Are Woodi Penny Whistles Any Good?

by Howard Fosdick © FolkFluteWorld.com

You've probably seen these Woodi penny whistles for sale at Amazon. Two whistles -- plus a nice carrying case -- for the price of one. Only about $20!

Could they be any good?

Or, are they low-priced because they aren't?

These ABS resin plastic whistles are distributed by Woodi USA and come in either the simulated woodgrain shown, or in black.

One whistle is in the key of D, while the larger whistle is in C. They come with a carrying case and fingering chart.

Everyone wants to know: Are these good, playable whistles?

This review answers that question and any others you may have about the Woodi whistles.

How They Sound

Before getting into specifics about these whistles, let's hear how they sound.

Made from plastic, they sound quite different from the typical metal whistle. I would call the sound more mellow and rounded. It certainly lacks the chiff of some metal whistles.

Is this sound better or worse than the typical metal whistle? That's a subjective judgment. Different people will have different opinions on that.

For myself, I find the Woodi sound more pleasing for slower or more melodic tunes. It sings a little more than rougher metal whistles.

On the other hand, for jigs and other quick-fingered, bouncy tin whistle tunes, I'd prefer the brighter sound most metal whistles project. This is just personal preference, of course.

Here are a couple tunes I improvised to give you a feel for how the Woodis sound. Just click the icons to play them...

The Woodis are a little on the loud side, as tin whistles go, so they project well in groups, session play, or outdoors. They require a bit more air than some whistles and in return give you more sound.

The Basics

Woodi USA represents an overseas manufacturer of very inexpensive penny whistles, recorders, ocarinas, and other musical instruments and accessories. Their whistles are made of ABS resin plastic. The Woodi products are available through Amazon, which is where I bought my whistles. You'll see them sold elsewhere, too.

The penny whistles package contains two plastic whistles, one in C major and one in D. The C whistle is 13" long and the D is 11.5".

Both are very lightweight. The former weighs in at only 1.2 ounces, and its companion, at 1.1 ounces. Even though lightweight, the whistles are sturdy and well-made.

The barrel does not taper on these whistles; they are straight bore. Their simulated woodgrain is certainly attractive.

These whistles are two-piece construction. So they have a moveable mouthpiece for tuning. This is a nice advantage one normally doesn't expect in very inexpensive whistles like these. Most cheap whistles aren't tunable.

It also makes for easier washing of the plastic in warm water, to keep your whistles free of any build-up of detritus from the moisture in your breath.

When you first receive your whistles, you might want to remove their mouthpieces and check inside for any little plastic shavings leftover from the manufacturing process. If you find any, remove it from the mouthpiece or the body of the whistle for best sound.

Since the mouthpieces attach solely by pressure, you may wish to apply a bit of corkgrease or other substance not toxic to plastic to ensure the best fit when reassembling.

The Carrying Case

The two whistles come with a simulated leather case that zippers closed. The bag carries three whistles -- your two Woodis plus another whistle. So you can protect and carry your new Woodis along with a third pipe. (Some reviewers have complained that the case smells of an unpleasant odor. Mine smelled fine and was odor-free.)

Playing

You play and finger the Woodis like any other whistles. Here's a fingering chart.

These instruments have a full, pleasing sound. They're a little bit different from the typical metal whistle. They sound nicely complementary to them.

In the Woodis' upper register, it's challenging to hit the highest notes cleanly. These include those notes above high A on the C whistle, or above high B on the D whistle.

To attain these notes, first you want to move the mouthpiece to what seems an optimal position. Then, direct your breath very sharply into the instrument.

You'll need to practice your embouchure and breath pressure to get these notes right. You may have to blow quite hard to hit them. (On some Woodi whistles, I'm uncertain whether these notes are really playable without unpleasant overtones.)

That's the sole disadvantage to the Woodis. Compared to my Clarks and Generation whistles, they're more difficult at the top end of the range. Even very skilled musicians seem to have trouble with the highest notes.

Because of this, session players who switch between Woodis and other tin whistles might find that adjusting between them presents a significant challenge.

The Benefits of Two Whistles

If you are a beginner or don't own many whistles, it's a big advantage to get access to a C whistle as well as the very common D whistle.

Obviously, the D whistle gives you access to all the songs and sheet music traditionally written for tin whistles and Irish flutes.

(You can access some huge tune libraries here).

Your C whistle adds in all the songs and sheet music scored for C major instruments (access them here).

This includes music written for soprano recorder, c-major ocarina, and even concert flute. So it's a great benefit to acquire a C whistle, if you don't already have one. That both C and D are packaged together for the typical cost of a single whistle can only be called a bargain.

A Susato Clone?

On whistler forums like ChiffAndFipple, several folks have mentioned that the Woodis appear to be very inexpensive clones of the well-known Susato whistles. This is probably accurate. How the Woodis compare to Susatos I can't say, as I don't have access to Susatos for comparison testing.

Conclusion

The Woodi penny whistles give you outstanding value for only $20 USD. You get C and D whistles plus a nice carrying case for what you normally expect to pay for a single instrument.

For those who lack a C whistle, this is a cost-effective way to pick one up.

The Woodi whistles project a pleasing sound that especially appeals in slower, more melodic tunes. Their plastic warmth nicely complements the more raw sound of many metal whistles.

About their only downside is the challenge of playing the highest notes clearly and without overtones.

Bottom line: the Woodis rate as a great bargain.

***** SUMMARY *****