The fifth hole on my Feadog and Sweetone are larger than the sixth hole. However the fifth and sixth holes on my Clare, Water Weasel and Burke are the same size. What’s up with that ? All the whistles have different hole sizes with the Water Weasel having the largest holes and the Feadog and Sweetone the smallest. They’re all different (sound and response) but good with the Burke coming out on top.
Edited to reflect the correct holes.
The forth hole on my Feadog and Sweetone are larger than the fifth hole.
The Sweetone has a smaller 5th hole because it’s conical. At least, that’s what I was told.
…can’t speak for the Feadóg.
I understand the Sweetone is shorter because it’s conical. But that still doesn’t explain the different hole sizes between whistles.
I think it does, actually. That and the position of the hole.
OK I understand the conical shape contributes to the size difference of the fith and sixth hole of the Sweetone. But the Feadog is not conical and it too has differing hole sizes. What’s up with that?
This is getting heavy. All this metaphysical talk. Maybe it has to do with the diameter of the whistle. Or the length of the whistle or the length of the whistle head.
OK, I’ll have a stab. Any hole can be moved up or down the whistle, but it’s most usually the 6th hole that seems to vary most, at least on a cylindrical bore whistle.
If the hole is moved down it needs to be bigger to give the same note and if moved up then it needs to be smaller.
I’m guessing that moving it down produces a richer 5th note, but at the cost of a stretch for the 3rd finger. Some makers prefer to have ease of fingering, some go for the richer sound.
Compare a Dixon D to a Susato D and you’ll see the 6th hole is lower on the Susato. This carries on through out the range, so the lower you go, the greater the R2 R3 stretch.
For High D whistles the R2 R3 spacing doesn’t make much odds, but as you get down to low As or Gs, it becomes quite a stretch for the 6th finger, usually requiring pipers grip.