Nickle or Brass?
- jonharl
- Posts: 379
- Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: San Jose,CA
Nickle or Brass?
Kind of like Pepsi or Coke I imagine. What do you prefer your Generations to be made from, nickle or brass. I know L.E. McCullough's old Generation was nickle. (At least that's what he plays on his video) Besides your own preference. do you know the preference of professsional whistles players if they play generations.
- Jerry Freeman
- Posts: 6074
- Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
- Location: Now playing in Northeastern Connecticut
- Contact:
I definitely prefer brass.
The nickel feels slippery to me and I have to think about holding onto the whistle. It takes all twelve of my brain cells working at the same time just to play the thing, so that's a distraction I can do without.
I do think there's a little more of an edge to the sound of nickel (some say "brighter"), and I prefer the sound of brass, but neither is "better." It's really just a matter of taste. The difference may be subtle -- people often say there's no difference.
Best wishes,
Jerry
The nickel feels slippery to me and I have to think about holding onto the whistle. It takes all twelve of my brain cells working at the same time just to play the thing, so that's a distraction I can do without.
I do think there's a little more of an edge to the sound of nickel (some say "brighter"), and I prefer the sound of brass, but neither is "better." It's really just a matter of taste. The difference may be subtle -- people often say there's no difference.
Best wishes,
Jerry
- TonyHiggins
- Posts: 2996
- Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2001 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: SF East Bay, CA
- Contact:
There's definitely a difference to the sound. Take one head off and switch it from brass to nickel tubes. The nickel is a little "brighter" or sharper sounding. I prefer the brass sound. Seems a bit sweeter. And, yes, it's easier to hold onto.
Tony
Tony
http://tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/newspage.htm Officially, the government uses the term “flap,” describing it as “a condition, a situation or a state of being, of a group of persons, characterized by an advanced degree of confusion that has not quite reached panic proportions.”
- chas
- Posts: 7707
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
- Location: East Coast US
How'bout wood or aluminum?
Sort of analogous to what Tony said, it's hard to tell the difference because the heads vary quite a bit. I (meaning my toddler) broke the head of an Oak, and hated my Feadog, so I put the Oak shaft on it. It sounds a LOT better than the Feadog shaft -- clearer, fewer overtones, less breathy. It doesn't exactly jump out at you, but it's there if you look for it.
For naturally purer sounding whistles, I usually vote for brass.
Sort of analogous to what Tony said, it's hard to tell the difference because the heads vary quite a bit. I (meaning my toddler) broke the head of an Oak, and hated my Feadog, so I put the Oak shaft on it. It sounds a LOT better than the Feadog shaft -- clearer, fewer overtones, less breathy. It doesn't exactly jump out at you, but it's there if you look for it.
For naturally purer sounding whistles, I usually vote for brass.
Charlie
Whorfin Woods
"Our work puts heavy metal where it belongs -- as a music genre and not a pollutant in drinking water." -- Prof Ali Miserez.
Whorfin Woods
"Our work puts heavy metal where it belongs -- as a music genre and not a pollutant in drinking water." -- Prof Ali Miserez.
- Ridseard
- Posts: 1095
- Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Contact:
I like brass Gens better than nickel. Nicer tone and less slippery (for me). I gave away my nickel. Now I have three brass, one of which is so outstanding in tone and playability that I'm almost afraid to take it out of the house. (I keep a Burke WBB in the car, not because I hold it in lower esteem than the Gen, but because it is sturdier and less likely to get damaged, and, unlike a good Gen, it can be replaced if it is lost or stolen.)
- cowtime
- Posts: 5280
- Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2001 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Appalachian Mts.
I like both nickel and brass. Just depends on my mood and/or what I want a particular tune to sound like. I agree that the brass is a softer, sweeter sound, the nickel is a purer sound to me. I also agree that the nickel feels slippery but have never had trouble holding on to one.
"Let low-country intruder approach a cove
And eyes as gray as icicle fangs measure stranger
For size, honesty, and intent."
John Foster West
And eyes as gray as icicle fangs measure stranger
For size, honesty, and intent."
John Foster West
- Daniel_Bingamon
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2001 6:00 pm
- antispam: No
- Location: Kings Mills, OH
- Contact:
You could have the Nickel whistles made with a wire brushed finish instead of polished. It would stay well in the hands and less discoloration than the brass.
BTW - Nickel-Silver is great sounding material for whistles, only problem is finding tubing in desirable sizes. Usually it has to be special ordered.
BTW - Nickel-Silver is great sounding material for whistles, only problem is finding tubing in desirable sizes. Usually it has to be special ordered.
-
- Posts: 179
- Joined: Tue May 21, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Princeton, NJ
-
- Posts: 290
- Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2002 6:00 pm
- Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
- Location: Novato (not Nevada) Ca