Tweakers-change a Generation B flat into an A whistle

lisdoonvarna · Post by **lisdoonvarna** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:05 pm

The Generation B flat is a great whistle for the price. (around 7 dollars and some change through Elderly) I needed an A whistle to accompany a song for a group I'm in. I was disappointed Generation doesn't make an A. I had ordered a Dixon A through the Whistle Shop (thirty some dollars) but there were so many delays I gave up and canceled my order. I took a Generation B flat I had and after heating up the mouthpiece, pulled it out most of the way but not so far it wasn't stable. Then I wrapped one layer of masking tape on the last inch at the end of the whistle. Then over the tape I slid on a copper connector for half inch pipe. The tape makes a snug fit for the connector. I have a Boss chromatic tuner and I adjusted the connector to get an accurate A by sliding it out slightly beyond the end of the whistle. (about an eighth inch) I needed to put a bit of tape over about a third of the first hole (the hole farthest from the mouthpiece) to flatten it into tune. All the other notes are on or very close except the G sharp (played with all holes open) Its a bit flat. Nice A whistle for 7 dollars and change!
Lisdoonvarna

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:19 pm

That is a great idea, I will have to try it.

lisdoonvarna · Post by **lisdoonvarna** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 5:26 am

I have a question on bringing the G sharp note up to pitch (the note on this whistle with all open holes). Would it work to change the size of the hole closest to the mouthpiece?
Lizdoonvarna

OBrien · Post by **OBrien** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:58 am

Yes, you could file it larger at the top (the side nearest the mouthpiece). But that will affect the cross-fingered G natural. Not a problem if you half-hole that note, though.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:37 pm

What Dave said I have often opened that hole on a LBW to get the intonation right.

lisdoonvarna · Post by **lisdoonvarna** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:03 pm

Avery-what does LBW mean?

By the way this morning I gradually filed the top two holes larger and now the the G sharp and the F sharp are right on pitch, but O'Brien was dead on. Now the G natural is way sharp with the cross fingering. GRRRRR. He is also right in that half holing will allow me to get that note, but I typically avoid using half holing except in a couple airs. My skill at it is not performance caliber at this point.

Now what do you recommend? How about slightly covering the top two holes with tape and splitting the difference?

Thanks so much for your input. This site and monkeying around with these whistles is a blast.
Pat

OBrien · Post by **OBrien** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:48 am

You could try other G natural fingerings, like OXXXOO or even OXXXXO.

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 11:00 am

Or, you could drill a thumbhole for the note.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:37 pm

Try this fingering OXXXOX. LBW stands for Little Black Whistle.

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:59 pm

I turned a D whistle into an Ebb whistle once. And another time I turned the same one into a C##.
You can tape two high D's together and tape over every other hole and make a low D, too.

jen f · Post by **jen f** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:06 pm

On a similar note (forgive me if this is hijacking the thread), I've been wondering if I can turn a Gen Bb into a B by taking off the mouthpiece and sawing a bit off the tube. Has anyone tried this? Would it be in tune?

tansy · Post by **tansy** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:10 pm

I've toyed with the Bb-A on the generation and I finally decided one day to order some of the same diameter tubing a bit longer and make a whole new tube. I think it would make a decent whistle. I really want a Sindt!
The A whistle has become very important to me in that i can play in A,D or Bm which ='s Am on the guitar with capo on 2nd fret, also I like playing in D and being able to play the C, B, A below D.
Sorry to ramble my thoughts

lisdoonvarna · Post by **lisdoonvarna** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 6:33 pm

O'Brien is right again. 0XXXXO for G natural is about the best I can do (about three lines sharp on my Boss chromatic tuner) without half-holing and doesn't sound too bad. Avery's 0XXXOX is a close second but a bit sharper.

With respect to jen f's question. I don't know. I wasn't afraid to mess with the B flat to A because I didn't have to cut up or do anything permanent to see if I could get close. I just slid the head back and slid the half inch copper connector on the other end. By that time I knew it would work so I didn't mind fine tuning it by filing a couple of the holes bigger. Cutting off the mouthpiece end is more risky though it's not a lot of money and could be fun. I wonder if one wouldn't want to cut a little bit off the end farthest from the mouthpiece too. There are some real experts on this site who will know. I hope they write in. You may have to file holes bigger to bring them up to pitch or tape over edges of some holes to flatten pitches. --OR --since a C whistle is only a half step higher maybe you could lower a Generation C whistle to a B. You wouldn't have to cut up the tube and risk a whistle. If you have to add a little onto the end farthest from the mouthpiece you could use a few wrappings of clear packing tape. I think the 1/2 inch pipe connector may be too big for a C whistle diameter although I don't have a Generation C to check.
Good luck and thanks to all the great advice from everyone!!
Pat

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:18 pm

I think it would be easier to do this with a C to a B instead of a Bb to a B it would mess with the intonation less. I happen to have a Sindt C right here and a ruler the bore is about 3/8ths of an inch.

Chiffed · Post by **Chiffed** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 11:54 pm

tansy wrote:I've toyed with the Bb-A on the generation and I finally decided one day to order some of the same diameter tubing a bit longer and make a whole new tube. I think it would make a decent whistle. I really want a Sindt!

Sweetone or Meg head fits a 1/2 ID copper pipe, but has no guts in the low range. A thin-walled brass or SS pipe on a Gen Bb head makes a great A.

Thin-wall SS pipe is available online or anywhere they do plumbing for transport trucks or fire-trucks.