are clares more reliable than generations?

[ducks]

got the no-longer-quite-so-small boy a penny whistle, because he wants one and "it looks quite easy" Just went to the local music shop rather than hobgoblins in tow, because I only wanted a cheap whistle - he doesn't need anything expensive and when you have adhd these enthusiasms can wear off quite quickly! but the local music shop doesn't let you try whistles, for "hygienic reasons", and anyway they only had one D left. But it's not in tune, and he can tell and frankly it sets my teeth a bit on edge. I'm still unwilling to buy him something expensive, or even other than cheap. I've heard nice things about the Clares - are they more reliable than the generations?

now... alto a, g or f for me?

and - thank you for your time

[Feadoggie]

I think the Generation reliability issue is a bit overblown, no pun intended. Most of mine were quite playable from the start.

The Clarkes are fairly uniform in my experience, at least the Original and the Sweetone. The Clarke Original takes a lot of air but can be easily tweaked to reduce the air demands. The original has to be blown into tune but it is an endearing whistle once you get the hang of it. The Sweetone is a decent whistle for a young one as the air demands are low, the holes are small and the spacing as easy as it gets. And the Sweetone is inexpensive. The Sweetone is one whistle that I routinely give to youngsters. The Clarke Meg is a Sweetone made in Asia for an even lower price tag. I just haven't bought one yet but it could be decent.

Feadoggie

[Nanohedron]

You know, the only thing that really bugs me about Clarkes is that seam. Maybe I make more of it than I need to, but it digs into my thumbs, distracts me, and makes playing them unenjoyable. Strictly a hands issue, nothing more. OTOH, YMMV.

I always wonder why no one ever thought (well, decided, anyway) to put the seam to the side...

[ducks]

aargh, sorry, typo idiocy on my part. Clare, not Clarkes. I hadn't really heard anything much about generations, except I knew they were pretty ubiquitous, but when I got Jacob his nd found it out of tune I googled them Or fippled them, more specifically. I don't mind if it's a bit off-key - he's not going to be playing it in a session - but the out of tune-ness isn't nice.

and then there's feadog and walton. but I quite liked the look of the Clare, though perhaps the holes are a bit big. gah.

[Feadoggie]

aargh, sorry, typo idiocy on my part. Clare, not Clarkes.

Geez, I feel so stupid! Clares, huh? I have not had good experience with Clares but the couple I have bought came from touristy shops and may have hung on pegs for a while and weren't in their best shape when I got to them. Waltons can be hit-or-miss, IME, but others may have had better luck. I like the Mellow D. I like older Feadogs a whole bunch. The new ones are ok. Of the Waltons, Clare or Feadogs I'd go for a Mellow D first and a Feadog second. Just my opinions. In the end you'll need to buy one of each for yourself and form your own opinions.

Feadoggie

[Kypfer]

The Clarke Meg is a Sweetone made in Asia

... I've got both, I think they are noticeably different when playing them, but not dramatically so, and probably unnoticeable to a listener unfamiliar with Clarkes in general.

why no one ever thought (well, decided, anyway) to put the seam to the side...

... someone did ... the Clarke "clone" that comes with the Ian Kearey book has an offset seam that is soldered a lot more flush than the Clarke instrument ... it looks very similar to a Meg, but it's not an exact copy.

The seam doesn't cause me a problem ... possibly because I'm not a good enough player to realise that it is causing me a problem - Clarkes have been making whistles like that for a long time, there's got to be something in it, or is it pure nostalgia?

As with Feadoggie, my recently bought Generations were all quite playable straight from the shop ... but as with the Clarke, maybe I don't know any better

Extra edit after crossposting :- my Clare two-piece suffered a split mouthpiece soon after purchase. I hadn't even needed (or tried) to move it, it just split. David Le Bas (the manufacturer) replaced the mouthpiece no questions asked, but the replacement did need a bit of sanding to get it to slide onto the tube. Pending other reports I'm putting it down to bad luck, the whistle plays nicely, I have the feeling the upper register is a little easier to reach than on my D Generation, but again, I'm possibly not experienced enough

[mickey66]

got the no-longer-quite-so-small boy a penny whistle, because he wants one and "it looks quite easy" Just went to the local music shop rather than hobgoblins in tow, because I only wanted a cheap whistle - he doesn't need anything expensive and when you have adhd these enthusiasms can wear off quite quickly! but the local music shop doesn't let you try whistles, for "hygienic reasons", and anyway they only had one D left. But it's not in tune, and he can tell and frankly it sets my teeth a bit on edge. I'm still unwilling to buy him something expensive, or even other than cheap. I've heard nice things about the Clares - are they more reliable than the generations?

