Couldn’t find a discussion on this. Just wanting to get some opinions. As far as cases (and materials their made from) go for tin (penny) whistles/ low whistles. What do you prefer? Vinyl single cases, roll up case for multiple whistles, leather cases, towels, ect. Do some do more damage or wear than the others?
Depends on how crush-proof you want your whistle.
I usually use the Burke single pouches when carrying whistles in an outer case.
http://www.burkewhistles.com/pouches/
You want fancier and more expensive, try Tucson Leather’s cases.
http://www.tucsonleather.com/whistles.htm
Wood cases for better presentation.
http://www.hhfi.biz/
http://www.hhfi.biz/order.html
For keeping low whistles in the house, I just have various long cardboard tubes standing in a box, each with a crumpled kitchen towel in the bottom to make minor height adjustments and to absorb moisture. For taking outside, I use leather tubes which I make myself simply by rolling the whistle in soft thin leather and gluing the seam, then tucking one end into the bottom of the whistle. Ordinary whistles lie on a shelf, or go in my inside pocket or in a fiddle or pipe case, depending on what else I take out.
For the various keys of tin whistles, going up to C but no bigger (if I recall correctly), a budget solution is to put them all in a chisel roll, have a look at this selection….
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=chisel+roll&safe=off&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=639&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=1FEJVMPlL9CXapesgugE&ved=0CDUQsAQ
I just wrap them in an old T-shirt when I’m leaving the house.
Nice!
Tuffbags. I can’t think how many years ago I got my wife one; waterproof outer, available in many colours and several sizes, divided down into 3 or 6 fleece-lined compartments. Shows no signs of wearing out despite much carrying of a whole set of whistles around clubs and festivals. Great value for money even after mailing across the pond from East Greenbush, New York.
Certainly smarted than a tool roll !
I use a drum stick bag for my low whistles.
I used to use a drum stick bag, thing is an ordinary one isn’t high enough for the bigger whistles. I would have to measure it, but I think that mine (I have two different makes) can’t handle a whistle bigger than Low F; the bigger ones stick out of the case. I haven’t been able to find one locally, but I hear that there are bigger drum stick bags for timpani mallets which are big enough for Low Ds.
What I use is a custom roll-case made by a local seamstress. It’s padded quilted fairly heavy cloth, and can handle from Low C chromatically up to High Eb, which is what I take to ‘legit’ gigs (studio, orchestra pit, etc).
It’s important that all the whistles can be kept in sequence and all right to hand, because at such gigs you might have to quickly grab any whistle whatever (yes even Ab, Db, or Gb, my least-used ones).
I’m going to sew straps on that roll so that it can hang from the music stand, because at such gigs ground space is at a premium and anything on the ground is liable to get stepped on by a sound guy or whatever.
If anyone is interested in a roll like mine, the maker is on Etsy, I think her name on there is Cow Karen or CowKaren.
Guess I’m a bit more on the careless side. For my Onyx low D, I made a suede pocketed case that I then thrown in my satchel. All my other whistles, ranging from Clark originals to Dixons to a Black Pearl, either go into my satchel or my pocket.
I have a roll that I bought of Etsy. It is well made but I just find it annoying to get into quickly when I want to switch whistles in the middle of a set.
I use a drumstick case which works well but Its too short for anything larger than a low G. So I wrap a towel or keep the low D in its original case sticking out of the other case. I may look into the timpani drum stick case or make something of my own.
Penny whistle in hip pocket, low whistle down yer sock.
>“Certainly smarted than a tool roll !”
SmarteR, I think you meant to say Pete 🙂
Anyway, I think that is a matter of opinion. I think a leather chisel roll is kind of fitting to the trad music ethos - earthy and rustic. Unlike thon new-fangled plastic stuff.
“Penny whistle in hip pocket, low whistle down yer sock.”
Cool but it doesn’t work for me because I need 12 whistles at every gig.
Susato roll-ups. They are available in various sizes, work well, and are fairly inexpensive.
Are Susato roll-ups a new rival to Rizla roll-ups ?
@Guernsey Pete: (New) Jersey Rose would love to know more about that. (Tuff? Oh, is it a brand?)
You all are more be-whistled than I, but I was rather kerflummoxed a while back trying to figure out what to do with my flute and whistles. I was hoping to find something like what I have for my shakuhachi, so in case that is of use: shakuhachi.com, flute carrying cases. More for delicate instruments, but there it is.
(I found the best solution for my flute and (small) whistles to be a secure plastic box with padding and humidity.)
