Waltons Tin Whistles - Review


by Howard Fosdick © FolkFluteWorld.com



One of the least expensive tin whistles you can buy is the Waltons brand. These clock in at under $15 USD (2027 prices). That's about $5 less than many Generation brand flutes, for example.

So, are they any good?

This article tells you what you need to know.


The Products

Waltons makes whistles from a variety of metals including brass, nickel, and aluminum. Their least expensive is the aluminum. That's what this review covers.

The instruments come in a variety of colors, plus the metal finishes. The aluminum flute is black.

The key characteristics of the Walton aluminum are:

1. Cheap -- As inexpensive as they come at under $15 USD.

2. Lightweight -- The lightest whistle I've ever played (as you would expect with aluminum).

3. Delicate -- Aluminum is more delicate than brass or nickel. Be careful with it.

You can buy a Waltons whistle bundled with a book. There are several available, as shown here:

Whistle and Book Bundles
Whistle and Book Bundles

I favor the green book because it comes with an audio CD, lacking in the other two. It's a more complete tutorial.

But as far as I could find out, the bundles all include brass whistles. An aluminum whistle bundle is not available.


Packaging


The Whistle

This photo shows how the whistle comes packaged.

The Whistle Plus Song Sheet

It includes a large double-sided sheet with simple instructions and songs for beginners. Quite a lot for such an inexpensive product.


Playability and Sound

Beginners may find the Clark Sweetone a little easier to play than the Waltons aluminum. I found it a little easier to hit all notes with the Sweetone.

You might assume that the Waltons' sound is inferior, given its cheap aluminum construction. I've found that's not the case. The Waltons aluminum whistle has a good sound. Whether you like it better or worse than Walton brass or nickel whistles, or the Generation brand whistles is a matter of taste. It puts us into the realm of personal preference. Some will like the Waltons better, others may favor some other brand. It's a subjective choice as to which you prefer.


Conclusion

The beauty of the Waltons is its trivial price. You can buy one and get another whistle in your collection for less than a meal at McDonalds. I enjoy playing different whistles and this was an inexpensive fun one to add to my collection.

You might like to view a few Youtube videos that demonstrate the Waltons sound before you decide to purchase one.

The Waltons aluminum is a great value for the money. You might not select it as your primary flute but it makes a nice addition to anyone's collection.