Tweaks: The Thread

The Ultimate On-Line Whistle Community. If you find one more ultimater, let us know.
User avatar
pancelticpiper
Posts: 5291
Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2006 7:25 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Playing Scottish and Irish music in California for 45 years.
These days many discussions are migrating to Facebook but I prefer the online chat forum format.
Location: WV to the OC

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by pancelticpiper »

Here's the modified Generation B flat that I just finished yesterday.

It plays exactly how I want a whistle to play. It's right in tune from the "bottom D" to "high B" (in D-whistle terms).

The voicing is how I like it: full round low notes and extremely sweet easy high notes.

I started with two old Generation B flats I happened to have.

Both had the same tuning quirks:

1) in D-whistle terms, the E, G, A, B, and C were all in tune with each other, but the Bottom D and middle D were both quite flat.

To solve this I chopped the bottom around 2mm.

2) in D-whistle terms, the F# was a hair flat so I carved out that hole.

3) As is common with Generations, the whole 2nd octave was a bit flat. To solve this I chopped the head in two, right through the window, and glued the head back together. There's a period where the glue is only partly set and you can move the pieces of the head around to get the voicing exactly how you want it, by the alignment of the blade and the windway.

Photos:

Left is a stock Generation Bb tube, on the right is the one I chopped and carved.

Image

Left is a stock Generation Bb head, on the right is the one I chopped.

Image
Richard Cook
c1980 Quinn uilleann pipes
1945 Starck Highland pipes
Goldie Low D whistle
FrankFlute
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:14 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I play native american flute and now got me a Dixon DX005.
My first steps into Irish/Celtic music.
I already fond the tweak to fill up the hole near the cutting edge in the mouthpiece.
this made a great improvement.Hope to learn more.

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by FrankFlute »

I just filled up the hole beneath the flue on my Dixon DX005
Did that with epoxy-glue. Put some masking tape to cover the flue and the cutting edge, and dripped the epoxy with a small needle into the hole.
Huge improvement.
I am a starting tin-whistler, and now it's easier to get the 2e octave.

Just wonder why Dixon doesn't fill up that hole at fabrication. If I should deliver one of my native american flutes that way, I'd be out of bussiness.
FrankFlute, newbie on the tin whistle. So have mercy, I'm still learning
PB+J
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:40 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I'm a historian and the author of "The Beat Cop:Chicago's Chief O'Neill and the Creation of Irish Music," published by the University of Chicago in 2022. I live in Arlington VA and play the flute sincerely but not well

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by PB+J »

pancelticpiper wrote:Here's the modified Generation B flat that I just finished yesterday.

It plays exactly how I want a whistle to play. It's right in tune from the "bottom D" to "high B" (in D-whistle terms).

The voicing is how I like it: full round low notes and extremely sweet easy high notes.

I started with two old Generation B flats I happened to have.

Both had the same tuning quirks:

1) in D-whistle terms, the E, G, A, B, and C were all in tune with each other, but the Bottom D and middle D were both quite flat.

To solve this I chopped the bottom around 2mm.

2) in D-whistle terms, the F# was a hair flat so I carved out that hole.

3) As is common with Generations, the whole 2nd octave was a bit flat. To solve this I chopped the head in two, right through the window, and glued the head back together. There's a period where the glue is only partly set and you can move the pieces of the head around to get the voicing exactly how you want it, by the alignment of the blade and the windway.

Thank you for posting that. I have to say that chopping the fipple in half looks like a recipe for trouble to me.

How do you control how much you are reducing the opening? Is it just the width of the kerf on whatever you used to cut it?

What are you using to glue it back together? A plastic solvent glue would soften the plastic and possibly mess up the windway. Super glue might not provide an airtight seal. Is that why it appears to be wrapped in some black material?

It seems to me, with no experience in this area, that you could accomplish the same thing the way Freeman and O'Briain do, by gluing a pieces of plastic to the top of the blade and extending it past the stock blade edge.
User avatar
Sedi
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 6:54 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Practice, practice, practice. You're never too old to learn.
Keep on fluting.
---u---o-o-o--o-o-o--
-----------------------

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by Sedi »

FrankFlute wrote: Just wonder why Dixon doesn't fill up that hole at fabrication. If I should deliver one of my native american flutes that way, I'd be out of bussiness.
I might be wrong but I think it has something to do with the injection molding process.
thomasaasen
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:43 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by thomasaasen »

"Big Whistles" store has their own "Shush" whistles that are tweaked Generations and Feadóg. You also have Galeòns Tweaked Feadóg Whistles. O'Briain Improved Whistles too. Don't know if they are mentioned before, but here they are.:)
thomasaasen
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:43 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by thomasaasen »

FrankFlute wrote:I just filled up the hole beneath the flue on my Dixon DX005
Did that with epoxy-glue. Put some masking tape to cover the flue and the cutting edge, and dripped the epoxy with a small needle into the hole.
Huge improvement.
I am a starting tin-whistler, and now it's easier to get the 2e octave.

Just wonder why Dixon doesn't fill up that hole at fabrication. If I should deliver one of my native american flutes that way, I'd be out of bussiness.

Thanks for the tip. You can also do this on an Oak Whistle. I wonder if there are more whistles you can do this with? It makes just an great improvement.
thomasaasen
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:43 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by thomasaasen »

Anyone knows if Chris Wall makes his own brass tubes for his SweetBrass Whistles? He makes an fantastic mouthpiece that sounds wonderful on his whistles. It's for sure one of my favorite. Don't know if it can be called a tweaked whistle?
User avatar
MadmanWithaWhistle
Posts: 697
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:15 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Instrument maker and researcher exploring new methods of creating traditional instruments with longevity aforethought. Player of the whistle, flute, and continental European border pipes.

