Nickel v. Brass: The Poll

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 9:11 am

Brass, hence my signon.

jim_mc · Post by **jim_mc** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 9:27 am

Aluminum is my first choice, followed by plastic.

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 10:43 am

Basically what Jim_Mc said, 'cept I'll put plastic first and aluminum second.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 12:54 pm

I prefer nickel but not plated, solid as in nickel-silver. Unfortunaltely, they're not that many around: Shaws, Clarkes, high Copelands, and a G from Daniel Bingamon / Jubilee.

Now, since this poll leaves only three choices for six options, I'll vote vote for solid solid. Brass. Brass.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 3:05 pm

Zubivka wrote:I prefer nickel but not plated, solid as in nickel-silver. Unfortunaltely, they're not that many around: Shaws, Clarkes, high Copelands, and a G from Daniel Bingamon / Jubilee.

Aren't Clarkes made from tinplate?

LimuHead · Post by **LimuHead** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 6:32 pm

Plastic is my first choice in whistle bodies. I don't like brass because it tarnishes so easily. Nickel is okay. Never tried an aluminum whistle.

Synthetics rule.....

Cori · Post by **Cori** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 10:47 pm

The poll fubar made me laugh - how appropriately weird!

Since I am a wanton Walton woman at the moment (somehow acquired 4 of theirs) I can definitively say that for me personally, I like nickel for a D whistle, and brass for the C. I'm going to go and do some head-swapping, but they look completely identical so the sound difference (perceptible between the 2 D whistles (brass and nickel)) needs to be in the tube somewhere. Could get all scientific and ask about the relative thicknesses of the two metals ... but ... ah, I won't.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 11:56 pm

Walden wrote:
Zubivka wrote:I prefer nickel but not plated, solid as in nickel-silver. Unfortunaltely, they're not that many around: Shaws, Clarkes, high Copelands, and a G from Daniel Bingamon / Jubilee.
Aren't Clarkes made from tinplate?

You're quite right, Waldorf! Thanks for correcting me.
Well, I still prefer tin to brass or whatever plating.

This includes silver and gold platings, which will eventually end up in a mess (see cheap or not so cheap orchestral flutes).

Solid rule!

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 3:53 am

LimuHead wrote: Synthetics rule.....

"I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid."

spot the film, ten points up for grabs.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 4:31 am

My sources say that it was Aliens, though I've not actually viewed that film.

artguy · Post by **artguy** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:54 am

yup. that was Aliens alright. I believe his name was Bishop. I wonder if he was made from either nickel or brass? hmmm...

anyway, i like the shininess (shiny-ness, shinyness, shinosity?) of the nickel. I also would tend to buy a Nickel Gen over a brass one since I really like the blue fipples and think the redheaded brass ones look like something Ronald McDonald should be playing.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:56 am

artguy wrote:yup. that was Aliens alright. I believe his name was Bishop. I wonder if he was made from either nickel or brass? hmmm...

I assumed Bishop was NASA-grade PVC.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 5:11 pm

Quote @ Cori

Since I am a wanton Walton woman at the moment (somehow acquired 4 of theirs) I can definitively say that for me personally, I like nickel for a D whistle, and brass for the C. I'm going to go and do some head-swapping, but they look completely identical so the sound difference (perceptible between the 2 D whistles (brass and nickel)) needs to be in the tube somewhere. Could get all scientific and ask about the relative thicknesses of the two metals ... but ... ah, I won't.

I have lots of Waltons/Soodlums. The Brass and Nickel C and Mellow Ds are identical (the regular Ds aren't), except for the metal. The headpieces do vary a little bit, though (usually not enough to notice from looking at it, so they look the same to us), and the tone is different because of the mouthpiece, not the tube. That's my half a cent.

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 6:13 pm

Brass seems a bit more forgiving than nickle, at least to me!

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 9:08 pm

On the odd occasion, usually this is when I'm playing non-trad in church with the organ and wanting a very clear tone on a certain tune, I'll reach for nickle.

For 90% of my playing though, BRASS. I love the chiff, the tone, the feel,and yes, as a lover of all things used and old, the PATINA.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

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