The Maker
Tilbury Woodwinds Company is the trading name under which Chuck Tilbury makes and sells his whistles, under the watchful eye (and patient ears!) of his wife. By day, Chuck works as a systems software engineer (which, along with hardware development, he has been involved in for over 20 years). By night, he is the mad whistle maker. He makes whistles mostly as a hobby, but enjoys it so much that he wants to do it full-time. Chuck's goals are to make very good whistles that are comparable in quality to high-end whistles, like Overton or Copeland whistles. However, he also aims to sell them for much less. Why? Because he strongly believes that everyone should have access to a really good whistle.
The Workshop
The TWC workshop is located in Cedar Park, Texas, which is near Austin. Recently, Chuck and family moved from the Seattle, Washington area. The workshop it's self is just the garage. It's just big enough and has everything that he needs to make whistles and other stuff. There is a mill and a lathe as well as the other tools you would expect to find in a shop where metal work happens.
Our Mission
Our mission is to spread and promote the joy of Irish Traditional Music by providing top quality instruments at a reasonable price, ant to bring people into contact with the music by attending venues where that is possible. Our goal is to put a penny whistle in the hands of every human being on the planet, even if it is not a TWC instrument.
Why I do it
I make whistles as a hobby and do a day job as well. I do it because I like making things and I really like Irish Traditional Music. I have come in contact with so many great people and made so many friends as a result of making whistles that I cannot imagine not making. I can think of no better way to spend my time than to bring more music into the world by crafting quality musical instruments. If I had my way, I would never sell another instrument, but only give them away to people that want them. Unfortunately, reality does not permit it.
For more information about who I am, what I do, or how to get hold of a Tilbury whistle, follow the links in the navigation menu at the top. You can also take a look at my other page.