Dixon Whistles - DX005 vs Nickel Trad vs Lir vs Generation vs EVERYTHING

I've only ever played one Dixon whistle before, a base model DX004 a few years ago. And while it sounded fine, it just...never seemed much more than that. But I know a lot of folks play Dixon whistles and it turns out they've got quite a line. So in this video I'm breaking down two of that line: the DX005 all-plastic (with tuning slide) and the Trad Nickel, metal and plastic whistle to see which is the better buy and how they compare to some other options out there.
None of this is an ad - I just bought these whistles from Amazon. Feel free to check them out yourself:
DX005: amzn.to/3rQoFLd
Trad Nickel: amzn.to/3ENasnp
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[@thisone9]

Thanks for this. I have the Dixon 005. Five years ago I met Finbar Furey backstage at a festival after his show and our band was up next. I was awestruck! After chatting for a bit, he grabbed my Dixon and played a bit of the Kesh Jig. I have several much more expensive whistles but this HAS to be my go to whistle now!

[@KB-wf4wq]

As someone who has suffered several respiratory illnesses throughout life (and currently living with the after-effects,) I find the Dixon plastic whistles to be my best option. I play them with such ease due to the minimal breath requirement. I own all three models. The DX001 is my favorite because I don't have to bother tuning it. I will play my tuneable DX004 if another whistler shows up at my session so we can have a good sound together. I find the DX005 to be a bit squeaky after playing it for a while, although I think it's the best-looking of the three. When I first started learning the whistle many years ago, I never thought anything could tear me apart from my Clarke Original. But my lung issues got the best of me, thus began my search for a new make and model. Thank you, Sean, for raising Dixon whistle awareness. They truly do have a lovely voice.

[@mattdeblassmusic]

I like the sound of the Trad nickel a lot. It seems to balance that gritty Generation tone without being quite so shrill in the upper octave. And for $30 it's not too pricey an upgrade.

[@fatheroblivion45]

I am a big fan of Dixon whistles and own almost a full set of polymer Dixons. The DX005 IMHO does not have the same "rounded" sound as the DX004 which I prefer, though it looks rather swanky with it's brass slide. Personally I'd choose the cheaper priced Dixon DX001D High D non-tunable at £14.95 ( For you foreign types that's $24.90 ;) ) as an excellent starter whistle as I prefer the tone of it to the other two. I can't recommend them enough, but that's just my personal preference. Nice video Sean. Keep em coming matey :)

[@fuckbored4724]

Thanks for making this video. I was honestly just debating which of these to get.

[@NekoiTV]

DX005 is my go to, I always have it around and ready to go whenever I get bored. I liked it so much I ended up going with a Dixon Metal low D as well and have always enjoyed the brand.

[@donaldkelly1695]

Great review, as usual. I'm a newbie and have the Trad nickle, a DX004 along with the Clarke Sweetone, my first whistle. Regarding the Trad, every review I've watched or read stated it is a tunable whistle. When I got mine the first thing I did was to remove the mouthpiece, or, rather, attempt to remove it. It was a real brute to get off. A few days later, I noticed the mouthpiece had a crack along the side which I can only assume happened during my struggle to remove it. I contacted Dixon, explained what happened and asked if they sold the mouthpiece separately. In their reply they stated the Trad series was not meant to be tunable and the mouthpiece was not meant to be removed. Again, every review, even from a reputable dealer's review, said it was tunable. Only the Dixon site makes no mention if it is tunable or not.

[@whistletutor]

I've heard this a few times about a few different whistles and the short answer is this: any whistle that has a separate head and body is tunable. Now, the manufacture might apply so much glue/tight tolerances such that separating them irreparably breaks the instrument, but I'd chalk that up to poor design. Single-piece whistles like certain Chieftain models are non-tunable, but everything else should give you a little room to adjust.

[@donaldkelly1695]

@@whistletutor I did replace the mouthpiece and it is now truly tunable, and it's better for it!

[@JimmieMusic]

Excellent vid. Thank you. I bought the original Dixon Trad in brass when it first came out. I still have it. I’ve given more than a few to new whistlers. Over the years, I think the mouth piece has changed a wee bit… I prefer the original. It’s a great whistle at a great price point.

[@shadowninja127]

I enjoy my Dixon Trad a lot. It was my 2nd whistle ever after coming off the Clarke sweetone. It was more difficult to play at first, and I almost didn't like it as still a newbie, way less air requirement in the lower octaves and easy to break the bottom d. I've gotten several whistles since then, a dx005, Walton's, Generation, even a Killarney. But somehow they all still don't compare to that gritty tone of the Trad for slower melodies and hymns. Non trad Irish music, like LOTR - Concerning Hobbits, sounds great on the Trad. (Killarney definitely beats it in terms of ease of playability, for faster tunes and Trad Irish tunes). But something about the tone of the Trad in the Cupro-Nickel... Wish I could find something else like it that's a bit louder

[@AndieArbeit]

Magic thing about whistles is that there is one for every situation xD i mean... i started with a Dixon single piece in D, then i switch to the Susato in D, it was perfect for busking or unplug outside concerts, but for inside house or practicing it kind of bother my family, so i keep the Dixon. There is always beauty about playing a new whistle n.n

[@tintintin]

Thanks for the review Sean. I bought a Dixon 005 a few years ago and I really like the quiet and mellow tone and it doesn't clog. I think it is a good value whistle. But a big problem for me is that the second octave is slightly sharp. Breathing more softly just breaks the note (for me). I can get high G in to tune by closing hole 6 - if I remember! That bottom hole is also a bit small for me and I find it difficult to half-hole. So for now I'm sticking to my Killarney which clogs less once the toothpaste has been applied, and is perfectly in tune with itself; heavy but easy to jump between the octaves. Once I get hold of my Chris Wall I'll comment further. You can't have too many whistles can you?