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by MadmanWithaWhistle »

Sedi wrote:
FrankFlute wrote: Just wonder why Dixon doesn't fill up that hole at fabrication. If I should deliver one of my native american flutes that way, I'd be out of bussiness.
I might be wrong but I think it has something to do with the injection molding process.
I've found in my tests that a slight concavity produces better "punch" or attack to the notes, but has the disadvantage of making the octave break a bit flatter. Jerry Freeman is shoving mesh in there or something, but I just undercut the airblade and restrict the bore of the body tube at the top a bit.
Chris Wall
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 1:17 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I'm a long time lurker on these forums who is coming into the light to share my videos and whistles with the world.
Location: Chapin, SC

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by Chris Wall »

thomasaasen wrote:Anyone knows if Chris Wall makes his own brass tubes for his SweetBrass Whistles? He makes an fantastic mouthpiece that sounds wonderful on his whistles. It's for sure one of my favorite. Don't know if it can be called a tweaked whistle?
I do indeed make both the mouthpiece and tube right here in my shop. It's not a tweaked whistle at all, as it is totally produced by me, with the exception of I do not actually manufacture the brass tubing itself. But I do cut it to size and drill the holes myself.
"In whistlemaking, attention to detail is what separates the pros from the cons."
User avatar
MadmanWithaWhistle
Posts: 697
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:15 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Instrument maker and researcher exploring new methods of creating traditional instruments with longevity aforethought. Player of the whistle, flute, and continental European border pipes.

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by MadmanWithaWhistle »

pancelticpiper wrote:Here's the modified Generation B flat that I just finished yesterday.

3) As is common with Generations, the whole 2nd octave was a bit flat. To solve this I chopped the head in two, right through the window, and glued the head back together. There's a period where the glue is only partly set and you can move the pieces of the head around to get the voicing exactly how you want it, by the alignment of the blade and the windway.
Relative to the original position, did you move the airstream vertically upward, or downward? i.e. more air passing over the blade or under it?
thomasaasen
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:43 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by thomasaasen »

Chris Wall wrote:
thomasaasen wrote:Anyone knows if Chris Wall makes his own brass tubes for his SweetBrass Whistles? He makes an fantastic mouthpiece that sounds wonderful on his whistles. It's for sure one of my favorite. Don't know if it can be called a tweaked whistle?
I do indeed make both the mouthpiece and tube right here in my shop. It's not a tweaked whistle at all, as it is totally produced by me, with the exception of I do not actually manufacture the brass tubing itself. But I do cut it to size and drill the holes myself.
Thanks Chris.
Your whistles are just amazing. I love everything about it. My hands goes directly to your whistle whenever I sit at my dest and want to play some. I'm so grateful that I got this SweetBrass Whistle in High D. I sure hope those who haven't tried it out and love playing whistles get the chance to play one.
Seamus McNaught
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Oct 17, 2019 10:21 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I live in Baltimore. I play tin whistle. My treasured whistle is my Freeman tweeked "C" Shaw. I will move to Pensacola, FL in 6 months. I'm setting up a session there. Check out the Four Sons on Meetup.
Location: Pensacola, Florida

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by Seamus McNaught »

As I lay in my casket, I hope someone has the good sense to tuck my Freeman tweeked Shaw C under my arm.
...May the angels, bright
watch you tonight
And keep you while you sleep
User avatar
RoberTunes
Posts: 326
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2019 3:33 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I am a flute, guitar, keyboard + whistle player learning about quality whistles, musical possibilities and playing techniques. I've recorded a CD of my own music and am creating music for kids.
Location: North America

Re: Tweaks: The Thread

Post by RoberTunes »

It's great to learn the many tweeks, the reasons and results. While I'm not one of Generation's dedicated millrights or sheet metal hobbyists, I simply don't have the toolset, I can keep these things in mind. I have ideas occasionally about whistle design, either to improve one of the lesser-cost models or consider making my own PVC or hardwood R&D Frankenwhistle, and having access to the thoughts of others working these things out, is precious.
thomasaasen
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 5:43 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re:

Post by thomasaasen »

blackhawk wrote:
Tommy wrote:OK, sounds like a good plan.
Tommy does a fantastic tweak on Walton's whistles.
I must agree, I love my tweaked Walton by Tommy Dion. I also got my Feadóg tweaked by him, and it sounds great.
learn2turn
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:05 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I play mostly my Killary Brass High-D and MK Pro low-D. Also like my Dixon Trad high D and my Dixon Polymer Low-D. I have a bunch of other cheap high-Ds and a few whistles in other keys I dabble with once in a while. Also play some guitar and mando, mostly bluegrass and related folkie Americana. Can't sing for squat. Can pick out chords and simple melodies on a keyboard but that's it; can't really play but it's good for understanding theory.
Location: Massachusetts USA
Contact:

Re:

Post by learn2turn »

Stevie D wrote:
Stevie D wrote:I found out that you can remove a Generation's mouthpiece by immersing it in boiling water.
Just to follow on from that, I was doing a bit more of this today. It's important not to leave the whistle standing upside down in the water, because the mouthpiece will go soft and deform as it slumps under the weight of the whistle. I lost the mouthpiece on my favourite nickel C this way! So this does work - and I tuned a couple of G's nicely - but you need to suspend the mouthpiece in the water rather than let it sit there.
Boiling is overkill. I just removed the fipples from my Generation D and Bb to putty the hollow in the fipples and tune the whistles. I found 150F/65C water for 20-30 seconds to be plenty to get the fipples to slip right off. A meat thermometer has the perfect range for measuring temps in that range.

-l2t
Post Reply