Calling on Faedog & Oak Experts

Whistle
1

Both because of and to take a break from the Generation Gap Wars, noting James’ reference to Faedog and Oak whistles, I pulled out whichever of those two brands I have and played them. First, on the two Faedogs. Both, as noted by James, were pretty much the same in sound and playability and really fine in both respects. Both also have green plastic heads and thin-walled brass bodies. However, that’s where the similarities end. The green heads are remarkably different; one is noticeably wider at the point where the head protrudes (top of the ramp below the windway), the ramp is a bit narrower and longer and it is even, i.e., no bump. The tubing is a slightly darker brass and is adorned with a big clear sticker just below the head - all green letters - “IRISH WHISTLE, FAEDOG (fancy lettering, almost script), D, Made in Ireland by Faedog Teo.” Affixed at the very bottom of the tube is another wraparound label bearing a logo of a thick green oval within a thin green oval. The other whistle has a fairly pronounced hump or bubble (not an imperfection) designed into the ramp. A small oval off white sticker is affixed about two inches beneath the head, bearing regular printed letters “FAEDOG D,” in the center with tiny print around the oval “ORIGINAL IRISH WHISTLE, MADE IN IRELAND BY FAEDOG TEORANTA.” There is no sticker at the tube bottom. More interestingly, the toneholes on the first (with the wider head area and second label) are generally a bit wider than those on the one with the bubble mouthpiece.

The two Oaks also play and sound wonderful and pretty much the same. The only cosmetic differences are that one is nickel with the label still affixed and the other is brass with only the outline of the same label remaining; and the heads are identical except that either I or a rat apparently chewed a bit on the labelless one.

The really interesting point for me, however, was that I can recall at some time in the past offhandedly saying I didn’t like Oaks and felt luke warm (or words to that effect) about Faedogs. Now, I hadn’t really played any of these whistles probably in years until just recently and today, and VOILA, PRESTO, they are really fine whistles. Hard for me to imagine that they were ever anything but.

One, I’d appreciate any historic feedback on the Faedog design differences (sorry, I think Jerry actually did this in pictures at some point), and two, we seem to debate a lot about really subjective stuff; herein, I admit, I made at least one offhanded remark that is apparently unsupported by facts or I just play better now, thereby evening out any heretofore experienced difficulties.

Submitted for your consideration…

Philo

2

Don’t be hard on yourself Philo - it’s a scientific fact* that Feadogs do play better after aging in a drawer for several years. Obviously, they don’t age the brass long enough on the tubing and it settles with time.

I want to get another Oak. I sold the one I had, and really liked, because I was giving up all whistles for the flute. While flute is still my primary arsenal, it’s nice to change pace with a whistle during a 3 hour session.

Eric

*Scientifically proven simply because I had the exact same experience myself…which could be coincidence, too, if you want to be persnickety about it

3

Feadogs = awesome. Oaks (in D, anyway) = pretty much awesome, too.

I’d like to point at the Oak Cs sound like a toy. I may as well play a Meg. :frowning:

4

I like Science.

5

I like Weird Science. :slight_smile:

Philo

6

I don’t know much about Feadogs, but I’m a big Oak fan. To my ear the Oaks have a more clear, brighter sound, the Feadogs huskier and darker, I prefer clear and bright.

I’ve bought 5 Oaks, they’re almost indistinguishable from each other soundwise, I like them all. They’re usually the whistle I pick up first, even when my custom whistles are sitting right next to them. Their weak points are a low D and E that are delicate and easy to overblow, and a second octave E that’s just a tiny bit weaker or raspier than it’s neighbors, but these are minor points and easy to work with.

Check out this thread: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=30397 Apparently Feadog punches the holes for the Oak tubes. This seems to be confirmed when I line up all my cheapie tubes next to each other–the holes in Oaks and Feadogs are punched in the exact same place, and both whistles are known to be more in tune than most cheapies (by those who consider equal intonation to be in tune, heh, see that other thread). The only ones I’ve seen with the brass tubes are marketed as Acorns, but the fipples are the exact same as Oak fipples, Acorns and Oaks are made by the same company. I’ve only seen nickel tubes on Oaks.

The Oak C fipple looks (and plays) like a Feadog, it doesn’t seem to share anything in common with the Oak D either looks or soundwise. Check out this thread: http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=29464) It convinces me that the Feadog C and Oak C have the same fipple.

7

We used to have a numerical system for Feadogs around here on the Forum somewhere. Type I, Type II and so forth. I have three different ones meself in D. Type I rocked, man. What changed was the ramp and the shape of the bump on the ramp as I recall.