I bought a feadog a couple of weeks ago, and it was kind of raspy sounding. I filled the space under the wind way with blu tac and that seemed to help, but I thought I could improve it even more.

So, I removed the fipple with hot water (after removing the blu tac) and tried to square up the edge of the blade and curve the lower chamfer on the wind way (using and exacto knife and very fine sandpaper). I also added blu tac again.

Now no matter how hard or softly I blow, the whistle only makes a very quiet, high pitched sound - almost like playing with my lip on the labium.

So have I ruined the whistle, or can it be repaired?

Thanks.

Mike

Can you post a closeup photo of the mouthpiece area, to show alterations you made?

Some wild guessing:
You mention altering the chamfer. If the new chamfer now alters air flow at the window in excess of what's good for the efficient production of tone (hope not), you've maybe created scrap out of the mouthpiece or will need to fix that by reducing the chamfer amount (no idea how to do that). Alternately, if the lower chamfer is indeed now too large, rather than scrap the mouthpiece, the last alternative might be to increase the upper chamfer to rebalance air flow towards the blade correctly? This is really getting into wild guess territory.

Double check that the distance from the edge of the windway tunnel to the blade (the window area) is still the same, or even 0.5mm less or so perhaps, but that the distance there hasn't increased. If any work on the blade you did increased the window diameter, by removing material from the edge of the blade, that would likely cause less efficient tone production. Also make sure the vertical position of the windway, where it sends air at the blade edge, has not changed. If for any reason the blade edge is now relatively higher or lower than before, it could ruin the production of tone.

If you altered the blade shape, again, people would likely need to see a photo to offer informed comments.

Alaskamike,

Welcome to the world of whistling !

How long have you been playing ?

Having made a few forays into the whistle-making-zone, my opinion is that the fipple (windway, exit, blade shape, . . .) is one of the most geometrically sensitive gizmos in the universe. The "tiniest" alteration can have dramatic effects.

I'd like to second the suggestion of RoberTunes: please post some pics. A few with different views/angles if possible.

trill

_________________
Current favorites: MK, Onyx, Reyburn

RoberTunes and Trill -
Thanks. Here are some picture of the ripple. I did trim a little off the blade, but maybe only .5mm or so.

https://ibb.co/G5Zh4Ch
https://ibb.co/sWzDyT4
https://ibb.co/p109QGK
https://ibb.co/QKjgyVJ

Thanks again!
Mike

It can be repaired.
The exacto knife removed way to much off the ramp. The edge is now to far away from the windway exit. It can be built using an old credit card or guitar pick. By cutting a small square to fit on the under side of the ramp so that the edge is about 3/16'' from the wind away exit. It can be tested first by using a dot of blu tac to hold it. Then it needs to be put in place with super glue. Find a diamond finger nail file to dress the edge.
It appears to have to much bevel on the bottom of the wind way exit. That will make a strong bell note but second octave challenging to reach. I have used super glue that comes with a brush (Krazy Glue brand) to put a very small amount on the damaged edge. Then shape it with diamond finger nail file. Finding a file that small is difficult. I have found them to big then grind them to fit.

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''Whistles of Wood'', cpvc and brass. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69086

I looked at my whistles. Almost all have very smooth surfaces in the mouthpiece.

Also, when I was trying to make whistles, I found that any little bump/gouge/rough-spot/portrusion could have a huge effect on sound.

I'd suggest smoothing out the rough spots:



Also, most of my whistles have a very small bevel (~1mm) on the lower edge of the windway exit.

_________________
Current favorites: MK, Onyx, Reyburn

I admire you for your brave experimentation. If your going to get good advice to put it right from anywhere it will be on this forum.

Enjoy the experience.

Thanks for all of the advice - my Feadog is working again!
I added a small piece of credit card to the blade (I played with it until I got a good tone and then glued it in place). It still seems a little scratchy, but I checked the tones with a tuner and they're all good across 2 octaves. I also sanded as much as I could reach inside the fipple - a chopstick was very useful here.

Here are a couple of images of the finished fipple. Thanks again for all of the help!

https://ibb.co/VM6jR7x
https://ibb.co/7v4Pk1T

Very good Mike.

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''Whistles of Wood'', cpvc and brass. viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69086

Alaskamike,

Great news !

On the subject of "scratchy", I'd like to propose a little experiment.

In the first photo, it looks like there is a "step" where the green plastic meets the "white credit card". I propose trying the use of a little putty to smooth that out. Note that by using non-hardening-putty, you can always "undo" the experiment by removing the putty. The risk is low.

Just an idea.

I'm glad you've got your Feadog working !

trill

I tried adding the blu tac but I probably added too much - once I added it I was no longer able to play a C nat. I took off the blu tac and decided to live with it being a little scratchy!

Well, darn.

I was hoping for a quick+easy fix.

Thanks for the report back.

Honestly, though, it shows how sensitive the "voice" is to fipple/head/blade/mouthpiece/airpath geometry.

trill

Especially if you just start hacking bits off without knowing what you're doing. Whistle generally don't need

My opinion? The OP should just buy another whistle (a replacement Feadog is thankfully cheap), and play it. It's the music that's the whole point of this exercise after all.

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Andrew Wigglesworth
http://www.greenmanrising.co.uk

Thankfully I have a couple other whistles that I practice with regularly. Part of the reason I bought the feadog was to play with tweaking it. Right now it plays well enough that I don't need to tweak it any more. Filling the space under the windway was a good improvement but I don't think I improved the blade at all.

Thanks for everyone's input! I'm new to playing the tin whistle and this forum so I appreciate the feedback.

If my impression is correct, I've seen a great number of comments by people in various threads, who have made adjustments to whistles, that they often fill in part of the space at the start of the tube, at the base of the window, (right at the exit of the windway, below the blade), to rebalance how easy it is to get into the second octave and that it also helps in other ways, such as general intonation and maybe tonal balance between octaves.

If that alteration is so common, I'm wondering why the makers of the inexpensive plastic mouthpiece whistles don't do it themselves with a slight alteration to the mold. Notice that the small independent-owner manufacturers of whistles typically keep upgrading their designs, are always experimenting and often communicating with whistle fans and whistle forums, while the corporate-owned whistle makers invent one design and it basically never changes, while we see streams of stories about those corporate whistles being altered to be improved and finally made musical and reliable, because "out of the box", they often aren't. It's a matter of intent of the owner, towards the customer. Shop around, or file, shave, glue and experiment! I'm guessing that if all the attempts at fixing/upgrading whistles were counted up, a great percentage of the attempts would be deemed unsuccessful, with the whistle going in the garbage. Not everyone has the correct tools, knowledge, skills, experience and patience to hit the design sweetspot correctly, with their attempts at mechanical correction of the faulty whistle.