“Thank you David and Brian for such a beautiful sounding low whistle that I can actually play. This is my fourth low D whistle but, only the first one that I have been able to actually play a tune on immediately. I was shocked to see how easily I could finger and play the notes I was seeking. The black silk version is not only esthetically beautiful to look at but, plays so easily I am over joyed and so happy I decided to order from you. Your guarantee is very good and very enticing to me which is one of the reasons I ordered from you. I figured if you had this much faith in your instrument I would probably not want to send it back. You were correct! This is a keeper for me. After my experience with the other three low whistles I was thinking it was not the instrument for me, how wrong I was. I had previously sold all my other low d whistles because I found them too difficult to play. I am so thankful I purchased this Howard Low D whistle. Thank you very much for such a wonderful product for I have finally found for what I have been seeking.” – Franko Google Reviews
Your low whistle in D is a very special and fine instrument! I love it!
Every day I can’t wait till all my work is done to spent finally a little time with my friendly whistle to check out the pipers grip and the mouthpieces. Great craftsmanship !
Also I found, that it can be played with a wide dynamic range, almost like my singing voice. I’m very impressed for the soft quiet sound quality in contrast to the capturing but still beautiful loudness (even in the lowest tones) and the reliable intonation in both!
Big compliments for this professional, versatile, precise but picturesque and animated low whistle. That needs time to be discovered completely. An adventure, a growing friendship. 🙂
For me it has an elegant and modest personality, perhaps like a great artist has, that is satisfied and happy with his creative work, with the process and progress to express the soul behind something.
My whistle search finally has come to an end. Thank you !
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Review by Ian Jones – Google reviews
As my first Low whistle, I can say that the learning curve from High D to Low D was not as bad as others have made it out to sound, at least not with this whistle. Yes, the pipers grip was a little challenging, but after just a few hours I was able to reliably get the low d to sound. And what a beautiful sound it is!
I scoured the internet for reviews on many different brands and decided that the price was right and, from the sound samples on youtube, this one had the sound I was looking for. I noticed a lot of other whistles kind of faded out a bit in the low end and I wanted a powerful sound down low. This whistle has a very robust low end with a sort of haunting overtone. In my opinion, this whistle has just enough chiff/breathiness. It is still present but not overly so, this keeps it from having a recorder or clarinet sound. The low D note has a bell like quality, very pure and sweet with a nice resonant sound. The tone is solid throughout its range, and the upper octave is very pleasing, it doesn’t get overbearing or shrill in any way. I don’t have a dedicated tuner, but the tuner app on my phone says that it’s no more than 10 cents sharp or flat between notes all the way through its range.
I am truly impressed with the craftsmanship and attention to detail on this whistle. When I first unboxed it I immediately ran my finger along the bottom edge of the brass body. It is incredibly smooth and well rounded (seriously, it’s impressive). The holes are all nicely finished with the color of the body turning to the inside edge (not sure if it’s paint or enamel). This makes them very comfortable for the fingers with no rough edges. The inside of the body almost has a mirror like finish, not a scratch on it or a fleck of the body color. The head is very comfortable, both shape and feel, as well as air pressure/volume required. I am used to playing the High D whistle and I think the Clark Original D (the one with the wooden fipple) has a greater breath demand than this low D whistle. The tuning line is nicely engraved at the top as well as the Howard logo. It has a nice feel in the hands, being made of brass it feels very solid, but it’s not as heavy as I was expecting. I’ve played for hours straight and have not felt like it was too heavy (my hands hurt a little, but that’s because I’m still adjusting to the pipers grip). Overall a very nice presentation.
Communication is something that is usually not a factor in a review, but David has been such a pleasure to speak with, I have to bring it up. I found a molding mark on the head and thought it might be a crack. David responded back that day and assured me it was just a remanent of the manufacturing process. He sent me a link to a video on how they make the heads. But the real reason I bring this up: he offered to send me another head, just so I could compare them and be sure. That’s how customer service is supposed to work. You can really tell he cares about your experience with his instrument.
Overall, I would, honestly, give this whistle 10 out of 10. It has a beautiful sound, is well built, easy to play, and even though it is brass, it’s not very heavy. Bonus: you can actually communicate with, not just someone who cares, but the person who actually made the whistle. If you are thinking of picking one up as your first Low D whistle, as I did, you will not be disappointed. If anything were to happen to this one, I would replace it with another Howard whistle without hesitation.
“Thank you David and Brian for such a beautiful sounding low whistle that I can actually play. This is my fourth low D whistle but, only the first one that I have been able to actually play a tune on immediately. I was shocked to see how easily I could finger and play the notes I was seeking. The black silk version is not only esthetically beautiful to look at but, plays so easily I am over joyed and so happy I decided to order from you. Your guarantee is very good and very enticing to me which is one of the reasons I ordered from you. I figured if you had this much faith in your instrument I would probably not want to send it back. You were correct! This is a keeper for me. After my experience with the other three low whistles I was thinking it was not the instrument for me, how wrong I was. I had previously sold all my other low d whistles because I found them too difficult to play. I am so thankful I purchased this Howard Low D whistle. Thank you very much for such a wonderful product for I have finally found for what I have been seeking.”
