Frustrating Feadog Fipple Firmly Fixed

[CranberryDog]

Yesterday, I picked up a new Feadog soprano D. The body appears to be brass and the fipple is a medium green colour with no hump in front of the windway. I have been trying to remove the fipple for tweaking and tuning but it will not come off. I am using the hot water technique. I have repeated the technique multiple times and the fipple has not budged.

I am beginning to think that this Feadog has a new (to me) glue that is not affected by temperature. Has anyone else had a similar experience. Thank you.

[hathair_bláth]

I've got a new Feadog coming in on Monday. I'll let you know when I start fiddling with it.

[straycat82]

More often than not, if you can't get a head off a whistle it's because it's a tight fit and the glue isn't the issue. Try putting the whistle in the freezer for ten minutes or so. Take it out and then promptly try the warm water. Dip it in the warm water quickly, don't let it set but maybe a few seconds and then try pulling with a towel in you hand.

[MTGuru]

I have that exact same whistle, and if I remember correctly, the mouthpiece came right off with a firm twist. Same with other Feadógs, nickel and Pro. Try also wearing a pair of latex kitchen gloves to get a firm grip. Good luck!

[The Weekenders]

I thought the new ones came already adjustable and not glued. Hmmm

[straycat82]

I checked one of my Feadogs that I've already made tunable and it was still a pretty snug fit and took some torque to get it moving. I know it's not glue because I always wipe away all of the residue so they must be making them a snug fit these days.

[CranberryDog]

Thanks for your replies. I will try the freeze then hot water and then the twist with latex gloves. That ought to get it done. Best, Cyril.

[pipersgrip]

i have the exact same whistle, just keep on yanking it and it will pop right off.

[walrii]

Once you do get it off, clean all the glue residue from both the fipple and the tube then apply a little cork grease/vaseline/whatever to the joint. that seems to help the things from re-adhering.

[NorthWind]

Maybe this will help....I had a generation whistle with a fipple that refused to budge. I tried several techniques mentioned on the forum including soaking the head in warm water and pulling, soaking in hot water and twisting, and putting the whistle in the freezer for ten minutes followed by putting it promptly in warm water and then pulling, twisting, etc. While these methods had always worked in the past, this time nothing seemed to work......and then I tried the following:

I found a 1x4 board about 16 inches long and drilled a hole in it slightly larger than the diameter of the whistle tube. I then placed the whistle head in very warm water for about a minute, removed it from the water and immediately inserted the tube through the hole in the board. I then pulled the tube with my hands and pushed the board (with the whistle head on the other side) with my feet. This very stubborn whistle head popped off, and without any damage to any of the parts. Perhaps this will work for you if needed.

Good luck.

[CranberryDog]

Again, thanks all for your time. I have resolved the issue with the application of brute force. I wrapped the mouth piece with a strip of bicycle tire inner tube. I then grasped the wrapped mouth piece with a plier and carefully twisted off the stubborn little rascal. Whew ... no harm done.

I removed the glue residue from the tube and mouth piece and polished the tube end with 600 grit sand paper.

Now for some tweaking after I find the blu-tac/ poster putty. I have polished the wind blade.

I can report that when I bought the whistle it was about a 20 cents sharp and now it is dead on according to my digital tuner.

I picked up this Feadog for $7.95. It's the best $7.95 I have spent. It really sounds pretty darn good, but does have some room for improvement in the upper registers.

[keithsandra]

My newly bought Feadog has a pin in the mouthpiece. The folk in Dublin were contradictory in their advice - one email said it wasn't glued so go the hot water route, another said it should be in tune unless it was damaged in transit (it wasn't; it came in a plastic bubble wrap too). No one mentioned the pin. So it's still measurably sharp. I can send it off and have it fixed for $40 but I can buy three or four proven whistles for that. Any other ideas anyone? Or do I just throw it away as a waste of more time and money?

Keith.

[CranberryDog]

My newly bought Feadog has a pin in the mouthpiece. The folk in Dublin were contradictory in their advice - one email said it wasn't glued so go the hot water route, another said it should be in tune unless it was damaged in transit (it wasn't; it came in a plastic bubble wrap too). No one mentioned the pin. So it's still measurably sharp. I can send it off and have it fixed for $40 but I can buy three or four proven whistles for that. Any other ideas anyone? Or do I just throw it away as a waste of more time and money?

Keith.

This sounds like a new complication. Would you describe the location of the pin, material and so on? Not very good customer service to ask you to pay for fixing a defective whistle.

[MTGuru]

My newly bought Feadog has a pin in the mouthpiece.

How bizarre! Yes, more information please!

I guess a pin in the mouthpiece could make it "sharp".

[straycat82]

I can't imagine what could possess them to put a pin through the head of a cheapie whistle. I am b:boggle: ggled!