Announce: New lower-cost whistle from Serpent Music

Whistle
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(this message has been approved by C&F Management)

Serpent Music is pleased to announce a newly-designed polymer (CPVC/Delrin) whistle with brass mouthpiece surround, the “Brassy Polly”. The Brassy Polly is available immediately in both tunable and non-tunable versions, in a wide spectrum of colours. Serpent Music’s perfect tuning is maintained, and this Polly is louder than any other Serpent high whistle but the Dreadnought. Brassy Polly is priced low enough to make it a very attractive Holiday gift. Please click the WWW link below to see details on the Serpent Music website. Look for the words “Brassy Polly”.
Thanks, :smiley:
serpent

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I worked a deal with Serpent about this post. In exchange for allowing him to post it, Serpent agrees to a “non-aggression pact.”

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I don’t suppose you could post a shot of the head, close-up? I’m curious as to the design…

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Dale, you mean he called off the hitman? You’ll be sleepin’ easier in the Deep South tonight. :laughing:

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http://www.serpentmusic.com/development/brassypolly.html

Shows the head with the beak un-cut. It’s surprisingly simple, works well, and plays quite loud, with reduced hiss and excess air. The design is pretty basic, and used, in one form or another, by a goodly number of whistles. The difference I introduced lies in the blade and ramp, which are cut with an end mill rather than a hog mill, producing a profile that is flat instead of curved, obviating some hand-filing to get rid of overtones. So I’m lazy. Sue me.
Cheers, :smiley:
serpent

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bill, could you describe the tuning mechanism on these brassy pollys?

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Tuning on all the Pollys consists of a 21/32 ID brass tube 1.25 inches long, cemented to the barrel at a depth of 3/8" with a high-holding cyanoacrylate. The head has no paint in the slide area, and depending on the manufacturer of the tube in use, may or may not have a very thin coating of beeswax in the area that enters the slide.

To tune the whistle, hold the brass tube in your fingers for a few seconds to soften the beeswax, if present, then carefully twist and push or pull the head in or out to effect the pitch change. The range is about 25 cents above and below nominal pitch on a D whistle, a bit longer on the higher pitches. Once you let go of the brass tube, the beeswax stiffens quickly and if properly applied, will hold the whistle securely together. I ship a little block of beeswax with all tunables, in case what’s there gets dirty and needs to be renewed.

If you need further information about mechanical details of Serpent whistles, please don’t hesitate to email me directly, serpent@serpentmusic.com and I’ll do my best to help!
Cheers, :smiley:
Bill Whedon, “serpent”

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Good luck Bill :slight_smile: Lets hope they all just Flyaway

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Don’t know if I’d trust him Dale… he speaks with forked tongue! :slight_smile: