questions about wooden whistles

[tomcat]

Do wooden whistles get better with age? Or do wooden whistle players just play better as they learn more about their whistles?

Do all wooden whistles have a sense of touch which differs from metal whistles or was it just the wonderful busman i was playing? The tactile sensation was different - the wood felt alive in my hands. Is wood the only product which produces this sensation?

[JessieK]

I do think wood is the only material that produces that sensation, and yes, wooden woodwind instruments that are not covered in laquer do improve with playing.

[lixnaw]

michael burke's composite whistles feel very much alive to me aswell!
they only contain wood fiber but i love the sound above all others.

[Byll]

I agree with Jessie. I own only one wooden whistle. It is a Busman. There is a totally different feel to the instrument - not just in a tactile sense, but in the 'way' it plays. It seems alive.

I will admit to not using it as much as I should. I must somehow find a way to get over the irrational fear of somehow 'hurting' the instrument by using it in situations that are not 'humidity-friendly' to wood.

Best to all.
Byll

[burnsbyrne]

I wonder if you all would feel the same way if you were blindfolded and didn't know whether you were playing a metal or wood whistle
Mike

[Wombat]

A good wooden whistle does seem to have a special quality I find hard to describe. Any term I come up with for it just seems corny like fluid, or organic or singing, but I know it when I'm playing and only rarely have that feeling playing a metal whistle. OTOH, a good low whistle like an Overton or Copeland has a special quality that I only rarely hear in wooden whistles, notably Grinter, although I'd have to admit that my knowledge of wooden lows is very limited.

I have no idea whether the listener would be aware of the difference I hear when I'm actually playing wood.

[lixnaw]

I wonder if you all would feel the same way if you were blindfolded and didn't know whether you were playing a metal or wood whistle
Mike

i guess we would mike. every material has his own vibes. the more you play a whistle, the more energy you're putting in that whistle, the more energy it contains.

[JessieK]

I wonder if you all would feel the same way if you were blindfolded and didn't know whether you were playing a metal or wood whistle
Mike

I sure would.

[chas]

I think wooden whistles change with age. Whether a particular whistle improves with age depends on whether its evolving characteristics are more or less to your taste than its original characteristics. Now, a whistle doesn't seem to change as much as, say, a harp, which is an extreme case due to the incredible tension and shear stresses on the soundboard.

I agree, and might go even further than the previous responders. Wooden whistles are simply different from other whistles. They have their own feel, sound, playing characteristics, and even smell. Outside of the car, I don't play metal whistles much anymore, except for Harpers and Burkes.

[Rick Davidson]

I just bought a Busman Dogwood whistle after playing metal whistles for close to 20 years, and wooden fifes for close to 40.

My first impression was that it was simply incredible. The difference was dramatic. The tone was mellow, smooth, clear, and soothing. It played easily from top to bottom, and was easier to play at any tempo. I plan on posting more on my thoughts after I get a chance to really get use to it, but only expect to like it more after getting to know it.

I also play fiddle, banjo, guitar, and bass, and I can say from playing those that in general the older a wooden instrument is, the better it sounds. I would also add that in general the more a wooden instrument is played the better it sounds. I believe that the vibrations somehow tend to help the wood cure for sound.

[elendil]

Outside of the car, I don't play metal whistles much anymore

It's a funny thing, but I do definitely feel that way about my D whistles--don't have much use for metal. OTOH, I'm very satisfied with my Hoover Aluminum C and Bb whistles. I've played a few wood C whistles, and still like the Hoover. Never had a chance with a wood Bb.

[skh]

I wonder if you all would feel the same way if you were blindfolded and didn't know whether you were playing a metal or wood whistle

I'm not sure I would hear it, but wood feels very different from metal and (unless cruelly laquered) plastic. And it smells different

Sonja

[Zubivka]

Wood has some special qualities, beside the tactile feel.
For high whistles, I'm not unconditional, but pretty close. True, this may have also to do with outside diameter and mouthpiece shape, i.e. comfort.

It's hard to see it with Low D, for they're so scarce in wood nly the (fortunate...) few of us had chances to compare. What--Grinter, Yvon Le Coant, Swayne, Bleazey, then... ?
All I know is it's hard to come back when you try it.

Of course it may be a great deal in the head, and Reyburns seem to be an interesting combination, from what I can judge having played only one. I also remember my "Grinterstein", fitting a Kerry Pro Low Eb tube (aluminium) to the Grinter D cocobolo top, and this worked.

It is strange that few makers use the multi-material approach. It's all full aluminium, full wood, etc.

[GaryKelly]

Do wooden whistles get better with age? Or do wooden whistle players just play better as they learn more about their whistles?

Wood being an organic material I believe that a combination of both of the above is true.

I recall reading a fascinating article in New Scientist many years ago, regarding a Stradivarius violin. Detailed microscopic examination of the 'soundboard' of the instrument revealed that over a period of time, cellulose cells within the wood had quite literally 'exploded' in response to vibrations from the strings (resonance). The end result was that, over a prolonged period, the entire violin developed a warmth, tonal qualities and resonance over the playing range much different (and much more pleasing to the ear) to that which had been present when the instrument was first made (cellular structure 'virgin' - cells intact).

Apparently it wasn't just the 'soundboard' either, the body and the neck of the instrument had acquired this beneficial sound-induced cell-destruction resonance.

The article was trying to explain scientifically why today's virtuoso players preferred to acquire 'original' instruments at vast expense as a preference to playing modern instruments... the 'old' ones simply 'sounded' better because they'd been 'played in' over the centuries.

Who knows how much your Busman and other wooden whistles will be worth to the virtuoso player in 300 years from now? Look after 'em!

[chas]

I recall reading a fascinating article in New Scientist many years ago, regarding a Stradivarius violin. Detailed microscopic examination of the 'soundboard' of the instrument revealed that over a period of time, cellulose cells within the wood had quite literally 'exploded' in response to vibrations from the strings (resonance). The end result was that, over a prolonged period, the entire violin developed a warmth, tonal qualities and resonance over the playing range much different (and much more pleasing to the ear) to that which had been present when the instrument was first made (cellular structure 'virgin' - cells intact).

I remember reading about a guy, I think in Philadelphia in the '70's or early '80's, who had developed a method to accelerate this process. He'd gotten hold of a bunch of inexpensive modern Strad copies, applied this process to them, and sold them as Strad originals. They were wonderful fiddles, but he was eventually caught and imprisoned for fraud. It's a shame; if he'd sold them as copies, he could've gotten away with it, still made a pretty penny, and probably become a pretty well-respected supplier.