worried about my whistles :(

[AlonE]

hi all!

since the last time, I'm having problems with some of my whistles Jerry Freeman, Feadog and Generation in D.

They are indeed a wonderful whistles, and when you purchase them became my favorite whistles .... but since several weeks ago, they sound loud and sharp .... before you had a sweet traditional sound. I have cleaned with dental floss and a little dishwashing detergent, but still no improvement ...

maybe that are already very old? have almost 5 years of use ...

It happens to other whistles?? ....

thanks.

[riverman]

Well, I am far from an expert, and this is just a shot in the dark, but in my experience several things could be happening:

1. It's been a while since you've played and need to practice your breath control--you could be overblowing in the first octave.

2. You may have played the high D whistle long enough to want something lower and less shrill, perhaps a step down to a C whistle, a Generation Bb or one of the makers of lower-keyed whistles. My favorite is a Burke low A, which is lower, smoother, and can still be played with the fingertips.

3. You could be about ready to take the plunge many have, and invest in a custom-made, more expensive whistle. They are individually tuned, and are easier to play more smoothly. I find aluminum or wooden whistles really shine.


In any case, a five year old whistle is not old and should be playable for a long time more.

Just my thoughts...

[talasiga]

Dear AlonE.
your hearing of how you play is get better
that is all
so now you have try to make performance more good
to meet improved hearing
good luck.

[Thomaston]

Could you have put dents in the blade with the dental floss? That could have an affect on the turbulence of the wind.

[MLeonard]

Perhaps it is the arrival of cold weather.

How do they sound after they have been thoroughly warmed up?

[MTGuru]

Perhaps it is the arrival of cold weather.

Well, since AlonE is located in ... Chi-Chi-Chi-Chile, there's that whole, you know, hemisphere thing.

[Scott McCallister]

Coriolis effect... I heard it makes whistle players south of the equator play cross handed

[Jerry Freeman]

Have you put anything inside the whistleheads? You may have dislodged the brass or plastic lamination underneath the soundblade or dented the putty fill under the windway. This can happen, especially if someone has swabbed out the tube and pushed the swab all the way into the whistlehead.

I've discontinued doing tweaked Feadogs, but I'll be happy to work with you to sort out what's happened and make sure you have properly functioning whistles.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[slowair]

I've discontinued doing tweaked Feadogs, but I'll be happy to work with you to sort out what's happened and make sure you have properly functioning whistles.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Jerry Freeman and Walt Disney: Two giants in their field and they both owe their success to a mouse. I can not wait for the arrival of Tweakland.

Seriously, Jerry you are our hero!

Mike

[Mr.Gumby]

Have you put anything inside the whistleheads? You may have dislodged the brass or plastic lamination underneath the soundblade or dented the putty fill under the windway.

The fill does tend to fall out after a while. It fell out of two of the Blackbirds I have anyway. Doesn't have much effect on the sound though.

[AlonE]

Perhaps it is the arrival of cold weather.

Well, since AlonE is located in ... Chi-Chi-Chi-Chile, there's that whole, you know, hemisphere thing.

HAHAH! so is my friend! I live in the place most distant from ITM, and never have enough money to buy a high-end whistle ... so I'd better get used!

[AlonE]

Have you put anything inside the whistleheads? You may have dislodged the brass or plastic lamination underneath the soundblade or dented the putty fill under the windway. This can happen, especially if someone has swabbed out the tube and pushed the swab all the way into the whistlehead.

I've discontinued doing tweaked Feadogs, but I'll be happy to work with you to sort out what's happened and make sure you have properly functioning whistles.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Thanks Jerry!

nozzle check and everything seems normal these, recently did a full wash with dish soap to the nozzle but still sounds "very garish" .... especially in the second octave.

I will try to upload an audio clip to explain better the sound.

Thanks much Jerry

[Jerry Freeman]

The fill does tend to fall out after a while. It fell out of two of the Blackbirds I have anyway. Doesn't have much effect on the sound though.

This is odd.

You're the first person who's ever reported the fill falling out, and I've done tens of thousands of whistles by now.

And it does have an effect on the sound. Alan Jones was trying out whistles at the Pipers' Gathering in August. He picked up a D Blackbird I'd been working on, played it and announced, "It's sort of woolly." It sounded woolly to me, as well, and I wondered what was wrong with it. When I picked it up, I saw immediately that I hadn't filled under the windway.

In a minute, with the windway properly filled, Alan tried it again. "Amazing," he said. It definitely makes a difference.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Jerry Freeman]

nozzle check and everything seems normal these, recently did a full wash with dish soap to the nozzle but still sounds "very garish" .... especially in the second octave.

I will try to upload an audio clip to explain better the sound.

An audio clip won't give me any useful information. I'll need photos, and even those might not show what's wrong. Send me a PM with your address and a list of which whistles have gotten spoiled, and I'll replace them.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[AlonE]

clips

generation
http://www.goear.com/listen/a80b44c/generation-alone

feadog
http://www.goear.com/listen/40280b3/feadog-alone

Pics