[@DBH1962]

I have an 005 coming. Go Preds!

[@whistletutor]

Nice! (and hell yeah go Preds)

[@OzzyCoop]

I love my Wild Irish whistle from McNeela. Im gonna get a DX005 next.

[@mattbruch5431]

Sean, a quick question about volume. You mentioned the DXTRAD has a fairly consistent volume into the upper octave. Would you say the same is true of the DX005 (the black plastic one with brass tuning slide shown in this video)? I currently play a Walton Mellow D and it gets quite loud and shrill in the upper octave, much to the annoyance of my family. I am wondering if the DX005 may be a better option that won't make ears bleed when I'm rehearsing high pitched melodies.

[@whistletutor]

Yes, I should have made that more clear - they're both very consistent volume-wise between the two octaves. Ear-bleeding is a fairly relative term as some folks have higher/lower tolerances to shrillness than others but there's something to be said for balance between the low/high octaves.

[@detonatorzuk3569]

fantastico!

[@bhgardeners]

Sean always a pleasure to watch your videos, as I have said before for me it's the Killarney D brass, I love the wee thing. However, today i have a question, one of the usual whistle sites was playing a Hobbit tune and they appeared to reach at one point a THIRD octave. I was messing around with a tune the other day I started in the second octave and then seemed to find another level, but I could not control the tone at that level, so the question is "is there a legitimate 3rd octave on the D whistle" all the best, Brian

[@whistletutor]

Hi Brian - you can indeed get a 3rd octave D at ear-bleeding volumes and I've got a 3rd octave E before on the flute as a bit of a lark, but there's very little need for those nots in traditional tunes anyway.

[@bhgardeners]

ta ,that would explain the wife running out the front door screaming. LOL@@whistletutor

[@Tremendouz]

How would you compare the sound of the DX005 to the DX004? Is the difference mostly aesthetic with the tuning slide?

[@fatheroblivion45]

My tuppence worth on this is that the DX004 has more of a "rounded" tone. ( which I personally prefer ) They both definitely have a noticable difference in sound. A piccalo / flute head joint can also be used on the DX004 if that's your thing. So in answer to your question it's not only an aesthetic thing and is down to personal preference which sound you're looking for. Hope this helped :)

[@Tremendouz]

@@fatheroblivion45 Thanks. I would probably prefer a more rounded tone. I actually have an old Dixon I got second-hand that looks like the DX004 and plays very well but I'm not sure if it's comparable to the current offerings or if the design has changed

[@marinevet7273]

Thank you for the review, I buy entry level whistles but never happy with sound for the most part If you were buying one D whistle with a maximum spending amount of $100.00 which (1) whistle would you buy? I’m betting many of your subscribers might want to know also? For a tunable entry Pro model whistle, what would be the sweet spot in dollars, is my 100.00 going to be sufficient amount to spend?

[@wade4452]

Like the oo5

[@LarryShone]

Of the two I'd choose the DX005. To me the trad just sounds like a cheap whistle, like a Generation or a Feadôg. I don't like that raspiness, I prefer a clean more flute-like tone, kinda how that whistle of yours puts out (the Gary Humphrey). Can you get those in the UK?

[@soslothful]

How many whistles do you own?

[@whistletutor]

More than I need

[@keltiquewood]

DX005 goes into the 3rd octave too - up to the 'G' I think...

[@MPahana]

really enjoyed this video. I collect them (Whistle nerd :) so I have a humphrey and the two kinds of Dixons (older versions). I like the nickel, but the plastic one sounds too shrill for me and bothers my ears. I'd say Humphrey is best!

[@soslothful]

Are you familiar with the acronym, WAS?

[@MPahana]

@@soslothful no?

[@soslothful]

@@MPahana Whistle Acquisition Syndrome

[@MPahana]

@@soslothful haha!

[@soslothful]

@@MPahana Yea, its a good jest. Not original though. One of the whistles I most play are from James Becker of Becker Whistles. Handmade, PVC, fixed. And for less than $20 quite a deal.

[@arturscarneiro]

The second one seems to have tuning problems. Listening to the fifth of the arpeggio, is kinda flat.

[@whistletutor]

I didn't check against a tuner but it could also be that a slight adjustment in pressure is required. It's pretty common to have to adjust a bit on certain notes for certain whistles as they're all just slightly different.

[@diamondmidnightgardener]

the 005 sounds like its intonation isn't as spot on

[@clifford7]

Realy, realy silly. Balance, balance...&6%$??! Hick, hik, hik. Prosit

[@whistletutor]

*really

[@swinxfee]

​@@whistletutor HAHAHAHAH I I respect and support this