Broken Penny Whistle.

Blackout_Entertainment · Sun Apr 09, 2006 2:20 am

Hi all! Nice place!

*Crashes on the couch*

...So, yeah. I've had a sweetheart penny whistle (one of the mis-matched wooden ones Ralph Sweet was selling for a while) for nigh on a year, and I loaned it out to a friend for the ren fair. (Because he couldn't use a metal instrument, because the director of the ren fair was...odd.)

(Good whistle, by the way, if you're considering a new one and like the sound of wood.)

Big mistake, loaning it out. It came back cracked. In four places. Two on the whistle head, two on the flute body. GRRR.

Needless to say, its now in some alien key, as opposed to D.

Is my whistle salvagable, do you think?

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 5:34 am

If you have all the pieces, then it is, in all liklihood, salvageable. Where I used to work, we once had a customer fall on her recorder and break it into 20 or so pieces, really!

Now, normally the head of the shop would have said "Um, look you're better off to just bite the bullet and spend the $1500 or so and buy a new instrument" However, in this particular case, the woman was a professional player, who had just used the recorder to play for the Pope, at the Vatican, so for her, the instrument was simply not replaceable.

And so, Humpty Recorder was, painstakingly, put back together again

This happened before my time at the shop, however just a few months before I left, the woman came through town for a gig, and brought the instrument, which she still plays professionally, into the shop. It has held up quite well for the many sears since the repair - it still looks, plays and sounds great. In fact, unless you knew exactly what to look for, you'd have a hard time telling it had ever been broken.

Moral of the story, contact the Sweets, they can probably fix you right up.

Loren

Blackout_Entertainment · Sun Apr 09, 2006 5:56 am

Loren wrote:If you have all the pieces, then it is, in all liklihood, salvageable. Where I used to work, we once had a customer fall on her recorder and break it into 20 or so pieces, really!

Now, normally the head of the shop would have said "Um, look you're better off to just bite the bullet and spend the $1500 or so and buy a new instrument" However, in this particular case, the woman was a professional player, who had just used the recorder to play for the Pope, at the Vatican, so for her, the instrument was simply not replaceable.

And so, Humpty Recorder was, painstakingly, put back together again This happened before my time at the shop, however just a few months before I left, the woman came through town for a gig, and brought the instrument, which she still plays professionally, into the shop. It has held up quite well for the many sears since the repair - it still looks, plays and sounds great. In fact, unless you knew exactly what to look for, you'd have a hard time telling it had ever been broken.

Moral of the story, contact the Sweets, they can probably fix you right up.

Loren

That makes me feel SO much better about my few little cracks.

*coddles his recorder and prays he never falls on it*

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:05 am

Blackout, before attempting any repairs myself, I'd ask Ralph and Walt what type of adhesive would be appropriate for the Dymondwood material. No doubt they'll be happy to advise!

Yeah, great whistle! I've had mine for two days, and I can't put it down! (If you do replace it, add the fife head too. It's a blast!)

Blackout_Entertainment · Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:08 am

crookedtune wrote:Blackout, before attempting any repairs myself, I'd ask Ralph and Walt what type of adhesive would be appropriate for the Dymondwood material. No doubt they'll be happy to advise!

Yeah, great whistle! I've had mine for two days, and I can't put it down! (If you do replace it, add the fife head too. It's a blast!)

I have the fife head already. It is a blast, but imho sounds somewhat tinny. I think its probably my emoucher though. I tend to over blow everything.

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:12 am

Blackout_Entertainment wrote: That makes me feel SO much better about my few little cracks.

*coddles his recorder and prays he never falls on it*

I just hope Ralph and Walt don't curse me for this!

