Oak Fipple Question

CapnDistracto · Post by **CapnDistracto** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:26 am

Did a search and couldn't find any hard information on (some) of this.

I purchased an oak D from a local music store back over the summer and only recently attempted to remove the fipple to see about possibly purchasing a whitecap from Mr. Hoover.

My first question is in regard to a thin piece of plastic inserted into the windway by the manufacturer, right along the top of the windway. I can't quite figure out a way to remove this. As a "drooly" whistle, it traps condensation between itself and the fipple, making the whistle sound like it's choking when I attempt to play it. Is this common among Oaks?

Second question is in regards to getting the fipple off. Even with the warm water trick, the act of removing the fipple ended up being a trade off for a chunk of flesh from my left index finger. That thing was on TIGHT. Underneath, the top inch and a half or so of the whistle was all rough brass, no nickel plating, and the brass itself appeared to be almost threaded like a screw. Is this also the norm? After replacing the fipple I found that even though the glue seal was broken, it remains a mighty struggle even after attempting some cork grease on it.

I really like the sound of the Oak, but this doesn't seem to add up to the easy tuning mentioned on the package by sliding the fipple up, or the ease of putting another fipple on the body. Any info would be appreciated, and if a picture would be more helpful, I can try to take and upload it.

Thanks!

Matt

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:01 am

I cannot speak to the plastic piece, but I've always found the heads to be very hard to remove from the Oaks. My best method, which hasn't always worked, is wrap the tube and head in rubber bands spaced about half an inch apart, large ehough for my whole hand to grip, then use the hot water technique. The rubber bands usually give me enough grip to get it off (but not always. I have one now whose head I cannot remove at all).

When I had Mack make me a White cap for one, he said that there is a slight flring on the head end of the tube, which he has turned down for me when fitting it to a White Cap. I suspect that is the cause of the difficulties.

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:28 am

Is this piece of plastic in the windway transparent?

If so, it's probably part of the box, which has gotten stuck there. Oak whistles come in a clear plastic box that has tabs at both ends that fit inside the whistlehead and tube to hold the whistle straight in the box.

Best wishes,
Jerry

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:31 am

The plastic strip must be stuck. Usually, they are part of the packing of the whistle and you can easily pull them straight out.

You will definitely find the whistle improves if you can get the plastic strip out!!!

--James

P.S. Hiya, Jerry--we posted right about the same time. Great minds think alike, and all that.

lyrick · Post by **lyrick** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 4:15 pm

I've successfully removed 3 Oak fipples using the hot water trick, but it wasn't easy. I partially melted one Oak fipple because the water was too hot, and I still couldn't get it off (it was a friend's whistle, so no loss). Even after removing them they were still too tight to be considered easily tunable, but I took some very fine sandpaper and sanded down the inside of the fipple where it fits on the tube, and now it moves easy enough for tuning. Even with all this trouble they're still my favorite cheap whistle, sometimes it's all I play.

The tubes on all of mine are nickel-plated from end to end, I'm surprised that on yours the part that the fipple goes on isn't plated, maybe that's something new. If so, you could take some fine sandpaper or steel wool and sand the end of the tube down until the fipple fits on it (the nickel plating doesn't sand very easily, but the exposed brass does sand easily).

Jason Paul · Post by **Jason Paul** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 6:15 pm

I've taken the heads off of both my Oak whistles with no hot water and no problem - just pulled them off. They were both nickel plated from top to bottom.

I ordered a whitecap from Mack and it mostly fits tightly. It goes on tight, then there's about .25" or so where it's loose - no friction at all - then it gets tight again.

Luckily it's tight where it needs to be in order to be in tune.

BTW, when I read the title, I was thinking the thread was going to be about a whistle head with an oak fipple.

Jason

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 9:19 pm

I almost became a one-eyed Irishman, trying to remove an Oak fipple. Luckily the tube it me about an inch above my right eye, sparing my sight. Left a mark that lasted a week.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 10:02 pm

~William~ · Post by **~William~** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 10:07 pm

interesting problem, hope it works out, i have the same problem where i can't seem to get the head off the whistle, so i gave up because i don't want to force anything and accidentally break it

Cheers

~William~ · Post by **~William~** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 10:10 pm

Whitmores75087 wrote:I almost became a one-eyed Irishman, trying to remove an Oak fipple. Luckily the tube it me about an inch above my right eye, sparing my sight. Left a mark that lasted a week.

Yeah or risk doing that as well, funny story, how did you manage to get it off?

Jon C. · Post by **Jon C.** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:33 pm

lyrick wrote:I've successfully removed 3 Oak fipples using the hot water trick, but it wasn't easy. I partially melted one Oak fipple because the water was too hot, and I still couldn't get it off (it was a friend's whistle, so no loss). Even after removing them they were still too tight to be considered easily tunable, but I took some very fine sandpaper and sanded down the inside of the fipple where it fits on the tube, and now it moves easy enough for tuning. Even with all this trouble they're still my favorite cheap whistle, sometimes it's all I play.

The tubes on all of mine are nickel-plated from end to end, I'm surprised that on yours the part that the fipple goes on isn't plated, maybe that's something new. If so, you could take some fine sandpaper or steel wool and sand the end of the tube down until the fipple fits on it (the nickel plating doesn't sand very easily, but the exposed brass does sand easily).

Thanks alot! It was my whistle he melted!

lyrick · Post by **lyrick** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:05 pm

Jon C. wrote:
lyrick wrote:I partially melted one Oak fipple because the water was too hot, and I still couldn't get it off (it was a friend's whistle, so no loss).
Thanks alot! It was my whistle he melted!

You're welcome. The warped Oak fipple came out sounding very nice, with a sweet pure sound. I should have charged you for tweaking it.

TheSpoonMan · Post by **TheSpoonMan** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:15 pm

lyrick wrote:
Jon C. wrote:
lyrick wrote:I partially melted one Oak fipple because the water was too hot, and I still couldn't get it off (it was a friend's whistle, so no loss).
Thanks alot! It was my whistle he melted!
You're welcome. The warped Oak fipple came out sounding very nice, with a sweet pure sound. I should have charged you for tweaking it.

Y'know, the same thing happened to my feadog when I tried to *ahem* repair its cracked windway. Maybe we should go into business together. *grabs lighter*

TheSpoonMan · Post by **TheSpoonMan** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:15 pm

lyrick wrote:
Jon C. wrote:
lyrick wrote:I partially melted one Oak fipple because the water was too hot, and I still couldn't get it off (it was a friend's whistle, so no loss).
Thanks alot! It was my whistle he melted!
You're welcome. The warped Oak fipple came out sounding very nice, with a sweet pure sound. I should have charged you for tweaking it.

Y'know, the same thing happened to my feadog when I tried to *ahem* repair its cracked windway. Maybe we should go into business together. *grabs lighter*

Jon C. · Post by **Jon C.** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:45 am

lyrick wrote:
Jon C. wrote:
lyrick wrote:I partially melted one Oak fipple because the water was too hot, and I still couldn't get it off (it was a friend's whistle, so no loss).
Thanks alot! It was my whistle he melted!
You're welcome. The warped Oak fipple came out sounding very nice, with a sweet pure sound. I should have charged you for tweaking it.

I admit that it does play better, but it looks like somethiing from a
Salvador Dali painting!

This is how the fipple looks after he tweaked it!