A while ago someone on this forum explained how he went about modifying a Bb-whistle into a B-whistle. I recall something about cutting off a piece of the top of the shaft. I’ve searched the forum but haven’t been able to find anything. -Does anybody remember the thread???
Here is Bill’s fast and easy recepie:
Works great 
Posted on the UP forum:
http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=39129&highlight=whistle
/MarcusR
Thanks a million . . . there it was
I have made a Generation B from a B flat, and a Generation C sharp from a C.
In both cases, I not only had to chop the top and the bottom, but also enlarge the two lowest tone holes. The fourth degree on Generations tends to sharpness anyway, so it’s only the two lowest holes that are affected.
This is how I went about it:
- chop the top until the upper hand notes are in tune to the new target key.
- chop the bottom until “middle D” (of course the actual note won’t be D) is in tune to the new target key.
- you will now find that the notes which emit from the two lowest holes are now flat, especially in the second octave. Carve these out to pitch.
The Generation B and C# whistles I made play great.
I also made a Generation low A.
Here’s a photo of all my Generations.
From left to right:
low A
B flat (this whistle sucks)
B (with “inspected by no 9” sticker)
C (with thread binding around cracked top, a fantastic whistle)
C sharp
D
E flat (horrid)
F (execrable)
Note the amount of carving required on the two lowest holes on the B and C sharp. Note also that the “F hole” had to be carved on the C and D as well.
Very nice . . . a customer has a Gen E on his list of wishes, and I could of course chop up a couple of Gen Eb’s until I got it right, but I did remember that someone had done something similar before.
I wonder if violinists tweak their Stradivari violins the way we do with cheapie whistles?
I guess not.
Actually they do.
I think every Strad that’s in the hands of players (the ones in playing condition, not ones in museums) had been drastically altered by their owners, having had the original fingerboards removed and tossed, and new fingerboards put on.
The original fingerboards were straight.
In the 19th century everybody wanted the angled fingerboards and all the playing Strads were chopped.
You have to see an “original instruments” Baroque ensemble to see what violins used to look like (and what the violin bows used to look like).
About a Generation E, it would easy enough to make. I just don’t like the sound of the high Generations (except when Mary Bergin plays them). Your starting point would have to be a really good-playing E flat.
I myself much prefer low whistles for keys such as E, E flat, F, and G.
Hello Richard
What tool do you use to carve the holes?
In the case of chopping a Bb whistle to a B, is the upper note G#? I’m lousy at some points of musical theory, so could you please tell the sequence of notes in the B and C# whistles?
Thanks
I think every Strad that’s in the hands of players (the ones in playing condition, not ones in museums) had been drastically altered by their owners
Hahaha . . . . I never would have guessed that, but it proves that musicians are the same across the entire universe.
I made an E whistle from a Gen Eb last night, and it works great.
I agree that Mary Bergin makes the higher keys sound lovely, even the Gen F. My favourite whistle is a tweaked Generation Eb, it sings like a bird and has a lovely tone.
I found that a sickle shaped “Exacto” blade works the best, you can also grind about 1/3 the thickness off of the dull side of the sickle, you can really get in there then. Works fine on wood, metal or PVC. I learned this from pipe maker Tim Britton.
Watch your fingers though, It is lethal 
These are also nice tools for making/enlarging holes.
<img src=“http://vargaswhistles.com/temp/tool.jpg” "border=“1”>
