Clarke's Sweetone and original whistles

[riverman]

Clarke's original is one of my favorite whistles. The first one I bought I've played so much that the much-maligned gold diamonds are worn away, just black laquer now.

However, every one that I have bought needed the highly technical thumb-mash tweak to be pleasing. From the factory, the windway is very tall, and tends to be breathy, especially in the upper octave.

Each new Clarke's gets a gentle, firm mash with the thumb to close the windway just a smidge, at my house.

Mark

So true, Mark! And I've never failed with a thumb tweak on a Clarke original. But every time I tried adjusting the sound blade I ended up putting it back where it was before. So I don't mess with the sound blade anymore.
I bought a Clarke Meg in C once and, because of the longer reach for the lowest hole, returned it. I wish I had kept it now.
Clarkes, to me, are the best cheapies on earth.

[riverman]

the annoying white logo - why on earth do they put that on these whistles?

The goofy little dancing fellow is Whistling Billy, a London street performer described by journalist Henry Mayhew in 1856, including one of the first citations of Clarke whistles. His story is summarized in Bill Ochs' Clarke Tin Whistle tutor.

Well, you had to ask, didn't you.

Thanks, MT! I didn't know that! It kinda gives him a little more class, doesn't it?

[hoopy mike]

I bit the bullet and tried a thumb mash tweak, and it seems to have improved things on the Clarke's original in C, so many thanks for that tip, folks.

On Whistling Billy, yeah, great character, but does any other instrument you know have a picture of a musician on? Imagine a trumpet with old satchmo engraved on the bell - I think I'd avoid it. Jimmy Hendrik's face on a guitar, anyone?

But on second thoughts, maybe I'd go for a little tasteful Andrea Corr etching on the underside on the mouthpiece

Hoops

[MTGuru]

[hoopy mike]

how long did it take you to paint that?