Anyone out there played both stock Generation Bb’s and Jerry Freema’s tweaked version of the same?
For some time now the Stock Generation Bb (with some minor self-tweaks) has been one of my favorite whistles. I’ve found them to be pretty consistent and very playable right off the shelf (though my experience is only with the brass/red tops).
I have considered trying out one of Jerry’s tweaked models but I was curious about how different it is from the stock whistle. It’s not necessarily that I think the Gen Bb does or doesn’t need to be improved, I guess curiosity is just pulling at me.
Any comments on how it is different or how it retains the characteristics but improves on [insert something here]?
I recently got a tweaked Bb from Jerry and it’s much better than the untweaked. I liked the old one, but I really had to watch my breath because it buzzed pretty bad. After a while, I didn’t want to play it. With Jerry’s, the buzz is gone and it’s fun to play. I can push it a bit more (like when I want to emphasize a note or a section) without any buzzing at all. To me it’s just smoother sounding. I would definitely buy another.
Please forgive me for indulging in a little self promotion here.
Everyone I’ve showed the tweaked Bb Generations has remarked how good they are:
Joanie Madden
Mary Bergin
L.E. McCullough
Kevin Crawford
Sean Smyth
Steve Jones
Frank Claudy
etc.
At Catskills Irish Arts Week, whoever wandered up to the table, I would ask, “Do you play the whistle?” If they said yes, I would hand them a tweaked Bb and say, “Try this.” They would try the whistle and then glare at me. “I don’t NEED another WHISTLE!” they would say, and then they would buy the tweaked Bb Generation.
Echo what Tucson Whistler said. I liked Jerry’s Bb nickel so much that I recently got one from him in brass just to see if there was any difference. I can’t tell them apart but they are both significantly more stable than the original. I do agree that the Bb Generation seems much more consistent than the traditional D to begin with.
I’ve never gotten a whistle from Jerry that wasn’t superb.
I must chime in with my humble opinion about Jerry’s tweaked Gen Bb. It always pleases me for overall rich tone, strong low notes and an encouraging, surprisingly pain-free uppermost register. As primarily a fluteplayer, I like to lay into things, and Jerry’s Bb is forgiving over a range of pressures; it actually seems happiest getting a little “push”, but it doesn’t drain me for air. It is no primadonna and needs no kid gloves, but for all that it has a sensitive, companionable quality of sound. If there is a word I would use to characterise it - insofar as such a word says what in this world is humanly possible - for my purposes that word would be “bulletproof”.
Would you be willing to share some details about your tweak to this specific whistle? What things were you aiming to improve or remove from the stock sound? What kind of voicing were you going for with the tweak? I’ve owned three Gen Bb’s over the years and they all seem to lose their edge after a couple years of playing. The only tweaks I’ve done to them are some dental work (filling the cavity) and removing any bits of flashing (I don’t touch the blade unless it is particularly dull or has extra plastic on it) and I’ve been very satisfied with them. The only other whistles I’ve played by you were a tweaked Gen D that I had a few years back (had a bit of metal on the blade, don’t know if that still represents your current methods or not) and a Mellow Dog that a friend bought earlier this year which I tooted on for only a few minutes. The Gen D wasn’t my cup of tea as it was too sweet and lacked some of the complexity that I like (I don’t mean to offend, it was a nice whistle but it I like a little more guts- same reason I didn’t keep my Burke). I play primarily Gen and Feadog style whistles so am accustomed to that sound (my main instrument is an Ó Briain tweaked Feadóg head on a nickel Gen tube).
I realize this is a lot of information to ask about a $40 whistle - I ask because I am considering purchasing a couple different tweaked whistles and the price adds up quickly - I’m not a collector so I want to only purchase what I’ll actually play. I am also very interested in your Bergin tweaked Blackbird and am waiting for the old stock to sell out so that I can give it a go (first time I’ve been curious about another D whistle in years!). I appreciate any information you’re inclined to offer.
Actually, it’s a $28.50 whistle (brass; $1 more for nickel).
The main thing I’ve been aiming for with the Bb’s is a stronger, more focused and less breathy upper register that better balances with the usually already strong bottom register, along with generally making the whistle cleaner and more stable (less tendency for buzzes and squawks).
Until last August, I had never been completely satisfied with the results I was getting on the Bb’s. Then last August at the Pipers’ Gathering, I had the opportunity to examine a “perfect” vintage Bb Generation, and I made a discovery that I was able incorporate into the tweaking scheme. The results have been pretty much universally acknowledged to be very good. (To give you an example, Mary Bergin said quite enthusiastically that she loves the tweaked Bb I gave her. At the Irish Arts Week, she sat with me awhile talking to people who came to my table. Someone tried a tweaked Bb and then asked Mary to try it. She said, “I would have that whistle.” Needless to say, I made the sale.)
I would rather not go into exactly what I do to make a Generation into a more ideal Generation. I guarantee 100% satisfaction on any whistle I’ve worked on, no matter how long ago the customer obtained it or from whom.
Oh, I wasn’t expecting you to give out the trade secrets; just curious about what you were going for with the tweaks and the resulting whistle characteristics. You answered my questions well enough.
I’ve been looking for a good-playing Generation Bb for some time now. I’ve got a half-dozen old Generation Bb heads and only one of them plays decently. I use it on the chopped B Natural Generation I made.
So it was a Godsend to receive from Jerry one of his modified Generation Bb’s. It plays great! Like really good Generations are supposed to play, with full round low notes and wonderfully sweet high notes and nice light “action”.
Bb was the worst key of whistle in my bag. Not any more!
