Ebay purchase

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fatmac
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Ebay purchase

Post by fatmac »

I don't understand some people.

I've just received a low D aluminium whistle from an Ebay seller, it was sticky. smelly, & filthy inside of it! I cleaned off all the sticky muck, & washed it several times with soap & water, in the bath, inside & out, but it's still not clean, so I'll have to go & purchase a long bottle brush to get the rest of the muck out of the insides. But how should I clean the airway(?), as that will need a thorough clean too.

I've used Ebay lots, never had any problems before, I just don't understand what this person was thinking, sending a sticky, smelly, filthy whistle to a purchaser, it beggars belief.

So, basically, I'm asking how best to go about cleaning the windway of this whistle, thanks.
Keith.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
piperjoe
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by piperjoe »

I use a feather, purchased at craft stores, to swab and apply Dupenol to recorder wind ways. Should work for your whistle as well.

Can't believe someone would send out a whistle that was like that...some negative feedback might be in order. :swear:

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whistlecollector
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by whistlecollector »

It's not sticky muck --- it's patina! That makes your whistle vintage and clearly worth a lot of money!

Obviously I can't see the Ebay pictures or description, so can't speak to your exact situation: but was the whistle advertised as used? Was there anything in the pictures that indicated it's anything other than brand spanking new? A lot of people that sell on Ebay just don't know what it is they're selling, and so don't want to risk damaging the merchandise. They've probably also heard that "antiques" shouldn't be cleaned at all, that it reduces the value. (Not true.) Many Ebay sellers straight up say things like "sure this is caked in grime, but I'm selling it as found because I don't know anything about it and don't want to mess it up so I'll leave cleaning up to the buyer".

Before leaving a negative, at least try and find out what the reason for sending a sludgy whistle was. Ask for a partial refund -- a cleaning fee! If it is a kind of whistle others sell, and if this one was clearly not marked as dirty or heavily soiled, I'd consider returning it for refund and buying from another seller.
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fatmac
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by fatmac »

No, no mention of it being filthy.....
Hi here we have my low d whistle

Comes with a carry case

It’s in good condition no dents or dings just a few marks consistent with it being played see pics for condition

plays and sounds great

There are no markings on or in the whistle apart from the “D” denoting the key so I’m unsure who made it ( if anyone knows I’d appreciate if you could let me know so I can update the listing ) but I can tell you it’s a quality well made item
UPDATE:
I've already cleaned most of the gunge out of it, with soap & water, but I need to make sure the windway is clean.

Thanks for the tip about using a feather. :)

The whistle actually looks quite nice, just a few minor scratches through it being used - just that it was sent out in a filthy condition pissed me off somewhat.

(I always clean a pre used item before using it, so was expecting to do a bit of cleaning, but this one's going to take a bit of time before I can use it.)
Keith.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
piperjoe
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by piperjoe »

Maybe walking through the local car wash while playing the Irish Washerwoman would do the trick. :poke:

Sorry, it's close to dinner time and my blood sugar must be low. :puppyeyes:

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an seanduine
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by an seanduine »

I use a dental appliance called a 'peroxabrush interdental cleaner' to clean grunge buildup in the windway. It is a tiny brush with fine bristles. Not to endorse a particular product, but here is an illustration: https://www.gumbrand.com/between-teeth- ... -ct-1.html

Bob
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The Beginner's mind has endless possibilities.
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fatmac
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by fatmac »

Ah, yes, I didn't think of them, my sister uses those inter dental brushes, (I'll get one from her).

So far, I have cardboard, thin pliable plastic strip, a feather, & now, inter dental brushes.

Thanks to everyone for the recommendations. :thumbsup:
Keith.
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by pancelticpiper »

I bought a fine-playing Low D which had been used on tour by a well-known player.

The inside was clean, but the outside was covered with a thin film of some kind of sticky goo.

I might have been on purpose, to help hold the whistle :-?
Richard Cook
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by fatmac »

Another Update:

Cleaned it out again this morning, (with washing up liquid), whistle is OK now - it has a good tone, & fairly easy second octave - (but the case is still very messy & so it's heading to the tip).
Keith.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
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chas
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by chas »

whistlecollector wrote:It's not sticky muck --- it's patina! That makes your whistle vintage and clearly worth a lot of money!
Just to pick a nit: with respect to metals, patina grows on copper and copper-containing alloys (brass, bronzes). Copper forms a family of compounds (historically oxide, but in modern times with smog, sulfate, maybe chloride) on the surface, but aluminum largely just oxidizes, and the oxide is clear. Neither patina on copper nor oxide on aluminum is sticky, smelly, nor filthy.

Back when I was buying whistles, the best sellers of brass whistles offered to send the whistle either with or without the patina. I took them with and decided whether to clean it off or not.
Charlie
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fatmac
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by fatmac »

I bought a Dixons brass low 'G', brand new, & it developed some patina quite quickly around the sound holes.
(I have no problem with it, in fact I quite like it, gives it a certain amount of character). :)

I also have their 'A', bought pre used, which came with a certain amount of patina already 'installed' on it. ;)
Keith.
Trying to do justice to my various musical instruments.
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Re: Ebay purchase

Post by Tyler DelGregg »

The times I have sold my whistles through music store consignments, I cleaned the outside and inside very thoroughly. It's a matter common decency. It's embarrassing to turn over a whistle to an end user or a middle man full of slime grime. Outer patina is different; it's not grime. I once bought a used whistle with a slimy film in the windway which was nasty. It cleaned off well enough, but good grief, why sell it in that condition?
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