Yucky Whistle!

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 8:15 pm

Somebody brought me one of those Clarkes with the tacky gold diamonds and wooden fipple! Sheesh, sounded nasty, chiff-y, took a lot of wind. I did not like the tone of it al all. We're taking it back. Turned out poor guy got hustled by a salesman who jsut sold him an overprices whistle. We're going to get one of htose four dollar kid's jobbies and a Feadog! Whoo hoo! Can hardly wait for my Tully! BTW, Eric is a charmer!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 9:30 pm

Best deal I found in the USA is kids plastic whistle - one dollar!

Spoo · Post by **Spoo** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 12:53 am

Hah, different opinion here. I haven't played my Feadog (first whistle, bought from Ireland long time ago) since I bought Clarke. Feadog was so horribly out of tune it drove the guys I play with insane.. Easier to play though.

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 4:56 am

On 2001-07-24 02:53, Spoo wrote:
Hah, different opinion here. I haven't played my Feadog (first whistle, bought from Ireland long time ago) since I bought Clarke. Feadog was so horribly out of tune it drove the guys I play with insane.. Easier to play though.

Spoo, I adore difference of opinions! I'm glad that there are some very inexpensive whistles out there and buying one isn't like the chance you take when you buy a new car from Detroit that was manufactured on a Monday! You never know if you're going to get a lemon or a gem. I know that my taste has a lot to do with what whistle I like and don't like, and what quality of sound I want. I can hardly wait for my Tully! I loved the sound clips on that one, and knew it ws the whistle for me. Had no idea what I wanted when I got my Generation as a gift, but after I finally got my courage up and actually BLEW through the thing and heard what whistles could potentially sound like in a great players hand...

BobJenks · Post by **BobJenks** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 7:17 am

Anna,

Unfortunately, I know what you mean about those Clarke originals! I tried one in a store here locally, and it sounded pretty good, so I bought one. YUCK! I can barely get one fuzzy, inaudible, hestitant octave out of it. Talk about inconsistant manufacturing! Good thing their Sweetones are so cosistantly good (I've got four of them)!

-Bob

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 7:29 am

This is interesting...I have two Clarke originals (C and D) and I love them both. In fact, until I aquired a Hoover D, the Clarke was my favorite high D. I haven't played on many other Clarkes (I got mine from a catalog), so it's possible they have the same sort of quality control problems as generations. ???

Oh, and those gold diamonds have long-since worn off. If you find them offensive, a bit of wet-dry sand paper should do the trick. (:

Tom

TnWhistler · Post by **TnWhistler** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 9:00 am

In my opinion.......

(everyone takes a breath)

I have several, but I like my Clark for airs because of it's tone. I had another tin whistle that was similar design and it was as you described. My problem with the Clark is the fact it's flat, and I can't tune it. Be sure to saok the fipple and let the plug moisten a bit before playing. Warm it up a bit.

Tim

FairEmma · Post by **FairEmma** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 11:23 am

I'm with Anna. My Clarke Original is a terrible disappointment. About the only thing good I can say of it is this: on a stifling, hot day, all the air gushing out of the window and fingerholes acts like a fan.

FE

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 11:55 am

...and I can always take the fipple off the Feadog and put it on my Generation that
tweeking messed up! LOL! Expect somebody who really knows to tell me I'm nuts, but the worst that can happen is I've got two cheap whistles down, and hevaenly whistle coming soon! I'm so excited!

[ This Message was edited by: Anna Martinez on 2001-07-24 13:58 ]

tuaz · Post by **tuaz** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 12:03 pm

I love my Clarke original. The tone's nice and furry, I find it very easy to play, even for quick and ornamented passages, and it reaches to 3rd octave F# without too much trouble. Only problem is it's not very loud.

StevePower · Post by **StevePower** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 5:02 pm

I have a black and silver Clarke with the wooden fipple. It looks fabulous! And I'm tone deaf so I don't really care what it sounds like.

Steve

[ This Message was edited by: StevePower on 2001-07-24 19:03 ]

AnnaDMartinez · Post by **AnnaDMartinez** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 5:18 pm

On 2001-07-24 09:29, WyoBadger wrote:
This is interesting...I have two Clarke originals (C and D) and I love them both. In fact, until I aquired a Hoover D, the Clarke was my favorite high D. I haven't played on many other Clarkes (I got mine from a catalog), so it's possible they have the same sort of quality control problems as generations. ???

Oh, and those gold diamonds have long-since worn off. If you find them offensive, a bit of wet-dry sand paper should do the trick. (:

Tom

Saw a little bit off the bottom and make it sharper. LOL!

[ This Message was edited by: Anna Martinez on 2001-07-24 19:21 ]

NicksterNM · Post by **NicksterNM** » Fri Jul 27, 2001 1:06 pm

I cant complain about my Clarkes, I started w/a D and the sound is sweet, but thin (sounds like a girl I dated in college) and even thinner in the upper octave. I also bought a Clarke C and the sound is better but it is also just not loud enough. But I learned quite a bit on these whistles and at $8 a pop I feel I got much more than my money's worth. I now play my Susasto D ($15)
Low F ($45)And Low D ($48) I cant remember any toys I have bought that have given me much better Fun/$ ratio, Except My Canoes. And the golf clubs? They cause naught but misery!
Nick

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Wed Aug 01, 2001 5:56 pm

Although I don't play them much anymore, I love my Clarke originals - my very first whistles, look great, and sound good. Never quite comfortable with that tin seam along the back though.

adriancarrington · Post by **adriancarrington** » Thu Aug 02, 2001 6:37 pm

Just a suggestion....I have owned 4 Clarke originals, and their wind requirement varies quite a bit. Whistle one died as I tried to adjust it (!!!), another two were given away to friends because the final one was PERFECT right out of the box.
Music just spills out of the thing, and the tone is incredible. I should point out that the ones reqiring more breath are the worst culprits for that "over - breathy" sound which many dislke. If you find one with less air requirement, the tone in the high registers is FAR more effective: punchy, yet very sweet.
I have Generation, Walton and Faedog brass whistles, and none of them are as well tuned, and all have awkward idiosyncracies, but I'm sure I'll find better examples over time...the Generation has great punch to it, and I REALLY want to find an exceptional one...
The moral of this tale applies to all cheap whistles...try a few to find the one best suited to you.
You may just find the bargain of the century out there....