By the way, as a point of interest, because I know some wiseguy is going to ask "Just how the heck to fall onto your instrument" here's what happened:

The woman carrying the instrument in her backpack, and had it in a soft roll (Cavallero) type carrying bag. So, she's walking down the strick, with her backpack on, recorder inside, and slips stepping off the curb at an intersection, falling backwards, onto her back, and of course, the instrument inside

This is why, while I very much like the convenience and comfort of whistle/flute rolls and recorders for storage/use around the house, I am NOT a big fan of their use whenever one needs to travel anywhere with a valuable instrument. Let's face it, the only protection a soft roll provides is resistance to scratching, and in some instances, a VERY limited amount of protection against rapid changes in humidity. Hard cases, wood, plastic, whatever, are the way to go if you want significant protection.

Loren

Blackout_Entertainment · Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:15 am

Loren wrote:
Blackout_Entertainment wrote: That makes me feel SO much better about my few little cracks.

*coddles his recorder and prays he never falls on it*

I just hope Ralph and Walt don't curse me for this!

I emailed Ralph. I'm more worried that he'll curse -at- me.

I imagine it must be annoying to have someone break one of your instruments...!

(Kill. Friends. At. Renfair.)

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:16 am

crookedtune wrote:Blackout, before attempting any repairs myself, I'd ask Ralph and Walt what type of adhesive would be appropriate for the Dymondwood material. No doubt they'll be happy to advise!

Based on the description of the damage, I would not suggest attempting to repair the instrument yourself, you'd likely not get it right, and in the process make a more permanent repair (after your attempt) much more difficult. Minor cracks can often be fixed at home, if necessary, but I'd leave this one to the Sweets, if I were you.

Loren

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 11:41 am

I hope this person did the right thing and offered to replace your whistle.

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 11:59 am

Lambchop wrote: I hope this person did the right thing and offered to replace your whistle.

I do too. I know accidents can happen to the best of us, but it is pretty serious to damage a musical instrument. I would have been down on my knees crying with my checkbook and pen out!

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:06 pm

Cynth wrote:
Lambchop wrote: I hope this person did the right thing and offered to replace your whistle.
I do too. I know accidents can happen to the best of us, but it is pretty serious to damage a musical instrument. I would have been down on my knees crying with my checkbook and pen out!

There is no option.

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:22 pm

Ooof - this makes my skin ache!

Neither a lender nor a borrower be! (who said that?)

Money I can forgive, but an instrument will never be respected by someone who does not own it!!

You may be lucky ... however, every time I loaned an instrument it came back (if at all) in bad shape - often in ways only I could tell.

I hope it returns to its former glory!

Cynth · Post by **Cynth** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:22 pm

Denny wrote:
Cynth wrote:
Lambchop wrote: I hope this person did the right thing and offered to replace your whistle.
I do too. I know accidents can happen to the best of us, but it is pretty serious to damage a musical instrument. I would have been down on my knees crying with my checkbook and pen out!
There is no option.

Denny, sometimes your responses are so...laconic, I guess...that I'm not quite sure what you mean. No option? No other option? It sounds like, well, you mean the person should be shot? But wouldn't that be an option? I seem to be confused.

Blackout_Entertainment · Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:07 pm

Cynth wrote:
Denny wrote:
Cynth wrote:I do too. I know accidents can happen to the best of us, but it is pretty serious to damage a musical instrument. I would have been down on my knees crying with my checkbook and pen out!
There is no option.
Denny, sometimes your responses are so...laconic, I guess...that I'm not quite sure what you mean. No option? No other option? It sounds like, well, you mean the person should be shot? But wouldn't that be an option? I seem to be confused.

The cryptic person scares me!

The Sweets (two different ones o.o) emailed/pmed me and said they'd fix it.

-snuggles his whistle-

You'll be better soon, baby...

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Sun Apr 09, 2006 2:46 pm

Cynth wrote:
Denny wrote:
Cynth wrote:I do too. I know accidents can happen to the best of us, but it is pretty serious to damage a musical instrument. I would have been down on my knees crying with my checkbook and pen out!
There is no option.
Denny, sometimes your responses are so...laconic, I guess...that I'm not quite sure what you mean. No option? No other option? It sounds like, well, you mean the person should be shot? But wouldn't that be an option? I seem to be confused.

I was agreeing with you! Groveling, begging forgiveness and paying for a replacement are minimal requirements.

It is too late for shooting...

...better???