now... alto a, g or f for me?

and - thank you for your time

, I sell both Clare whistles and the Jerry Freeman tweaked Generation whistles and the Clare(stock) whistle is a very good whistle that is an easy player and to my ear sounds better than MOST stock Generation whistles..... they play better too!....JMHO Now, the Freeman tweaked Generation whistles are a different story they play great and sound great....all of them! I did have one stock red top "D" Gen that had a very good sound but was a nightmare to play as well as the Bb whistle.


http://www.tuxedomusic.com

[mickey66]

I forgot one thing... you can tune the Clare whistle and you can tune the Freeman tweaked Generation whistles. I have sound clips of the the Clare Brass "D" Green Top whistle on my website if you would like to hear what these whistles sound like..... Good Luck To You! PS: You said which is "reliable" if you are talking about what if the dog chews on it...well, I would say they are both the same If, you are talking about which brand stock is more reliable.... I would buy the Clare whistle.



http://www.tuxedomusic.com

[Mr.Gumby]

Generation type whistles (Clare, Feadógs, Oak etc) are all tunable. Their heads are put on randomly and need to be adjusted to be fully in tune. That should solve your problem.

Tonally I feel the Clares are rougher than the others I mentioned.

[Hotblack]

Generation type whistles (Clare, Feadógs, Oak etc) are all tunable. Their heads are put on randomly and need to be adjusted to be fully in tune. That should solve your problem.

Tonally I feel the Clares are rougher than the others I mentioned.

Indeed. Dunk the head in a cup of hot water to melt the glue. Don't overdo it and warp the fipple. A good twist and the head should come off. Clean out the glue and replace. Hey presto, one tuneable whistle.

[GordonH]

For kids learning the Clarke Sweetone or MEG (the cheaper version of the Sweetone) work well. The holes are smaller and easier to cover. The conical body also makes it slightly easier to grip. The sound is not too shrill for the parents. I haven't had a Generation D for a long time, but I do have a Clare and it has a very nice tone. Easy to blow too and therefore not a bad choice for a child.

[hoopy mike]

Generation type whistles (Clare, Feadógs, Oak etc) are all tunable. Their heads are put on randomly and need to be adjusted to be fully in tune. That should solve your problem.

I suspect that the original poster was concerned with intonation rather than absolute pitch as she said she was able to hear the out-of-tuneness (I'm assuming that she hasn't got perfect pitch and that the whistle is being played without accompanyment). Hence, adjusting the head is unlikely to solve the problem.

There have been a lot of posts about apparent poor intonation on some cheap whistles, but seeing as they are mass produced, the hole spacing and size is unlikely to be the cause. I think it may be down to the fipple (Jerry seems to be able to tweak 99% of cheapies without messing with the holes) but I also think that each whistle takes a bit of getting used to.

I'd recommend a Sweetone as a forgiving first whistle.

[Mr.Gumby]

Moving the head affects the intonation of the scale, moving it far in or out will throw some notes off and some whistles will reach the shops with the heads placed that far out of the area where it will produce a clean scale.

Remember the Sweetone C I sent you, Mike? It's scale was desperately out of tune. In that case you were happy enough making the point that moving the head improved the scale (although I think that one was beyond redemption).

[hoopy mike]

Moving the head affects the intonation of the scale, moving it far in or out will throw some notes off and some whistles will reach the shops with the heads placed that far out of the area where it will produce a clean scale.

Hmm, ok. I'm not sure that the intonation will vary that much on mass produced cheapies due to heads being glued in different places, but I haven't done an extensive survey of overall whistle length on a batch of Gens or anything. Perhaps Jerry could comment if head location varies greatly.

Remember the Sweetone C I sent you, Mike?

I do. It's a lovely whistle

It's scale was desperately out of tune. In that case you were happy enough making the point that moving the head improved the scale (although I think that one was beyond redemption).

I can't remember moving the head. Maybe I did, but my memory is rubbish in general! "Desperately out of tune" is a subjective opinion. Yes, the software analysis showed that notes weren't spot on, but I guess it depends how much one can live with / blow in tune and that will vary from ear to ear and mouth to mouth. I thought your thesis was that all Sweetones were rubbish, but if that's not the case then blame my memory!

[Mr.Gumby]

"Desperately out of tune" is a subjective opinion.

Not in that case.

And yes I think all Sweetones are vile.

. I'm not sure that the intonation will vary that much on mass produced cheapies due to heads being glued in different places

I think it is generally accepted, and I think you can agree with that, that in the case of Generation whistles the heads are not usually in the optimum spot and need correction.