Chiff and Fipple Forums

I can now play it without too many squeaks and hoots. It's taken about a month or more to get used to the finger spread and blowing requirements, and if I go back to a D whistle, I just about have to start all over again. But it's a fun whistle none the less.

Just in case anyone was interested.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

The Freeman A really is a fine whistle. I've had one for a year and ordered another last week. It's due to be delivered any day. I've acquired the habit of keeping two each of Jerry's whistles because they are so affordable and sound so good. I know what you mean about switching keys and the finger spread issues. I don't play the low D, but when I switch suddenly form Bb to A, my fingers get confused at first, but there is no problem switching from G to Bb or from G to A. No idea why.

Tyler DelGregg wrote:I've acquired the habit of keeping two each of Jerry's whistles because they are so affordable and sound so good.

I got a second Blackbird high D for that very reason! Just to be sure and have a spare in case of loss or damage to one. That's how much i like it!
I have a Freeman A in brass, and yeah it sounds just ducky. I like the festive red top- makes me think of Woody Woodpecker. =8-D

Chifmunk, I actually have three Blackbirds for the same reason! The redtops certainly are bright and cheerful.

Keep at it, and switching back and forth between whistle keys will become easy.

Tyler DelGregg wrote:Chifmunk, I actually have three Blackbirds for the same reason! The redtops certainly are bright and cheerful.

While my Blackbird has a black head... Must be an antique.

Best wishes,

Steve

It was the Freeman A whistle we were talking about that has the red top.
The Blackbirds come only in Eb, D, and C.

Oh yes, I was referring to my Freeman A and G, my Redtops. I do, however, have two Blackbirds in C and one of them has a green mouthpiece. The green sounds a little bit more mellow than the black top.
I like them both equally.

But back to my original post about the Bluebird.... I wish Jerry would bring back the Bluebird with the original playing characteristics, perhaps under a limited run at a price worth the extra work. I'd sign up in advance for it.

Late to the party here, what tweaking has been done?

AuLoS303 wrote:Late to the party here, what tweaking has been done?

For one thing, Generation never made A whistles.

So Jerry Freeman takes a Generation Bb head, and puts it on an A body he makes. It makes for a very sweet-playing A whistle. He also makes Generation "mezzo" G whistles, an octave below the tiny Generation high G whistle.

All of Jerry's whistles are "tweaked" in that he makes modifications to the heads. I have some Freeman Generations, and he has glued a tiny thing on the underside of the blade which has the effect of re-positioning the blade. His whistles have both a stronger tone, and are much better in tune, than the way the Generations come from the factory.

I have no idea how he makes those whistles play so perfectly in tune. It's amazing. It's one thing to get the octaves right. But on many whistles once you get the octaves right, still either Bottom D or Middle D is off a tad. But not with Jerry's, every note is bang-on.

For me, doing Studio work, that's paramount.

(NB I made a Generation A for myself many years ago, so the idea itself of a Generation A isn't new.)

pancelticpiper wrote: For one thing, Generation never made A whistles.
So Jerry Freeman takes a Generation Bb head, and puts it on an A body he makes. It makes for a very sweet-playing A whistle. He also makes Generation "mezzo" G whistles, an octave below the tiny Generation high G whistle.

I think that's why when you buy a Freeman A or low G whistle, it has the Freeman sticker on the tube, but not the generation sticker... but if you buy Jerry's Bb Generation, it has both the Generation sticker and Jerry's sticker on the tube.
I think the plastic heads he uses for his Blackbirds (Eb, D, C) come from Feadog whistles, so they come in black or sometimes dark green.

Tyler DelGregg wrote:The Freeman A really is a fine whistle. I've had one for a year and ordered another last week. It's due to be delivered any day. I've acquired the habit of keeping two each of Jerry's whistles because they are so affordable and sound so good. I know what you mean about switching keys and the finger spread issues. I don't play the low D, but when I switch suddenly form Bb to A, my fingers get confused at first, but there is no problem switching from G to Bb or from G to A. No idea why.

If you start playing Low D then, other keys(alto & high D)seems really small in size. I was working on my Jerry Freeman Low A (alto)Gen red-top and what a great 2nd octave this whistle has! The Low A bell note is on the soft side volume wise tho.... NOTE: After doing some cleaning and polishing the Bell note(low A)came back and I now have my louder A whistle back. Ya gotta clean these things once in a while....ya know