Clarke plugs

ofloyd · Post by **ofloyd** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:37 am

I have found playing my Clarke original that some notes are not coming out any more as they did when I first purchased it (mainly the C# and C nat.). I believe it may have something due to the wooden plug swelling? I know from playing recorders that they need to be played only 5 to 10 minutes a day for the first couple of weeks to get the wood block (similar to the plug in the Clarke) slowly exposed to moisture (a kinder word for spit:)). Is this the case as well with the Clarkes? Also, would the Shaws be the same? Thanks.

Ceili_whistle_man · Post by **Ceili_whistle_man** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:35 am

I had a Shaw, still have a Clarke, had no problems with notes mysteriously disappearing though!
I am not sure the plug would swell up to only block out certain notes? There is obviously something else happening there, can you describe what tunes or particular phrases this is happening with?
I know My Clarke and Shaw take a little bit more puff to hold the notes especially when getting to the end of a longish slur. Do you slur over long phrases or take lots of breaths along the way?

ofloyd · Post by **ofloyd** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:00 am

Yeah, it's funny it only happens on the C and C#. From the D' on up it's fine. It happens during sluring and tounging.

mutepointe · Post by **mutepointe** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:14 am

i don't think the moisture is spit as much as it's breath condensation. and i really don't want folks to tell me otherwise. if i'm wrong, let me live in my ignorance.

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:29 am

mutepointe wrote:i don't think the moisture is spit as much as it's breath condensation. and i really don't want folks to tell me otherwise. if i'm wrong, let me live in my ignorance.

You are correct Sir! It is breath condensation, unless one is inclined to slobber.

ofloyd · Post by **ofloyd** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:27 pm

Ok . . . I slobber . . .

WyoBadger · Post by **WyoBadger** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:46 pm

I played clarkes exclusively for years and years (until I discovered Hoovers and the Dixon trad) and never had a fipple block swell up on me. Did have condensation issues a couple times, especially playing in the cold.

I also had the fipple block come loose a few times. Is your fipple block still flush with the back of the whistle? If it shifts even slightly, it does really, really goofy things to the sound.

Tom

CranberryDog · Post by **CranberryDog** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:51 am

ofloyd wrote:Ok . . . I slobber . . .

No offense intended. Do be sure you are blowing as opposed to exhaling through the mouth piece and make sure you are blowing into the tip of the mouthpiece with as little as possible of the tip in your mouth.

I discovered I had got in the habit of having too much mouthpiece in my mouth with the result of poor breath control and shall we say slobber on the fipple. Cheers, Cyril.

Tucson Whistler · Post by **Tucson Whistler** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:21 pm

What do you guys do about swallowing? I realized last night that if I play for longer periods, i have trouble finding swallow breaks.

ofloyd · Post by **ofloyd** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 4:25 pm

WyoBadger wrote:I played clarkes exclusively for years and years (until I discovered Hoovers and the Dixon trad) and never had a fipple block swell up on me. Did have condensation issues a couple times, especially playing in the cold.

I also had the fipple block come loose a few times. Is your fipple block still flush with the back of the whistle? If it shifts even slightly, it does really, really goofy things to the sound.

Tom

The block is still tight but it does stick out just slightly from the back. Thing is, it came that way and only started doing this recently. No biggie really, I'll jut pick up another.

I have been hearing good things about the Hoovers. Do you find their sound similar to the Clarke? Which one(s) do you play?