Thomann Irish Whistle D

I've been blowing air into instruments for 12 years, and now I breathed into this one; read my experience below.

• SOUND: Sufficiently loud, very mellow. There's That One Expensive American Maker manufacturing wonderful whistles for about 30 bucks, and the first octave of the Thomann whistle can almost keep up in quality. The second one will give you more air and intensity. I usually stick to the first octave.

• FEATURES: With this, I rated the capability of the instrument to provide nice sounding ornamentation like cuts and strikes. While responsive to ornamentation, cuts and strikes are rather bland harmonics-wise compared to other whistles.

• RESPONSE: About what I'm used to with whistles — breath control feels natural, not too sensitive and not too stubborn.

• QUALITY: The make is impressively simplistic and smooth. However, there's something about the seam on the sound chamber that makes it scream "plastic!" Granted, that wouldn't be far off the mark, but is that the story you want the instrument to tell without anyone asking? Its look is affected solely by the seam though. The rest looks clean. I've paid more for cheaper-looking instruments.

Want to try a whistle? Get this.