“Purchased a low-C whistle for my wife recently and we’re amazed at the quality, craftsmanship and sound of the instrument. It not only looks pretty enough to hang on the wall like a piece of art but is so well engineered that it’s a joy to play (even if moving from smaller whistles to this isn’t something you do overnight!). The website contains some great videos about the whistles by real players which are worth checking out and they were really helpful when I called with a question about the mouthpieces. We would recommend their instruments to anyone!”
“I’ve been looking for a high-quality low D and was impressed by some of the other reviews of the Howard low D. After a couple of emails & a very helpful phone conversation with David, I ordered the Black Diamond model with the Balanced head and soft resin insert. I’ve been playing low whistles for years, and was particularly looking for a very user-friendly whistle that I could pick up now and then without having to put a lot of effort into whenever I wanted to play. I also wanted a whistle that I wouldn’t have to deal with clogging issues too much (I’m one of those ‘wet players’), so the ABS head was part of my decision to go with a Howard whistle. The workmanship is impressive, reflecting the long history of Howard craftmanship over the years by Brian Howard and now David O’Hagan. It has a tone completely different from any other low whistle I played, and will complement my other whistles nicely. Many thanks to David & Brian for keeping the Howard tradition alive and well!”
“Blown away! Beautiful craftsmanship and clever technology (soft resin) combined to make a lovely whistle. Also needed it in a hurry and they got it to me the next day, even though it was a Saturday. Highly recommended.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to say how pleased I am with my online purchase from Howard Music. I ordered my first Low D whistle (Black silk model with the balanced mouthpiece). First let me say how surprised I was to receive my whistle so quickly! I live in the northeast USA and the projected delivery date was about 10 days which I thought quite prompt. Imagine my surprise when I received it in 6 days! It was packaged extremely well and arrived in pristine condition. As I am a novice I cannot rate the responsiveness or air requirements or any such details of playability. I will say after a week of practice I am delighted with how quickly I am beginning to blow clear notes and it is extremely easy to get up into the second octave, particularly on the low end of the scale. Thank you Howard Music for such an efficient and professional service!”
“I am just starting out playing the low D whistle, but the Howard is an excellent instrument to learn on. The right finger stretch is not excessive, it is easy to control one’s breath through its entire range, and it has a lovely, deep resonant sound.”
“Have been playing another whistle for nearly ten years and this is just a completely different world of sounds. Amazing whistle.”
Clair C – Yotpo Reviews
“I have played trumpet for many years. After toying with a high D whistle I fell in love. After some progress I began listening to low whistles. I chose well and cannot be more pleased or more amazed at the craftsmanship and quality of this instrument. Those traits aside, the praise only gets better as the sound and tone of this instrument (mine wiRead more about review stating Howard Classic Low D Whistleth the balanced head) are truly beautiful and precisely what I was hoping for. With no waiting list and a VERY reasonable price point I cannot be happier with this instrument or this company. Thank you to all who were involved in the process.”
Geoffrey G – Yotpo Reviews
“What an amazing whistle. I got a word for it fantastic. This diamond low D
whistle singing with the balance classic M3 is amazing. It is responsive, it is right on tune, its blowing requirements are just right. I have a world and native american collection of flutes and I sing with then daily and use them for music therapy. This Howard whistlRead more about review stating Luis S.e is what my collection needed. I am very happy and honored to sing with it. Love your website, the prompt response and attention provided to my requests and the commitment you have for the traditional irish whistle. Thank you. In song. Luis Sirvent.”
Luis S – Yotpo Reviews
“Wonderful new whistle heads!
Review by Michael S. on 11 Aug 2022review stating Wonderful new whistle heads!(Also posted on Google.)
Only took one week to get from England to California!
I got two new whistle heads for my Howard low D: the “Reedy” and the “Balanced heads.
The improvement in tone and intonation with both of these new whistle heads is astounding.
The “Reedy” head does just what it says. It gives the whiRead more about review stating Wonderful new whistle heads!stle a full, reedy sound with very little breath noise. It is louder than the original whistle head and the notes speak more firmly. It does require a smaller opening in your mouth and faster air to reach notes above high A.
The “Balanced” whistle head also does just what its name implies. The sound is softer, but sweeter and more balanced from the low to high notes than both the original head and the “Reedy” head. Notes above high A speak much easier too.
Both new whistle heads have printing on the back indicating which type of head it is.
I can honestly say that I never again want to play with the original head that came with my Howard low D. These new heads are a massive improvement! Read LessRead less about review stating Wonderful new whistle heads!”
Michael S – Yotpo Reviews
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