Despite what my husband might say, it was more out of necessity than want. (is this the beginnings of that which is called WhOA?)
As I posted some time ago, I had a Susato D that I have been playing on a Susato D over the last several months. The operative word here is had. I know I mentioned how I would shake the instrument to remove the excess moisture. Well, sometime late last week, I was playing and it sounded like something had gotten stuck inside somewhere. So I did my usual tactics: I ran it through warm (not hot) water, tried giving it a few good shakes… didn’t help. So I thought to myself, perhaps tapping it against something might help dislodge whatever was inside.
So I gave it a few good taps on the edge of our mattress, picked it up again to begin playing…and noticed something was amiss. I certainly did dislodge something…
The mouthpeice was gone. Not just unglued, as it was not a smooth edge where it used to be. I guess my Susato D is now a Susato D-capitated. What’s worse (or perhaps for the better, depending on who you ask), I couldn’t find the mouthpiece, so I couldn’t even attempt to reattach it.
This was last Thursday afternoon. Friday I started my new job as a waitress on the nightshift in a 24-hr diner. (Perhaps I will need to change my nick to Musical_Daylight as new tunes I create seem to come while I can’t get to sleep), so Saturday was my next day off. After I got a few hour’s sleep, I counted up the tips I made the previous night, lovingly looked to my husband and asked, “Mind if we take a trip to the music store? I don’t feel much like driving right now, so could you take me? Please?” To my surprise he said, “sure”.
So we went to a small music store close by. I wasn’t sure what whistles they would have, thought about buying another Susato if they had any. Maybe in a different key.
They had the “kiddie” instruments, and there, right next to that display, were 2 Irish flutes: Feadog in D, and a Clarke C.
I looked at both of them, noticed the Clarke had a wooden fipple (I’m petrified of ruining the wood), so I bought the Feadog. I didn’t even wait to get home before I opened the package, I started playing in the car. I could tell the change in tone, and now I know why several people had mentioned getting a Feadog. My only question: why didn’t I listen before now? 
So I’ve had a few days with the Feadog now, and have remained amazed at the quality of sound I’ve been able to produce. It is so much sweeter than anything I was doing on the Susato, and even my husband doesn’t mind being an accidental audience for the most part. Some of the tunes get repetitous or sound too “happy” and that’s when he has a problem with it.
I have noticed one thing while I’ve been playing. When it was brand-new, the day I got it, I could go up the scale twice, and not have any of the notes sound wrong or squeak. Today I noticed that while all of the other notes sound okay, when I get to the high B note, it squeaks every single time.
Can anyone offer any insight to this, and how I might be able to fix it? Also, suggestions as to how to keep the Feadog in good condition would be appreciated as well!
I have found out that every whistle, even from the same maker, is different. Additional, sometime your mood can effect breath control. From my experience, with practice and more practice comes an almost automatic breath control to deal with the differences.
