Great Cheap Whistle

benbrad · Post by **benbrad** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:08 pm

I never would have believed it if I read it on this forum but it is the honest truth. I put a Hoover White Cap on a Feadog sop D whistle tube and it is the most perfect whistle I have ever played. The breath requirements are the same all the way into the 3rd octave. It is loud, pure, sweet, clear, and fast. There are no squawks, squeeks or anything to detract from the pure pleasure of playing. I have seven different Susato's, an O'Brien sop D, Tony Dixon sop D, Jerry Freeman tweaked Mellow Dog, Syn sop D, Clare sop D, Alba low D, Alba low C, and Kerry low D. This inexpensive Hoover/Feadog whistle beats every one of them. This just goes to show that you don't have to spend a fortune to get a superior sound. Now I know that none of the whistles I have are what you would consider real High End like Overton, Copeland, Chieftain, Burke, etc. I am negotiating to buy an Overton now but I will be surprised if it is actually better than the cheap-o whistle I have described. I have tried my hand at tweaking a whistle myself with very limited results. Have any of you transformed a whistle in this way? I'm curious.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:24 pm

Mack Hoover's instruments are always quality pieces! Enjoy!

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:42 pm

I have a Hoover white cap on a Walton brass body. Great whistle. For those looking for champagne on a beer budget, this is close, real close.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 11:11 pm

A White Cap is a treasure. I put a White Cap on an Oak body (the original fipple had shattered), and it was a lovely whistle. I also have a White Cap on a body Mack made that sits right next to my computer...it's a delight.

Redwolf

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:04 am

Now that I think about it, I've never heard a bad word about Mack's instruments. Ever.

markbell · Post by **markbell** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:57 am

I have a Whitecap on an Eb Generation body. It turned a hound-dog into a champion!

<shameless promotion of my non-commercial website>
Here is my web page with my visit to Mack's workshop in Clifton, Colorado. Mack puts a lot of work and care into each whistle. Most of the process that I documented is the same as how he makes a Whitecap, since the fipple construction is mostly the same as his CPVC whistles.
</shameless promotion of my non-commercial website>

Mark

Steve-o · Post by **Steve-o** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:40 am

I put a whitecap on a clare two piece body, and it is one of my favorite whistles now. It playes great, and can fit in my pocket. Also, Mack is a great guy to deal with.

Random notes · Post by **Random notes** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:04 am

Cranberry wrote:Now that I think about it, I've never heard a bad word about Mack's instruments. Ever.

Okay, here goes. Mack Hoover makes damn good whistles.

I have a couple of his whistles and a White Cap on a Walton tube. I was getting very frustrated with the second octave on my "cheap" whistles but the White Cap makes all the difference. The second octave is easy to reach and doesn't sound like a train trying to stop. In fact, it sounds pretty good, even for a tyro like me. The other Hoovers that I have are real quiet, good for late night practice and definitely help develop breath control. But the White Cap/Walton is the one next to my computer.

I would say to a beginner looking to step up from a first whistle that Mack's work deserves serious consideration.

Steve-o wrote: Also, Mack is a great guy to deal with.

Yeah, that too.

Roger

benbrad · Post by **benbrad** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:19 pm

There you have it Mack. You turned my bad-dog Feadog into a Lapdog and I can see that I am not the only one your work has touched. My hat is off to you, buddy.

Fishie · Post by **Fishie** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 2:57 pm

I just did the same to my nickel Feadog. What a difference. Looks cool too.

:)

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 4:06 pm

I guess I was unlucky. I put a whitcap on top of an Oak body and it was impossible to play in public. All buzzes and squawks. It was good to practice on because it was so hard to control I recently tried the hairspray tweak and it made it a lot easier to play. Mack's whistles, from what I've seen, are not for session playing, unless you're accompanying a dolcimer. Very quiet.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:24 pm

I got a Whitecap on an Oak it is very nice.

markbell · Post by **markbell** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:19 am

Whitmores75087 wrote:I guess I was unlucky. I put a whitcap on top of an Oak body and it was impossible to play in public. All buzzes and squawks. It was good to practice on because it was so hard to control I recently tried the hairspray tweak and it made it a lot easier to play. Mack's whistles, from what I've seen, are not for session playing, unless you're accompanying a dolcimer. Very quiet.

Whitmore,

Mack's whistles are definitely quiet. Depends on how and where you play them. I have three of his whistles that I really like, and the Whitecap on the Gen Eb has good volume (probably attenuates the Gen Eb's shrillness). I did play a low D that was just too quiet for my taste and use, and passed it along to another whistler.

Regarding the Whitecap on the Oak, did you contact Mack about the problems you were having? He's very responsive to his customers.

Mark

Eliezer · Post by **Eliezer** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 2:41 pm

I have three Whitecaps and they all sound different on different tubes. It took a long while to find the best tube for each head.

But one of them is my favorite indoor whistle!

Yup. Mack is a good guy.

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 4:44 pm

Markbell, no I didn't contact Mack. I assumed this is how they all are. In fact I assumed that for over a year until I played one that Wanderer has. It was 100% better. The hairspray did make a huge difference to mine though and I now use that whistle regularly now.