Chiff and Fipple Forums

When did Generation whistles change from the head/mouthpiece design that has the seam running down the middle to the current design that is smooth?

I tried searching for the answer but didn't find out anything other than a post or two talking about Generation whistles made in the 1970's had the seam.

Thanks in advance for any help you all can provide.


Edited to change 1070's to 1970's....

TxWhistler wrote:... Generation whistles made in the 1070's ...

Of course, back then their fipples were made of horn. We may snicker now, but the concept was revolutionary.

Nanohedron wrote:

TxWhistler wrote:... Generation whistles made in the 1070's ...

Of course, back then their fipples were made of horn. We may snicker now, but the concept was revolutionary.

Oh boy........proof reading never was one of my strong points.......

Let's try.......1970's....

TxWhistler wrote:When did Generation whistles change from the head/mouthpiece design that has the seam running down the middle to the current design that is smooth?

I tried searching for the answer but didn't find out anything other than a post or two talking about Generation whistles made in the 1970's had the seam.

Thanks in advance for any help you all can provide.


Edited to change 1070's to 1970's....

Don't know the exact date, but I can tell you that all the Generations I bought off-the-shelf in 1975 and 1976 have the seam in the middle running the length of the fipple, so at least post-1976.

Per Jerry Freeman on a FB group I’m a part of, the Generations with the seam were made between 1953 and 1980.

WhistleTunes wrote:Per Jerry Freeman on a FB group I’m a part of, the Generations with the seam were made between 1953 and 1980.

Thank you very much WhistleTunes!

I've found and bought 4 of them, 2 Eb's, a D and a Bb. All used but in decent shape for being that old.

It's interesting, and has to be the result of the mould being in more pieces.

You can see there are parts that come from the top and bottom and also from each side.

You can see where the sprue would have been, and where the piece was ejected from the mould.



Below you can see that the top of the blade and walls of the window was a separate part of the mould that came straight on from the front.

So I think we're dealing with a 5-piece mould, a rather complicated thing.



I think the later design eliminated the parts that came in from each side, so that the part that comes from straight above creates the windway and top of the mouthpiece as before, but also now the entire outer upper half of the head.

So a reduction from a 5-piece mould to a 3-piece mould (directly from above, directly from below, and directly from in front to form the window and top of the blade).

Thanks pancelticpiper (Richard) for the pictures! The ones I bought are in route to me at the moment and I didn't realize there were so many seams on the head.

Update:

I received the 4 whistles about a week ago. For being as old as they are, they are in a lot better condition than I thought they would be.

I've played them this past week and am impressed with their sound. The notes seem to be purer with less wind noise than the current day Generations. They are also stable in the upper octave and don't crack or squelch like the 3 current day Generations that I have. I have had no need to put poster putty or do anything to them. I've enjoyed playing them just as they are. I still like my Feadog Mk1 much better but for about $10 each delivered I am happy with them.

I was pleasantly surprised with the Eb's. The high D whistles usually are brutal on my ears in the upper octave and I figured the Eb's might make them bleed... However, instead of taking the whistle heads and putting them on some Generation D body's I have I've decided to just keep them as Eb's for the time being. They are nice sounding and not shrill at all.

The only thing negative about these four is that the seam down the middle of the mouthpiece took some getting used to since all I've ever player were smooth headed whistles. A week with them now and I'm not noticing the seam nearly like I did the first day or two.

Here are a few pictures: