Oak going out of production?

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 8:43 am

During the whole lip numbing (Poison Oak) issue we had a number of months ago, I was working with a rep frm Music Sales Inc who handles Oaks in the U.S. I just emailed her and she said that she was not aware of Oak stopping production.

madguy · Post by **madguy** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 8:53 am

FJohnSharp wrote:During the whole lip numbing (Poison Oak) issue we had a number of months ago, I was working with a rep frm Music Sales Inc who handles Oaks in the U.S. I just emailed her and she said that she was not aware of Oak stopping production.

Hear, hear!!
I, too, have an Oak C and D, and find no problem at all with either whistle.

~Larry

Eliezer · Post by **Eliezer** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:48 am

I concur -- Oaks are easy to play and sound great (and Acorns are sad little mediocre things). But tuneable???

How the heck do you make an Oak tuneable? I tried the candle thing and melted the mouthpiece -- and it still didn't come loose!

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:58 am

My first whistle ever was a raspy and horrible Oak. It's a wonder I stuck with the whistle.

Apparently, Tor Johnson got his greatest fame and money not from wrestling or being a movie star, but from the Halloween masks that are his likeness.

DCrom · Post by **DCrom** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 12:14 pm

I can't speak for anyone else - but I have fairly recent examples of both the C and D and they are (IMHO) about the best of the cheapies.

It took me a while to adjust to the careful breath control needed for the D, but once I did it became one of my favorites - responsive, easy 2nd octave, good 3rd (not that I play much beyond 3rd octave D without earplugs!), quite pure tone. The C has a less pure tone, but still sounds nice - and is much more tolerant of breath control variations.

Not as good (IMHO) as my Dixons or Serpents, but out of the box the only cheapie I've seen of comparable quality is the Walton's C.

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 12:29 pm

Eliezer wrote:I concur -- Oaks are easy to play and sound great (and Acorns are sad little mediocre things). But tuneable???

How the heck do you make an Oak tuneable? I tried the candle thing and melted the mouthpiece -- and it still didn't come loose!

Try using hot water from the tap next time, it takes longer but it is safer. Run the hot water over the metal just below the plastic head for 5-10 minutes. Do not let the water touch the plastic. It may take longer than 10 minutes, too, so be patient. Eventually you should be able to wrap a handtowel or washcloth around the head and twist it off of the body. When re-attaching the head, rub a little beeswax on the top of the body where the head will attach. This keeps the head from moving around too easily and makes for a more airtight joint.

kirikee · Post by **kirikee** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:35 pm

dublingirl wrote:Hi, I was also told in a shop in Dublin that the Oak whistles are going out of production - I presume you went to MacNeill's too? I was there a few weeks ago & they had some left still. You should snap a few up before they're all gone!
Dublingirl

The very place, and I might pop back soon! Thanks.

Stuporman · Post by **Stuporman** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:22 pm

My main squeeze has been my Feadog in brass; easy to play, perfect chiff, and I can almost be reckless with breathing. The first time with the nickel fippled Oak made me overblow half the first octave and think this whistle unplayable. It's now my favorite and it's difficult to even replicate the tones I first played on it. I have four now. It's the most consistent cheap whistle I have bought. Thank you.

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:38 pm

And thank you, Stuporman, for making me feel almost exactly four years younger!

Oaks are OK, but I don't believe they grow from Acorns.

emtor · Post by **emtor** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:10 am

And I find that they do not squeek, unlike many of my Burkes, which can squeek when I least suspect.

Oh, my goodness! What in the world?

In other words some pretty expensive squeaks.

pipersgrip · Post by **pipersgrip** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:34 am

i had an idea to start making whistles out of the Florida Oak trees down here, and name them Oak whistles. then i started reading and finding out there was already a brand named Oak.

rodfish · Post by **rodfish** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:56 am

I have an Oak 'C' with a Hoover Whitecap on it....Sweet!