I'd try moving the fipple first, it isn't as permanent a modification as cutting. I have an old Generation Bb whistle that I have loosened the fipple for playing in B.lesl wrote:Thanks BillH, I want to try that (if I can figure out how to cut it)!
whistle for playing along with flat sets in B?
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Joseph E. Smith
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billh
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loosening the fipple alone probably isn't going to do the trick for going up a half-step - though it's worth a try of course. Joseph, are you sure you didn't try this with a C whistle instead of Bflat? I tried it with a C as well - didn't work for me, but of course different people blow whistles differently.
I expected to have to tape the heck out of the toneholes when I tried this the first time, but amazingly, once I cut top and bottom, everything seemed to be in tune, maybe better than it had been in B-flat!
A cheap tubing cutter will work, you should be able to find them at the hardware store. Of course a hacksaw will work too, but then you'll spend a fair bit of time cleaning up the result with a file, so I recommend the tubing cutter.
Have fun!
Bill
I expected to have to tape the heck out of the toneholes when I tried this the first time, but amazingly, once I cut top and bottom, everything seemed to be in tune, maybe better than it had been in B-flat!
A cheap tubing cutter will work, you should be able to find them at the hardware store. Of course a hacksaw will work too, but then you'll spend a fair bit of time cleaning up the result with a file, so I recommend the tubing cutter.
Have fun!
Bill
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Edward
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Hi Bill, thanks for providing the numbers. I turned a Waltons D into an Eb using a similar method. On my Gen Bb, I use a piper's grip, and the place where my pinkie rests has worn away the finish. Rather than trim the bell end, maybe I could put a new finger hole slightly below the worn spot. Then, I could play a low A#.
From a theoretical standpoint, it seems like using a C whistle, pulling out the mouthpiece, and taking a file to the top-hand notes should work better because the result would be (relatively) sharper at the top of the second octave, where it's usually flat. My Waltons Eb sounds sweet in the second octave, though. I don't know what's going on. I'd like to try and turn a Gen Bb into an A, by pulling out the mouthpiece and putting a little sticky tack in the bell end.
Ed
From a theoretical standpoint, it seems like using a C whistle, pulling out the mouthpiece, and taking a file to the top-hand notes should work better because the result would be (relatively) sharper at the top of the second octave, where it's usually flat. My Waltons Eb sounds sweet in the second octave, though. I don't know what's going on. I'd like to try and turn a Gen Bb into an A, by pulling out the mouthpiece and putting a little sticky tack in the bell end.
Ed
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wolvy
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I broke out my fret saw last night and hacked away on my old Bb whistle. Bill's directions worked perfectly. It now plays great in the key of B.
And the finishing touch was to take a small knife and scrape away the black "b" letter on the decal, so it now reads "Generation B"
Thanks Bill for the tip.
And the finishing touch was to take a small knife and scrape away the black "b" letter on the decal, so it now reads "Generation B"
Thanks Bill for the tip.
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lesl
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A belated thank you on this one. I'd actually given my Bb to my father in law to work on, but he didn't get to it, watch repairs being ahead of me - I took it back home, and not being that handy myself, stopped in the local hardware shop. In 2 minutes the owner produced a tiny metal cutter which scored and snapped the ends of the tube on my cutting marks. Another perfect B whistle. Thanks!!
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Steve Pribyl
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Kieran O'Hare
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I have an absolutely lovely B whistle from John Sindt (sindtwhistle@aol.com), as well as a brilliant whistle in C#; I highly recommend him for his craftsmanship, and for his whistles' beautiful clear tone, and impeccable intonation. Both whistles are gorgeous with sets of pipes I have in corresponding keys...
All the best,
Kieran O'Hare
All the best,
Kieran O'Hare
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tommykleen
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Interesting. When seeing Mick and Caoimhin play live they go from pipes to whistle without retuning (Caomhin that is). Yet they looked to be playing generation Bflat whisltes whereas Mick's pipes are in B, right? Perhaps they had their whistles doctored.AlanB wrote:billh wrote: Total length of the doctored Generation (metal part, without fipple):
316 mm
Distance from the top end of the whistle to the top hole:
132 mm
Bill
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