I keep a couple of flutes in a snooker cue case, I’m sure you could get several whistles of different lengths in instead. The neighbours might get the wrong idea though - you might gain credibility! B-)
I picked up an old flute case from the local music store for practically nothing (less than $10). Removed the dividers and reglued the velour interior back in place. Able to carry all my regular whistles (C - Hi G) without difficulties and the case locks for transport. My low D and low G, I’m looking at modifying an old student trombone case by doing the same thing. For this one (and because these suckers were so expensive) I’ll probably add a divider under the cloth to separate the two whistles in there. Case cost less than $10 as well. If you can find a music store that does work for the schools, they usually have cases kicking around that you can pick up fairly cheap. Most of the time the original instrument has been trashed and is being cannibalized for spare parts.
I got my whistle case from Joanie Madden.
Just out of interest, how many whistles does one need.
What is a suitable collection?
Q: Just out of interest, how many whistles does one need.
A: n+1 where n is the number of whistles you already have.
I wrap my favorite whistle in a piece of cloth and stick it in my fiddle case for an added tone color for when four other fiddle players are the only other musicians there.
TomB-R nailed it. Whistle’s not even my secondary instrument and I have - lessee - I think seven.
Ditto to whistle in the fiddle case. Respect to whistles of course!
Thanks TomB-R.
It was a serious question but perhaps I didn’t explain it well enough. It wasn’t just the numbers but the range. I have a couple of high Ds, a C and a low D. What do others need for a complete range?
Fair enough Conrad - some serious replies in this related discussion a while back
https://thesession.org/discussions/31958
The Generation Bb is a cheap way into the lovely world of mezzo whistles, even if you never get to play it with anyone else.
I’d like to try a high E for easy playing of A tunes, but haven’t got one yet.
I converted a Generation C to a B using some standard brass tubing as the pub band I play in does various songs in E to suit the singers voice.
My Generation high F is a sweet little whistle with a clear voice. Sadly it gets very little use.
Among high Ds I’ve adapted a Feadog to be very quiet for practicing, and have a Susato for when I want loud.
Thanks for info. I picked up a high D many years ago and that was my introduction to music - never having played an instrument before. I then went on to clarinet and saxophone and play in various bands. But I now attend a local folk group on Thursdays and bought a low D because I thought the high D was a bit shrill. Then on your theory of N+1 I bought a second high D but gave it to another potential player so replaced it. I find the low D a bit of a stretch and although I’m fine at home, I don’t feel confident at the club so stick to the high D.
I don’t know what others are used for. For example your high F isn’t used much. Is there a reason, is it’s range not suitable?
I ran into someone once decades ago who had a great fat roll of whistles, and a great fat roll of bodhran tippers, and unrolled them with great ceremony, but it turned out, he couldn’t really play either very well, and was not aware of his shortcomings, to the detriment of the evening’s entertainment. It must have traumatized me, because whenever someone unrolls one of those cases, I cringe until I hear them play.
Conrad, I only use one whistle, except on rare occasions when I am playing in church on something that calls for a C or Bflat whistle. But, unless you are playing along with a singer, or at one of those sessions that insists in playing in Eflat/Dsharp, almost every tune you will encounter at a session will be something you can play on your D whistle. I have friends that will also bring a low D or A whistle to a session, and like Richard Cook, you might require more if you gig with a group that plays in different keys, but for the normal evening at the pub, all you need is one.
Agreed that only if you have an awkward session will you need an Eb; however, if you are working with a singer at all you will find that a range of whistles to help you play in an appropriate key is very useful.
Bearing in mind that on a D whistle you can also play in G and A without too much trouble;
then on an Eb you can play Ab and Bb;
C…………………….F and G;
Bb………………….Eb and F
A…………………….D and E
G…….………………C and D
F……………………Bb and C.
And then you can pick and choose which whistle you need to both play in a particular key AND have the range you need, AND the tone. The lower whistles are particularly nice for accompanying vocals.
The high F, and worse, the high G, can be painful to many, but I knew one musician who thought you had to use a high G to play in G, and I never could persuade her otherwise. She’s abandoned her whistles, I’m glad to say.
The “N+1” bug has caught me. I was in France last week and had to buy Bb.
Why?
I don’t know.
But seriously, I feel so comfortable playing the whistle in the folk club I attend. I use the high D for solos, ie I play the melody then sing the song. Other instruments often join in, then we finish together with me playing the melody again.
If I join in with others I play the low D as an accompanying instrument so as not to drown out the fiddle or guitar.
This is what I use, they are cheap and work great.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#2108t23/=18cmlmj