Have you ever noticed how long it takes to suss out a newly tweaked whistle? You tweak it, or you swap fipples, and at first you think you have the greatest whistle on earth. Then a week later you notice a buzz, or a note that is off. It just seems to take a long time to notice this stuff...for me anyway.
Pity the poor whistle maker who has to do all the checking in, what, 30 minutes?...I don't know how long. And if he gets ships a bad one, he'd better make good instantly or get torn to pieces right here. C&F seems to be becoming the Coliseum of whistledom. Here's the point of this post. Some people pay the grocery bill on making these things, and it must be awfully painful to get C&F'd by a customer who didn't have the grace to come to you first.
A fipple with a foible? Pity the poor whistlesmith.
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peeplj
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Actually, you make a good point.
I used to look at a plastic fipple as a very static and unchanging thing, but especially experience with Generations is starting to make me realize that he plastic fipple does seem to change over time as the whistle is played.
I am thinking that changes in temperature from playing may slightly deform the plastic, warm air over the blade may make it warp slightly one way or the other, pressure from the lips over time may slightly narrow the windway, and there are probably many other changes I'm not thinking of.
These would be very small changes; in fact, one of the big lessons in tweaking is learning that the removal or reshaping of very small amounts of plastic can make a tremendous difference in the tone and response of the whistle.
Thoughts? Comments? Criticisms? Unresolved childhood traumas?
This would make sense in light of how a Generation whistle seems to change as it "plays in."
Best wishes,
--James
I used to look at a plastic fipple as a very static and unchanging thing, but especially experience with Generations is starting to make me realize that he plastic fipple does seem to change over time as the whistle is played.
I am thinking that changes in temperature from playing may slightly deform the plastic, warm air over the blade may make it warp slightly one way or the other, pressure from the lips over time may slightly narrow the windway, and there are probably many other changes I'm not thinking of.
These would be very small changes; in fact, one of the big lessons in tweaking is learning that the removal or reshaping of very small amounts of plastic can make a tremendous difference in the tone and response of the whistle.
Thoughts? Comments? Criticisms? Unresolved childhood traumas?
This would make sense in light of how a Generation whistle seems to change as it "plays in."
Best wishes,
--James
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The Weekenders
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My comment is that every Feadog and Gen that I loosened so I could tune has never sounded the same after (OR SO I THOUGHT because the deed was done and I couldnt really compare). They all have seemed to get raspy, perhaps from the hot water treatment.. I thought maybe it was the air seal but I used a coating of beeswax and experimented with outside tape etc...
But I just am not into tweaking. What free time I have, I wanna whistle. thats why I cant get excited about any whistle that doesnt come already tuneable, no matter how loyal the following or how authentic its supposed to be.
But I just am not into tweaking. What free time I have, I wanna whistle. thats why I cant get excited about any whistle that doesnt come already tuneable, no matter how loyal the following or how authentic its supposed to be.
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Kar
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I have a theory that whistles tend to change over time (esp in the beginning) because the whistler changes. If you are used to your Gen and then start playing that new Cheiftain or whatever, at first, the radical changes between the whistles might overshadow any weird characteristics of your new whistle. Sometimes "different" can overwhelm, and it's only later you start to notice the cons & pros.
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peeplj
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--quote--
I have a theory that whistles tend to change over time (esp in the beginning) because the whistler changes.
--endquote--
I think there's a lot of truth in this, too.
However, the whistles do seem to change.
Here's my experiences, yours may vary:
Walton's Aluminum--change not. If they're great when new, they're great years later. If they are not so great, they don't get better.
Dixon--changes a little bit. Will take more air without squeaking now then when brand new.
Walton's brass--change over time, take more air, tone gets richer, burbles even out. I have a narrow bore Walton's brass that is several years old that is just outstanding.
Oak--doesn't change much from day to day, but does play dramatically better when warmed up first. Also true for the Acorn, but not to the same degree.
Clare--changes over time, gets cleaner sound, takes more air, gets less squeaky.
Susato--changes but only a little at a time and slowly. Gets sweeter on the top end over time, takes less air to make the octave jump.
Sweetone--changes not. If you like 'em, that's a good thing. If you don't, then you probably won't.
Last and not least, Generations: change rapidly at first over the first few weeks, then "settle in." Takes more air after a while, looses some of the squeaks and shrieks, tone gets less strident and more rich and open, upper octave in particular improves dramatically over first few weeks.
Note: I am basing this in large part over my last Generations I bought, which I have not tweaked at all, as they started out really good and have since gotten only better.
That's been my experiences so far. And those last Gens are still getting better yet.
Best to all,
--James
I have a theory that whistles tend to change over time (esp in the beginning) because the whistler changes.
--endquote--
I think there's a lot of truth in this, too.
However, the whistles do seem to change.
Here's my experiences, yours may vary:
Walton's Aluminum--change not. If they're great when new, they're great years later. If they are not so great, they don't get better.
Dixon--changes a little bit. Will take more air without squeaking now then when brand new.
Walton's brass--change over time, take more air, tone gets richer, burbles even out. I have a narrow bore Walton's brass that is several years old that is just outstanding.
Oak--doesn't change much from day to day, but does play dramatically better when warmed up first. Also true for the Acorn, but not to the same degree.
Clare--changes over time, gets cleaner sound, takes more air, gets less squeaky.
Susato--changes but only a little at a time and slowly. Gets sweeter on the top end over time, takes less air to make the octave jump.
Sweetone--changes not. If you like 'em, that's a good thing. If you don't, then you probably won't.
Last and not least, Generations: change rapidly at first over the first few weeks, then "settle in." Takes more air after a while, looses some of the squeaks and shrieks, tone gets less strident and more rich and open, upper octave in particular improves dramatically over first few weeks.
Note: I am basing this in large part over my last Generations I bought, which I have not tweaked at all, as they started out really good and have since gotten only better.
That's been my experiences so far. And those last Gens are still getting better yet.
Best to all,
--James
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jim_mc
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burnsbyrne
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Let us not forget the placebo effect. You spend an hour or so tenderly heating the mouthpiece and twisting it off. Then you get out the bright light and magnifying glass (if you are as old as I am) and exacto knife to scrape errant plastic. Then the sandpaper, the sticky tack, the teflon tape and then...and then... Well, you want it to sound better SO BAD that "wow, it does sound better...I think?" Or maybe not? Anyway it only cost $8 and I still have my Sweetone.
Mike
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: burnsbyrne on 2002-09-21 12:06 ]</font>
Mike
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: burnsbyrne on 2002-09-21 12:06 ]</font>
