Question: How many different whole tone scales are there really?
Two.
The whole tone scale divides the octave into six whole steps. Since there are only twelve semitones total, playing every other semitone gives you six notes — and then the pattern repeats. Start on C and you get C–D–E–F#–G#–A#. Start on Db and you get Db–Eb–F–G–A–B. Those are the only two unique whole tone scales.
Every other whole tone scale you might name is enharmonically one of those two.
