Finally got a Generation D!

tuaz · Post by **tuaz** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 4:33 am

Previously, my Gen batting average was 2 good ones out of 4. All were blue tops and were not Ds, bought for me by friends visiting England/Ireland who had no knowledge of whistles. I never got me a D because I was already happy with my Clarke Original and Dixon.

My parents recently went to Ireland for a holiday (nope, they’re not into the music), and I requested that if it wasn’t too much trouble, that they pop into a music store and get me a Gen D brass. Since it doesn’t cost much, I was prepared to buy one without trying it first.

Well, it’s great! A bit scratchy on certain notes, and sometimes squawky if you push a note too hard while cutting it (post-standard tweaks), but it’s certainly easy to play, responsive, has nice tone, and ornaments work really well on it. I like its “blowing” resistance.

My father the recorder player actually commented that it was very easy to play. He had previously tried my other whistles and didn't like them (he tongues his notes like any recorder player does, and the whistles kept jumping octaves and squawking).

So now my Gen average is 3 good out of 5. Was I lucky with my latest D, or are red tops generally better in quality?

Tuning is slightly off on the F#, but it’s only noticeable on slow pieces. Had a great time last nite comparing it with my Dixons and Clarke. All sound different, but all are good in their own way. I’ll still play the Dixon in church as it’s more suitable for the type of music played, but I can see the attraction of the Gen D for the faster reels and jigs in Irish music.

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 4:48 am

I thought the choice between red or blue top was a matter of personal preference. I liked the blue tops because I think they look smarter!

Of late I have been tooting on a red top more than the blue. It seems top have a better 0XX 000 Cnat (I now realise I first got this fingering from Bill Ochs' book). The red tops seem to have some sort of varnish on the metal, which chips & peels in time, giving the whistle a slightly less smart appearance - but these days I like my whistles to look well played.

Unfortunately my local music shop haven't a clue when it comes to whistles, and rarely have much in stock.In addition, they stick the price labes on the barrel, so on a brass whistle, the varnish is usually damaged even before you buy the whistle.

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 5:46 am

Last week I bought five Gen D's from the Whistle Shop, based on StevieJ's comment that the quality is good enough that seven out of ten are good whistles. I figured out of five, I'd get at least three good ones. Of the five, one didn't need tweaking. While working on the other four, I ruined one of them, so now I have four good ones (including the one that was good off the shelf). After having listened to Micho a lot lately, my expectations of how a whistle should sound have altered dramatically. I have to say, I do love the way Gens sound now.

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 8:04 am

On 2002-07-22 06:33, tuaz wrote:

Was I lucky with my latest D, or are red tops generally better in quality?

According to Bloomfield, http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php ... 79&forum=1 Mary Bergin prefers the red topped Generations, too.

I find it easier to get a good brass Gen than a nickle Gen. People say my nickle Gens sound thinner than my brass ones so, I'm slowly switching them out for brass.

The Gen D's with the darker blue plastic tend to be better than the lighter shade of blue. Out of my 2 red and 3 blue Generations, both reds and one blue are good. The poor nickle Gens now sport Walton LBW heads.

Just my $0.02.

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 8:19 am

But your Feadog still rules, right Gary? (mine is still better than the Gens)

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: blackhawk on 2002-07-22 10:21 ]</font>

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 8:20 am

My brass Gen D also has a black LBW head on it. I tried to tweak the red Gen head but just made it worse. It's a nice whistle now with a good full tone. I also have nickle Gen C and Bb. I don't play them much but they seem to be not too bad.
Mike

Isilwen · Post by **Isilwen** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 10:07 am

I think one of these days I'll have to get a Gen. just because....

every time I've considered it, I've ended up with a Clarke, or most recently, my Doolin...

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 10:21 am

A while back I was asking about hybrid whistes, and Peter Laban suggested (and I tend to agree) that maybe 70% of the sound qualtity (tone & chiff, breathiness etc) of a whistle comes from the head, while 30% depends on the body. Having the actual notes in tune of course, comes all from the body, but sometimes the sound quality is more inportant than the note being 100% accurate.

So if you put a Feadog head on a Gen body, you've really got more Feadog than Gen.

Some hybrids I have in my collection include
GenR/Doolin,
FeadogIIIB/Oak, and
FeadogIIIG/Walton brass (not mellowD).

In all cases, I preferred the new sound to that which I was getting before, and stuck with it. (GenR = red head, FeadogIIIB = mark 3 black, FeadogIIIG = mark 3 green).

How about a poll of known Hybrids again, with head/body as the standard notation, to see what people like? Any volunteers to start a new thread? We can assume D whistles unless otherwise stated. And explanation of why the change has been made (accident, death of head, personal preference etc)

_________________
One small fries short of a Happy Meal...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Martin Milner on 2002-07-22 12:21 ]</font>

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 10:52 am

Why not start here? I have:

LBW/Oak
LBW/Gen Brass
GenR/LBW -- this is horrible! It roars like a waterfall on every note. I just did it to put the GenR head somewhere.

Mike

Ridseard · Post by **Ridseard** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 10:57 am

A couple of weeks ago I saw a uilleann piper pick up a redhead Gen and play it almost to perfection. Of course, being a piper, there's no telling what sort of bizarre tweaks he may have done to the whistle. (I have a seriously mutilated Acorn which plays well, but I just got lucky.)

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 12:25 pm

as far as generation d's are concerned,i have an 'old style' redtop- this is the one that has the raised 'seam' from the moulding process running down from the mouthpiece.I have done the usual bluetack tweak to it and it plays fine.My other 'd' is a 'folkwhistle' rather than a 'flageolet'(to use the manufacturers terms) though i think its pretty much identical to the newer style gen. brass, EXCEPT that it has a GREEN top which is why i bought it on sight last year(sad or what?!).I keep offputting purchasing a nickel 'd',so i always have a cheap WHOA 'fix' 'up my sleeve',if needed!(double sad or what?!!).

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 12:33 pm

I just got a brass Gen. D form Whistle Shop last week too. I just ordered one and got a good one. I like it a lot.

I did notice a difference in the fipple from my brass Gen. Bb (which I also like a lot). My knowledge of the anatomical nomenclature is a bit lacking so I hope this makes sense. The slanted part of the fipple that cuts the airflow is different on the two whistles. On the Bb it is just plain whereas on the D it has a rounded bit on it like you see on Oaks and Acorns only it is quite larger. Has anybody else noticed this?

Slainte!
Aaron

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 12:52 pm

I have Gens in every key. My B-flat and E-flat are both blue-tops, but the rest are red-tops. I have made no tweaks, unless you consider shaving the rough spots off the blade and cleaning the slivers out of the barrel. I have noticed that the longer whistles are more in tune, but are worse about growling if either your breath control or your fingering is a little off.

John-N · Post by **John-N** » Mon Jul 22, 2002 6:22 pm

Speaking of Generations, Dale, did you ever hear back from them for your interview or will that be later in the fall ?