Hoover Whitecap: Initial Impressions

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 8:59 am

I ordered a whitecap from Mack Hoover. This is a replacement fipple that fits on a standard Generation-sized tube (Feadog, Oak, Acorn, etc). It is made of white polymer--thus "whitecap." It is $20.

This doesn't sound like something to get all worked up over when you first hear about it. I figured I would buy one and stick it on a Feadog tube just to see.

Well, I've had some trouble getting the original fipple of a Feadog, but did have an old brass Generation D tube handy when the whitecap arrived, so I used it to try it out.

WOW.

No other word suffices.

$20 for the whitecap, $6 for the tube, and you get a whistle that is now as good as any I've ever played.

The volume is very soft, just slightly louder and with a bit more bite than the Burke Al-Pro D. The octaves are beautifully balanced: you can play all the way up without it going shrill at all. The tone is just lovely, clean and clear but bright, not dull at all.

I would recommend a whitecap to anyone. It's the best $20 you'll ever spend on your whistling.

--James

Bretton · Post by **Bretton** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 9:02 am

Along the same lines is Gary H's retro-fit head. I recently received one of these from Gary and it turned my "pretty good" Oak D whistle into one of my top two favorites. The Oak is now louder and cleaner sounding, with less breath control squeeks and squawks...really a very nice whistle. It still retains the "Oak sound" that I like (compared to other cheap whistles) and is very "poppy" and responsive.

I'll have to get a white cap at some point and compare the two.

-Brett

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 9:04 am

Same here, whitecap on D Generations, quickly becoming my favourite whistle. Incredibly efficient, so much so i can pretty much play for as long as i can hold my breath. I usually have plenty of stale air still in the lungs by the time i have to take more air in! Beautiful pure and penetrating sound, very balanced.

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 9:11 am

Whitecap on a Feadog tube is my favorite whistle. Even after several months of swearing by a new Burke I received, I find myself going back to my Whitecap/Feadog almost exclusively again.

Susan

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:14 am

I also had trouble trying to remove the fipple from a Feadog D. I used the boiling water and soaked it over and over but no luck. What else can one do to remove the fool thing?

Ron

Davey · Post by **Davey** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:24 am

...use a propane torch..but be sure to plug your nose and step back..

drip, drip, drip...

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:33 am

If you're not interested in keeping the fipple, you should be able to break it off, no? maybe stick a screwdriver in the windway.

susnfx · Post by **susnfx** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:36 am

RonKiley wrote:I also had trouble trying to remove the fipple from a Feadog D. I used the boiling water and soaked it over and over but no luck. What else can one do to remove the fool thing?

Ron

According to Dale's tweaking instructions (see main website), that should be hot water, not boiling...perhaps the mouthpiece has warped.

Susan

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:36 am

RonKiley wrote:I also had trouble trying to remove the fipple from a Feadog D. I used the boiling water and soaked it over and over but no luck. What else can one do to remove the fool thing?

Ron

Well, if you're just trying to make it tunable, don't bother, The minimal gain isn't worth the effort. If, OTOH, you're removing it to put a Whitecap on it, just use a sidecutter or a small file to crack the plastic and it'll come right off.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 10:38 am

I'm still working on trying to ease it off gently. I'd like to keep it for experimenting with tweaks, etc.

Of course, I'm sure my wife would happily point out to you that I never throw anything away anyhow.

--James

vomitbunny · Post by **vomitbunny** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 8:44 am

susnfx wrote:
RonKiley wrote:I also had trouble trying to remove the fipple from a Feadog D. I used the boiling water and soaked it over and over but no luck. What else can one do to remove the fool thing?

Ron
According to Dale's tweaking instructions (see main website), that should be hot water, not boiling...perhaps the mouthpiece has warped.

Susan

Boiling water can and will warp a mouthpiece. I just ruined one trying to get it off an acorn the other day. Carefull about how you grip it. On mine the beak twisted slightly, and the windway warped both sideways and inward. Shame too. It was really decent for out of the box condition.

peteinmn · Post by **peteinmn** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 11:08 am

peeplj wrote:
I would recommend a whitecap to anyone. It's the best $20 you'll ever spend on your whistling.

--James

What James said plus;

My Whitecap topped Feadog tube has been my favorite high D for a couple of months now. My Whitecap/aluminum tenor A that I got a few weeks ago is easily the best of my "midrange" whistles. And, last but not least (tada, drumroll) the Whitecap/aluminum low D that fell into my hands two days ago is unbelivable. As advertised, it's not loud but, holy cow, does it sound nice! I can hardly believe that little old me can make sounds like that come out of a whistle! My other low D's will probably not see me much in the coming months.

Hoover Rules!

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 12:36 pm

I agree that Whitecaps rule.

Also, I happen to know that Beth (avanutria) has some whitecaps for sell.

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 2:43 pm

Well, that's good news, since my Whitecap will be shipping on Monday. Although tweaking experiments did some good with the Feadog, I thought I'd move up a notch with the Whitecap.

Fortunately, the mouthpiece to my Feadog came off instantly with just a few seconds in hot water--hot enough to blister, but not quite boiling.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 3:16 pm

My Whitecap/Generation is my favorite whistle for playing in the house. It's quiet and sweet, and doesn't bother my wife/cats in the high register.
It is not so much a session whistle, as it downright refuses to be played too loudly (of course, this is usually a good thing for me, but when I am trying to learn a tune in a slow session I usually need to hear myself).

Anyway, I quite agree. Everyone should have at least one Whitecap. And Mack Hoover (a darn nice guy) signs and numbers his mouthpieces, which is kinda neat.

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Hoover Whitecap: Initial Impressions

Hoover Whitecap: Initial Impressions

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