Tony Dixon Pro High D Whistle - Brass

This is not the first Irish whistle I’ve tried since picking up the instrument a couple of months ago, but it’s the one I’m sticking with. I wanted a plastic whistle because my brass whistle started to corrode under my fingers, leaving a metallic taste in my mouth. This Tony Dixon whistle completely solved that problem. It’s tunable, which is important for playing with others, and it stays in tune across both octaves once you get a feel for the breath control. The tone is sweet and clear, and I find it easy to play. Clean notes come easily, and it doesn’t require much air. Some folks might turn their noses up at a plastic whistle, but for me, it’s all about how it plays and sounds, not how shiny it looks. This whistle checks all the boxes: comfortable, in tune, responsive, and pleasant to listen to. If you’re looking for a reliable, great-sounding option, this one’s worth trying.

I bought this irish whistle after hearing a guy on YouTube play it so very well. I ordered it and it came from the UK. It is plastic, yes, but some of my best Irish whistles are plastic and sound awesome. In fact, this has a bit of a warmer sound than the metal whistles. The learning curve for me was that it handles much more delicately than other shistles and you don't need as much wind/air and the transitions to the snd higher octave are much easier. The higher notes are clean if you know how to adjust your air and so it is worth it. The price is a little high but it came from the UK and the shipping is where some of that pricing comes from. The whistle itself is nice, finger holes are not difficult at all, and the sound is good. If people are having problems with the sounds being a little "tooty" (think toy train hoot sound), it's because you have to adjust your fingers and breath intensity. Once you know where to find the sweet spot, this whistle delivers great sound and transitions every time. It's not the whistle's fault! There are several good YouTube videos out there that feature this whistle with inspirational songs to see its full capability. This is a great whistle for my collection and I think it is worth the price.

With so many high D whistles to choose from, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this Dixon tuneable D. I did not have very high hopes since it is basically plastic “Delrin polymer” which brings back memories of the toy delrin recorders we had to use in school as children. However, the Dixon whistle is definitely NOT like that sound but instead has a sweet and mellow tone. It does not feel as sharp or shrill as some, and while it is not quiet, neither is it annoyingly loud or sharp as some high D whistles can be. Intonation was much better than I expected from a whistle at this price point, and it seems almost effortless to get a sound out of. You can reach a full 2 octaves with some creative fingering (not saying you want to play the 3rd D on a soprano flute, but it is possible). There is really nothing I don’t like about this whistle, apart from again the fact it’s made from the same plastic material that cringe-worthy recorder are. Yet, If you close your eyes and listen, you can hardly tell because this whistles’ tone and character are distinctly Irish, albeit with very feint notes of plastic compared to brass, aluminum or wood on other whistles. I bought the Dixon D as a cheap, quieter way to practice in my apartment and ended up impressed by the quality of its sound and intonation. I would play this at a gig or session with a little reverb or EQ to add some warmth and fullness to the sound.

Beautiful, warm tone. Easy to get clean notes. Great for all playing abilities.

I started playing tin whistle about 3 years ago. I started out on a Clarke and it's a good whistle. About 2 years ago I purchased this Tony Dixon. This past year I felt I was ready to try a more expensive brass whistle so I bought one and it's a good one too. However...I have to say the Tony Dixon is is my favorite. It has such a lovely tone. Softer, not too shrill. I wonder if the plastic makes it similar to what a wood whistle might sound like? Maybe I can try a wood one some day. Also, the Tony Dixon does not seem to require as much air. I feel like a really have to blow the brass one and I need to take a breath more often. If I played the brass one more (which again is a good whistle) I might get used to it. But I keep going back to the Tony Dixon. It sounds great and it's easy to play. What more could you want?

Very light, even for a plastic whistle. The tuning slide and ferrules are metal, mating with a plastic bore. Even scale, reasonably responsive upper register. I am disappointed with the craftsmanship, given the price: The parting line mismatch and gate vestige are not great, there's visible foreign material wedged in between the body and the brass ferrule. Nit-picky stuff, but for this price, I expected better quality.

I have been playing with some of the low and tin whistles in order to get a feel for how to play this instrument. I decided to spend some money and get this Key D whistle and have not been disappointed. The tone and accuracy of the note is perfect, at least to my ear. Kind of pricey, but I think it’s worth it if you’re serious about playing a tin whistle.

After about 3 months of getting acquainted with my Tony Dixon DX005D, it is without doubt, now my favorite, and I own 11 whistles! At 74, I am resigned to being a perennial beginner, but this whistle is most forgiving. It doesn't require tremendous breath, it's very responsive, despite my slightly arthritic fingers, has a lovely tone and is tunable! Also, I'm able to hit "most" of those higher registers without great effort. It's given me hope that this old girl may still see improvement in her playing, and I had almost given up. Great purchase.