Tilbury Music Company world tour

crookedtune · Post by **crookedtune** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:03 am

Thomaston wrote:The Eastern whistle has arrived here. Opinions to come...

Well, I'll admit, the telekinetic property is somewhat unique in a mid-priced whistle! Whoops, never mind. I thought it was just one whistle out there!

Thomaston · Post by **Thomaston** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:24 pm

Ok, I've had some time now to play the whistle. I would agree with most of what has been said already. It's a good whistle, but has the potential to be a great whistle with some more work. I noticed the slight wobble, too, but it wasn't really bothersome. It's slightly louder than my Mellow Dog, with an airy 2nd octave. My preference is more towards the pure side, so I wouldn't call this a flaw, just a (for me) undesirable characteristic.
It does take more work to warm up than most other high D's I've had, due to the all aluminum construction.
Now, to my one big concern. When played against a tuner, the whistle plays about 20 cents flat for me, even with the slide pushed all the way in. I don't know if it's the whistle or if my tuner isn't calibrated right, though. I'd love to see the results of an RTTA scan on the clip below to know for certain.
I'd summarize by saying that, as is, it's not my cup of tea, not through a flaw of the whistle, but because my own preference is the pure sound. Those who like Clarkes and Shaws would likely find this to be a nice whistle for them. And again, I hesitate to be too critical of the tuning without knowing knowing for certain that my tuner is working right.

Here's my clip:
http://www.box.net/shared/00ud9u715c

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 2:28 am

Thomaston wrote:Now, to my one big concern. When played against a tuner, the whistle plays about 20 cents flat for me, even with the slide pushed all the way in. I don't know if it's the whistle or if my tuner isn't calibrated right, though. I'd love to see the results of an RTTA scan on the clip below to know for certain.

I won't post the graph, but RTTA indicates that the clip you played averages around 35 cents flat compared to concert pitch, for whatever reason.

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:06 am

MTGuru wrote:
Thomaston wrote:Now, to my one big concern. When played against a tuner, the whistle plays about 20 cents flat for me, even with the slide pushed all the way in. I don't know if it's the whistle or if my tuner isn't calibrated right, though. I'd love to see the results of an RTTA scan on the clip below to know for certain.
I won't post the graph, but RTTA indicates that the clip you played averages around 35 cents flat compared to concert pitch, for whatever reason.

What?!?!? I guess that I need to ask: Are you sure that the body was pushed into the tuning slide sufficiently? When I checked it before sending it out on the tour, that instrument was actually 22c sharp with the slide pushed in all the way. Could something be stuck in the tuning slide?

Thomaston · Post by **Thomaston** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:51 pm

I don't think so. I've inspected it, and it seems to be sliding in the way it should. I'm wondering if it could somehow be me, since no one else mentioned the problem. But, I don't see how it could... I haven't had problems with other whistles being too flat.

ahogrelius · Post by **ahogrelius** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:24 pm

Thomaston wrote:I don't think so. I've inspected it, and it seems to be sliding in the way it should. I'm wondering if it could somehow be me, since no one else mentioned the problem. But, I don't see how it could... I haven't had problems with other whistles being too flat.

It's odd. Neither of my two whistles are flat. I've got a D and a Bb and both of them are in tune. Well, the high B and the G on the Bb whistle are a wee bit flat but can easily be blown into tune...

Both of them are excellent whistles. They are similar to Chieftains in tone and chiff but are a LOT easier to play and not quite as loud.

Cheers,
Anders

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:39 pm

Thomaston wrote:I don't think so. I've inspected it, and it seems to be sliding in the way it should. I'm wondering if it could somehow be me, since no one else mentioned the problem. But, I don't see how it could... I haven't had problems with other whistles being too flat.

I suppose that is possible, but in order to blow that instrument so flat consistently, you would have trouble making the upper octave clearly. There is something very weird going on. I have had other reports on these instruments that were glowing, and just as many that indicate really bad flaws that I would have to be insane to ship. I am very confused by that and more than a little rattled. I need to think about it and decide what to do next. In any case, I do not think that continuing the tour is a good idea.

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:57 pm

Grasping at straws... Is it possibly one of these otherwise outlandish things?

1- the fipple plug has slipped?
2. the tuner Chuck used hicoughed?
3. the tuning slide inner section slipped?

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:13 pm

It certainly is possible that my tuner has a problem. It is one of those little cheap Casio tuners. Perhaps I need a better one. Does anyone have a suggestion?

MTGuru · Post by **MTGuru** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:36 pm

Software - Shakuhachi Tuner (Tuner_E301):
http://www1.ocn.ne.jp/~tuner/tuner_e.html

Hardware - Peterson StroboFlip
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=210056

Hardware - Korg LCA-120
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=210075

jkrazy52 · Post by **jkrazy52** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:06 pm

Chuck, if it's only the one whistle, just have it sent back to you for a checkup, then continue the tour from that point.

.... just a suggestion from the next person in line for this particular whistle ...

MagicSailor · Post by **MagicSailor** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 7:25 pm

jkrazy52 wrote:Chuck, if it's only the one whistle, just have it sent back to you for a checkup, then continue the tour from that point.

.... just a suggestion from the next person in line for this particular whistle ...

Why don't I send my tour whistle to jkrazy52 to continue the tour? There is certainly nothing wrong with that one. I'm flying to Michigan on Friday, so can mail it from there.

Edited to add:
Or should I send it to Thomaston so he has a chance to try one that is known to be in tune?

PS. Chuck, is it possible that you've got some variation in the placement of the tuning slides and heads and bodies somehow got mixed up?

Regards,

Owen Morgan

Yacht Magic
Anchored in the lagoon, St Maarten

My new blog.
Click here for my latest reported position. (Use the satellite view.)

Thomaston · Post by **Thomaston** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:57 pm

I'm sending this one back to Chuck per his request. I think something must have slipped somewhere, since MTGuru's scan shows it flat, and I definitely had the slide pushed all the way in.

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:29 pm

jkrazy52 wrote:Chuck, if it's only the one whistle, just have it sent back to you for a checkup, then continue the tour from that point.

.... just a suggestion from the next person in line for this particular whistle ...

Done... Thanks Owen.

ctilbury · Post by **ctilbury** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:31 pm

MagicSailor wrote: Owen Morgan

Yacht Magic
Anchored in the lagoon, St Maarten

My new blog.
Click here for my latest reported position. (Use the satellite view.)

Man! Excellent! How cool is that?!?!?! Very....