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Green top Generation change?

Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 7:44 am
by Tommy
I came across several new green top Generation whistles with a very narrow (roof to floor) windway. Has Generation changed their mold again?

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 8:13 am
by JackJ
Tommy wrote:I came across several new green top Generation whistles with a very narrow (roof to floor) windway. Has Generation changed their mold again?
Interesting. I've been thinking about picking up one of those Generation "Folk Whistles" simply because I prefer green to the red fipples that comes on the standard brass model. Apart from more backpressure (I assume), any speculation as to how this narrower windway might affect the playing characteristics or sound?

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Mon May 07, 2018 10:42 am
by Tommy
JackJ wrote:
Tommy wrote:I came across several new green top Generation whistles with a very narrow (roof to floor) windway. Has Generation changed their mold again?
Interesting. I've been thinking about picking up one of those Generation "Folk Whistles" simply because I prefer green to the red fipples that comes on the standard brass model. Apart from more backpressure (I assume), any speculation as to how this narrower windway might affect the playing characteristics or sound?
Might have to treat it with Dupanol to prevent condesation cloging. Or with dish soap.

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Tue May 08, 2018 2:53 am
by Kade1301
Apart from the clogging problem, it's also a question of personal preference - maybe based on one's breathing habits. I much prefer the wide windways of cheap whistles over the Killarney's narrow one (just like I prefer the Aulos Symphony alto recorder over the Yamaha 302B). I'll research the subject in Stockstadt coming Friday...

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 7:42 pm
by PB+J
I just picked up one of the "folk" whistles this morning. Other than color and a certain amount of shoddiness in the casting, I can't see a difference. I didn't measure it, but they look the same to me

It's a terrible whistle though, very hard to play (for me, a beginner) and prone to rattling and cracking, and the second octave gets very cloggy very fast

It does have a nice tone. The blue one is dramatically easier to play. Neither comes close to the Killarney D whistles, which are just more consistent and responsive

Image

Image

I'm going to spend some time reading up on "tweaking" and see if I can make the "folk" whistle play better. It's really interesting why they play differently

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 9:30 pm
by Tommy
Excellent picture. :thumbsup: Yes that one looks to be the same size as the ones I use to see. The green ones I saw recently were definitely smaller.

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 11:20 am
by Opisthokont
PB+J wrote:I just picked up one of the "folk" whistles this morning. Other than color and a certain amount of shoddiness in the casting, I can't see a difference. I didn't measure it, but they look the same to me

It's a terrible whistle though, very hard to play (for me, a beginner) and prone to rattling and cracking, and the second octave gets very cloggy very fast

It does have a nice tone. The blue one is dramatically easier to play. Neither comes close to the Killarney D whistles, which are just more consistent and responsive
I'm not sure whether this is actually the case or if the image isn't in perfect focus, but it looks to me like the edge of the labium looks both less sharp and slightly less even in the green than the blue one. I'm far from an expert in instrument acoustics, but one of the things I read about people doing when they tweak whistles is to hone the edge of the labium, so I'd suspect that could contribute to it being "a terrible whistle".

Not sure why it would clog faster -- I could speculate but only quite irresponsibly...!

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 1:59 pm
by Tommy
Opisthokont wrote: Not sure why it would clog faster -- I could speculate but only quite irresponsibly...!
A smaller wind way from roof to floor, allows condensation/moisture to accumulate sooner when the wet on the roof touches the wet on the floor. Some players have more condensation/moisture than others. One speculation is that when something touchers the mouth more saliva is produced to prepare for eating. With practice this can be overcome.

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 2:03 pm
by Tommy
Opisthokont wrote: I'm not sure whether this is actually the case or if the image isn't in perfect focus, but it looks to me like the edge of the labium looks both less sharp and slightly less even in the green than the blue one. I'm far from an expert in instrument acoustics, but one of the things I read about people doing when they tweak whistles is to hone the edge of the labium, so I'd suspect that could contribute to it being "a terrible whistle".
Yes, when a labium edge is not blunt enough the whistle may not play well, or if it is to blunt.

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Sun May 20, 2018 2:19 pm
by Tommy
PB+J wrote: It does have a nice tone. The blue one is dramatically easier to play. Neither comes close to the Killarney D whistles, which are just more consistent and responsive

I'm going to spend some time reading up on "tweaking" and see if I can make the "folk" whistle play better. It's really interesting why they play differently
Injected mold plastic whistle heads do not all cool to the same preferred shape. Tweaking can cure it.
Machined and hand assembled with a little filing here and there can produce a better playing whistling.

Or if a person finds a shop that will let them play all the whistles in all the boxes it may be posible to find a gem. Mr Gumby can speak more to this.

Re: Green top Generation change?

Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 7:58 am
by Mr.Gumby
Mr Gumby can speak more to this
I don't know about that now.

The Generation folk whistle, or green top ones, if you like, are not common at all here. In fact I only recently saw them for sale for the first time, in Custy's. With this thread in mind, in Ennis earlier today and with a few moments to spare, I went in to have a closer look. I found most of them looked rough enough, as most Generations seem to do nowadays while they were never that rough in the past. Anyhow, the shop was busy, with the Fleadh Nua on and all that, and there was a CD playing (in B) so I wasn't too comfortable doing a great work-out but I tried four of them briefly, one was OK-ish : not great but serviceable (I picked the ones that looked least rough). I have no real urge to get any more whistles so I left it there and went on to enjoy a Riches of Clare concert.