What is it about whistles in C?

AbrasiveScotsman · Post by **AbrasiveScotsman** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:41 am

My first whistle in C had a Bb so flat it was an A, even after I tuned it. It was a Clarkes Meg. I tended to avoid playing it in its second key for this reason, and it was very annoying.

Yesterday I bought a Generations C whistle to replace it, and it has an extremely screechy second octave above F regardless of what I do. The high F in particular has a lot of screechy resonation.

I'm starting to wonder if C is a finicky key that it is hard to make a whistle perform well in.

Or have I just been unlucky?

Feadoggie · Post by **Feadoggie** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:32 am

AbrasiveScotsman wrote:I'm starting to wonder if C is a finicky key that it is hard to make a whistle perform well in.

Or have I just been unlucky?

Unlucky.

Lars Larry Mór Mott · Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:36 pm

Second that. In fact, my best/most cherished whistles are C ( two vintage Gens and a Ian Turnbull one)

Post by **benhall.1** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:44 pm

Yeah. Old C Gens were magic. I've got a cracker. I've tried ones not so long ago in a shop, though, and they were fine.

Check the windway for bits of extraneous plastic would be my suggestion. Does happen.

AbrasiveScotsman · Post by **AbrasiveScotsman** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 4:19 pm

I put the whistle in a cup of hot water tonight and prised the head off (partially cracking it in the process

) Generations heads are really hard to get off!

I was able to tune it better, but the second octave still doesn't sound right. I cleaned the windway out with a pipecleaner (being careful not to damage the fipple ramp) removing some rough plastic in the process, but to no avail.

The second octave plays like the whistle is full of spit (when it isn't). It is has a grating raspy resonance, inconsistent tone and a massive "screech zone" between the two octaves. This is worst when playing an F for some reason.

Between this and the crack I put in it I guess this one is just a dud. I've heard about them popping up from time to time, but never actually seen one. Even the lousy C I bought this to replace is playable in one key, but I suppose it is the bin for this one.

Oh well, at least it was cheap.

maki · Post by **maki** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:45 pm

Have you tried the Freeman Tweaked whistles?
My Mellow Dog C is a honey.

killthemessenger · Post by **killthemessenger** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:26 pm

AbrasiveScotsman wrote:The second octave plays like the whistle is full of spit (when it isn't). It is has a grating raspy resonance, inconsistent tone and a massive "screech zone" between the two octaves. This is worst when playing an F for some reason.

Isn't that the prized traditional whistle tone you're describing? Count your blessings. I've been trying to get my handmade wooden whistles to sound like that to no avail. Oh well.

DrPhill · Post by **DrPhill** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:50 am

AbrasiveScotsman wrote:I put the whistle in a cup of hot water tonight and prised the head off (partially cracking it in the process ) Generations heads are really hard to get off!

I was able to tune it better, but the second octave still doesn't sound right. I cleaned the windway out with a pipecleaner (being careful not to damage the fipple ramp) removing some rough plastic in the process, but to no avail.

The second octave plays like the whistle is full of spit (when it isn't). It is has a grating raspy resonance, inconsistent tone and a massive "screech zone" between the two octaves. This is worst when playing an F for some reason.

Between this and the crack I put in it I guess this one is just a dud. I've heard about them popping up from time to time, but never actually seen one. Even the lousy C I bought this to replace is playable in one key, but I suppose it is the bin for this one.

Oh well, at least it was cheap.

Had you thought of sending it to one of the board members? There is a perennial debate about 'dud' cheap whistles with some of our notables expressing scepticism. Maybe one of those would like to try it? Or maybe an independent voice that we all can all trust?

Just a thought......

maki · Post by **maki** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:23 am

Thats a pretty good idea, Dr. Phill.
He could also take it to a local session too.

brianholton · Post by **brianholton** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:30 am

If you're anywhere near Whitley Bay, I'd be happy to take a look at it (and let you see some great c whistles too, including a 40-year-old Generation c.)

b

AbrasiveScotsman · Post by **AbrasiveScotsman** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:52 am

Alas, I'm away up in NE Scotland, but thank you. Still, I'm not going to get too bent out of shape over a £5.50 whistle being a bit off.

The lower octave sounds quite nice, and with totally perfect breath control I can just about stop the upper octave from screeching. It's very unforgiving though.

Maybe I'll toss it in the whistle drawer for a while and ruminate over what I'm going to do with it. Like my "dud" Clarkes the Bb on this Generations requires a non-standard fingering which is a tad annoying. My brain can't accommodate alternate fingerings!

Maybe the cheapies just aren't for me. Truthfully I rarely play my Generations, Megs and Feadogs. Even when tuned I find the tone a bit shrill. My favourites are my Clarkes Trad in D and my Tony Dixon in low D.

Maybe I should try a Dixon tuneable C at some point......

kokopelli · Post by **kokopelli** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 11:51 am

AbrasiveScotsman wrote:I put the whistle in a cup of hot water tonight and prised the head off (partially cracking it in the process ) Generations heads are really hard to get off!

I have a Freeman tweaked Generation in C and on his ebay listings he mentions that the C heads fit tighter than the others. He takes the heads off every whistle he tweaks but the C's always crack in the process so he wraps them with some string and some sort of epoxy afterward to keep the crack from propagating.
Anyway, the point is it's not all Gen's, just the ones in C.

AbrasiveScotsman · Post by **AbrasiveScotsman** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:58 am

If anyone skilled with tweaking wants this whistle (who is resident in the UK) I'll gladly bung it in a jiffy bag and mail it off 2nd class. I'll even throw in my 2 Megs (D & C) that are a bit "off" if you want. I never play them as they need an alternate fingering for C-natural/B-flat respectively - it annoys the heck out of me.

The C Generations will require the crack I made being stabilised somehow.

Perhaps someone with the right skills can turn them into good instruments.

At some point I think I'll get one of those Jerry Freeman tweaked Feadogs. It seems it is too much of a gamble buying cheapies straight from the shop with the quality control being as variable as it seems to be. Some I've bought have been great. Others not so much.

maki · Post by **maki** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 2:10 pm

Last I asked Jerry was no longer tweaking Feadogs.
But BigWhistle carries a Cillian O'Brien Feadog that many have praised.

Happy Whistler · Post by **Happy Whistler** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:06 pm

My better half gave me a Jerry Freeman tweaked gen C for Xmas, could not be happier with it.
Tweaking makes one heck of a big difference.

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