permitted at the Fleadh Ceoil (Irish music competition).
ITM purists will laugh at you.

For a C-natural thumbhole:

You can do rolls and such on C-natural.
The thumbhole C-natural is much closer in timbre with the surrounding notes (don't know for Burkes specifically, though).
You might get a more in-tune second octave c-sharp, or so I infer from Terry McGee and his flute thumbholes.
It's the way to play C-natural on a Boehm flute, so the technique is transferrable.
For proper intonation most hole positions change, particularly on thick-walled instruments, so retrofitting is not a good option.
Many who try the C-nat thumbhole want it on all their whistles.

On considering these factors I decided to order an Oz Vambrace with a thumbhole. I wish I could tell you how much I like it, but I'm still waiting.

[Tillerman]

You can do rolls and such on C-natural.

On my Gen hi D I can halfhole Bb and F natural fairly accurately, the half hole C Nat gives me problems and OXXOOO really slows me down for any ornamentation. So this is the main reason for looking into a top thumbhole when I buy myself a high end whistle - Probably Reyburn if he offers thumbholes.

[brewerpaul]

If a thumb hole was so terrific, you'd see them on more whistles. I'm just saying...

[killthemessenger]

You have to admit, it's hardly a market that encourages innovation. After all, if they didn't use thumbholes in 19th century Sligo...

[maki]

Thumb holes seem to hurt resale value, no big deal if you plan on keeping them.

There are folks who use them and love them, but they seem to be a minority.

Many whistlers value tradition highly, but you don't have to.

Your question comes back to you.

Welcome to the forum, and may I say, Burkes are a nice way to start whistling.
HOLY COW! You're OcarinaDiva!
I got into whistles through ocarinas, and I know your work very well.
Welcome indeed!

[Katharine]

Since thumbholes are atypical, perhaps they negatively affect resale value?

Heh. Perhaps they also negatively affect theft appeal??

[Tillerman]

I'm going to order a Mack Hoover today, a narrow bore soprano D with the thumbhole. Cheap enough at $65 to give the thumbhole malarky a go in practice!

It's supposed to be a little quieter in the second octave. So even if I end up taping it over, it should be a great practice whistle for around the house. His work sounds pretty dayum good in my opinion - http://praisewhistlers.org/mackhooverwh ... ss%20D.wmv

[Cris Gale]

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful replies! I decided to go with the thumbhole. I'm not planning to sell it, and while I don't want to tape over the thumb hole, it's nice to know that I can if I need to at first. I'm really looking forward to not having to use the 0XX 000 fingering for C (it slows me down too), and being able to play in G with more accurate intonation. Hopefully the thumbhole will be in a comfortable location.

[jim stone]

I think the thumbhole is very agile and useful. There are flutesmyths who will put in a thumbhole on a new whistle
for you at a nominal fee, and the original maker may well do it for free (my experience).
What is the case is that you have to learn how to use it, especially if you've been playing a long while
without it, and may feel a bit clumsy for awhile.

Also, if/when you move to flute, the thumbhole is MUCH cheaper and, IMO, more useful than a C natural key,
and so, even on a keyless flute, you can have the advantage of a very useful key for only 30 dollars.
Again, there are flutesmyths who will put it in for you.

It is unlikely that positioning the thumb will be a problem on a soprano whistle. On a flute you send the flute
to the smyth, with a mark on the place where your thumb comfortably goes, so s/he can put the thumb
where you will be comfortable.

One rather good thing is that, once you get used to thumbholes, as you will want one, this somewhat
inhibits WHOA/FLOA, as there is now often an extra step in acquiring an instrument, which may include
shipping to and fro, etc.

[JackCampin]

I haven't seen one of these - where is the hole?

It's common on Turkish whistles to have a thumbhole in between the first two fingerholes (i.e. not where it is on a recorder). Not hard to get used to that.

[killthemessenger]

"Smyth"?

[ecohawk]

I don't know why I'm jumping into this discussion since I don't normally deal in absolutes, but I feel compelled to do so.

I see very little value in the thumbhole. Many, if not most, quality whistle makers don't offer thumbholes. Many absolutely great instruments that have already been made will not have thumbholes. Very few, I don't know of any, great players, professional or not, who use thumbholes. Most quality whistles do not need the thumbhole to play accurately and in tune. The whistle is a humble simple folk instrument that is more often than not made great by great players who don't or didn't use thumbholes. You can pay $1400 for an engraved Copeland (doesn't have a thumbhole) or $5 for a Feadog (no thumbhole) and make great music with either one. It is a gimmick. A newbie should not limit themselves to playing only whistles with thumbholes and make it very difficult to make the transition to what could be the perfect instrument for yourself because that whistle maker may not offer thumbholes. I certainly wouldn't want to screw up my Glenn Schultz blackwood high d if someone made a mistake trying to cut a thumbhole in it. Why not just spend time learning how to play well and having fun at it? You don't need a thumbhole for that. Why complicate matters?

Just my thoughts,
ecohawk

[killthemessenger]

See? Innovation'R'Us.