Need help on making a B whistle

jmssmh · Post by **jmssmh** » Fri Oct 12, 2001 1:11 pm

I want to make a B whistle (why?- to play folk music in the key of E-the people's key- that has notes that go below E- in other words just as you might want an A whistle to play songs in the key of D that has notes that go below the low D on a D whistle...)

I have three pieces of brass tubing long enough to make a B whistle, and diameter the size of to use a Generation C fipple, to use a Sweetone D fipple and a Sweetone C fipple.

What I need help with is hole size and placement.

If anyone has a B whistle that they can measure hole size and placment for me (or info on B whistle design)can you please post on the board or email me.

Thanks,

Joe

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Fri Oct 12, 2001 3:39 pm

Finally, someone else with an interest in a B whistle!
Before I learned piper fingering and couldn't manage a low E, I too went in search of a B whistle.
I find it quite odd that these whistles are so rare.
I ended up buying a Susato Kildare because it was the only B whistle available from The Whistle Shop.
While I still do not like the chunky mouthpiece of a Susato, I have found the Kildare B to be a fairly nice sounding whistle.
I must confess though... the 2nd octave is a bit shrill on the B just like it is on every other key Susato I have played.
I remember reading something about modifying a Generation Bb and making a B out of it, but I have never been able to find any details on the proceedure.
Thom sells the Kildare B for $21.85 which is quite a bargain when you compare it to the Bb which sells for $46.10.

jmssmh · Post by **jmssmh** » Fri Oct 12, 2001 4:03 pm

Raindog,

Can you give me the hole size and placement on the Susato B whistle. I am aware of this B whistle and was thinking of buying one from Thom but I really like the sound of your basic "Generation" whistle of plastic fipple and brass barrel.

I also have noticed that on Dave Shaw's web site he has a B whistle but whistle sellers in the USA sell all but that whistle. (I do have a Shaw's high E whistle which is very nice). Does anyone out there have a Shaw's B whistle?

Joe

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Fri Oct 12, 2001 4:41 pm

This probably isn't 100% accurate, but it's the best I can do:

B Natural Whistle Measurements
Taken from a Susato Kildare

12mm inside diameter body
323mm from blade edge to bottom end of body

From the bottom up:
47mm - 8.5mm
78mm - 9mm
100mm - 5mm
129mm - 6mm
154mm - 6mm
180mm - 5mm

_________________
"[Rain Dogs] ...the ones you see wanderin' around after a rain. Ones that can't find their way back home. See the rain washes off the scent off all the mail boxes and the lamposts, fire hydrants..."
Tom Waits

[ This Message was edited by: raindog1970 on 2001-10-12 18:43 ]

jmssmh · Post by **jmssmh** » Fri Oct 12, 2001 6:04 pm

thanks, I'll let you know how it comes out.

Joe

mike.r · Post by **mike.r** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 3:27 am

Joe,
check out Kim Fulton-Bennetts whistle making guide over at Chiff links for hole calculation method. Cheers, Mike

ndjr · Post by **ndjr** » Sat Oct 13, 2001 2:03 pm

I have a B whistle that I bought from Colin Goldie and am very happy with. I had no idea, Raindog, that it was such a rare breed, but wanted something to go between my soprano and low Ds as an alternative for slow airs. This happened to be available, so I picked it up.

Colin could no doubt put another one together, but the bad news is that he makes "high-end" whistles. I think mine cost $150, neglecting shipping. If you can afford one, though, just about everyone I know of who has wouldn't care to part with it.

I now know that my B is also good as an instrument to accompany singers, and many thanks for the information.

jmssmh · Post by **jmssmh** » Sun Oct 14, 2001 6:17 am

Neil,

Can you give the hole sizes and placement on your B whistle.

Joe

mike.r · Post by **mike.r** » Sun Oct 14, 2001 1:43 pm

Joe,
Replicating hole size and spacing from another whistle may not be of much use as the variables are so many and I doubt whether even two Overtons are EXACTLY the same...you can probably convert a Gen Bb to a big holed B and learn about tuning at the same time.If I get around to doing this tweak I'll let you know how I did it or maybe one of the whistlesmiths would be so kind to give us all some clues as to whether it can be done or not.Cheers, Mike

jmssmh · Post by **jmssmh** » Sun Oct 14, 2001 3:29 pm

Success. I was able to make one B whistle. I used the Susato 's hole size and placement as a guide but made the holes smaller than the Susato then enlarge them slowly with a file to tune it up. Sounds great. I used a brass tubing that I found in a hobby shop and a Feadog C fipple. I am going to try it again with a tubing that a Sweetone D fipple fits on.

My neck goal is-if I can find tubing that a normal generation D fipple fits on- to try to make a soprano E. If anyone has a Soprano E can you post the hole size and placment for me.

Joe

ndjr · Post by **ndjr** » Sun Oct 14, 2001 5:38 pm

That being the case, Joe, I guess there's no point in posting the dimensions of my Overton. I'm glad you were successful!

Spot Beagle · Post by **Spot Beagle** » Mon Oct 15, 2001 1:19 am

I found some good dimensions that seem to work on all the whistles and flutes that I made, except on the low D's I had to make an adjustment. It's pretty simple, compared to all the formulas I found. It was on a web page, but a few weeks ago, my system kept crashing, and I lost it, couldn't find it again. After measuring my premade whistles and flutes it was pretty close. So it's no big secret. I'll try and put the picture here.
L = length from center of fipple hole to the end
A is 1/6 of L
B is 1/12 of L
C is 1/18 of L

Start with a small hole, then while you make the sharpen the pitch, you make the holes bigger.

If you have any questions, just ask.

http://members.aol.com/spotbeagle/whistle.jpg

<IMG SRC="http://members.aol.com/spotbeagle/whistle.jpg">

[ This Message was edited by: Spot Beagle on 2001-10-15 03:24 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Spot Beagle on 2001-10-15 03:26 ]