Howard Close Spacing Balanced, Low D

The Howard Close Spacing Low D brings the finger holes noticeably closer together than on a standard low whistle, with no added key, so it plays with ordinary whistle fingering and a much easier reach. For a player who finds a conventional low D a stretch, the whole range sits comfortably under the hand.

This one carries the Classic balanced head with Howard's optional acoustic resin added, stamped Balanced, Classic and M3, with the tuning scale marked in five-cent divisions. The voice is mellow and moderate, with a little more chiff and a more articulate response than the standard Howard, and it holds its tuning well. It fills a small room without effort and is easy to settle into for quiet practice or a relaxed session.

The whistle has been very lightly played and the black finish is clean throughout.

About the Maker

Brian Howard developed his first low whistle in Sheffield, England in 1974, working closely with folk musicians Finbar and Eddie Furey and the McPeake family. He began his career at the Sheffield precision engineers Moore & Wright, and spent some years as a pipemaker in South Kilkenny, Ireland, before returning to Sheffield, where he became known as a Little Mester, a small-scale master craftsman who works directly with his customers. His low D has been in continuous production ever since, and Howard whistles are still handmade in Sheffield. The Close Spacing design uses inserts inside the bore that act as acoustic modifiers, which is how the holes move closer together while the pitch and tone stay put.