The problem I have with these whistles (I have two) are that they play okay for 15 mins or so then the sound starts to deteriorate. What I mean is that I can hardly get a note and if I blow too hard no note comes out at all! I think it might be an inherent problem as I am sure it shouldn’t happen to two whistles. Has anyone else had this problem? If so any ideas how to remedy it?
Thanks,
Dave.
Have you done the soapy water thing that Dale talks about elsewhere on this website? That usually clears up what you’re talking about, no matter what key your whistle is in.
Try jamming a matchstick in one side of the airway entrance.You only need push it in about 1/4" then cut it flush to the entrance with a hobby knife.This creates a little more back pressure by narrowing the airway.If it works you might like to try something more permanent.A few light scrapes along the blade edge with your hobby knife can also help. 
Mike
Mike R.'s suggestion is similar to a fix for their “improved” Clarkes on whistle shop website.
Has pictures and a good walkthru of the fix, they call it a “Muffler” of all things!
Url: http://www.thewhistleshop.com/catalog/whistles/inexpensive/Clarke/Tweeked/muffler/muffler.htm
I also have a Gen Bb but don’t have the above-mentioned problem. What I DO have is a whistle that plays fine in the first octave but gets very chiffy in the second octave. Any tweaking suggestions on this?
Susan
On 2002-11-03 11:15, susnfx wrote:
I also have a Gen Bb but don’t have the above-mentioned problem. What I DO have is a whistle that plays fine in the first octave but gets very chiffy in the second octave. Any tweaking suggestions on this?
Susan
Try the Matchstick in the airway tweak…the increased backpressure will improve 2nd oct performance considerably. Mike
Okay, I tried this: I put in one piece of matchstick - chiff seemed worse, so I put in another just to see. Second octave chiff much worse. So I removed the matchsticks. Removed the head and put wax in the air space (as per Mr. Wisely’s tweaking instructions). Still bad. Noticed what appeared to be blockage in the head, so I applied a pocketknife and found I hadn’t removed all the matchstick. The whistle is much improved! Not perfect, but definitely improved. First whistle I’ve tweaked without ruining it!
(Okay, next time follow the written instructions FIRST…)
Susan
Susan,Gen Bb’s even at there best are quite chiffy.Some folks have found a Sweetone C fipple makes a worthy substitute head for a less chiffy sound…might be worth a try. Mike
Tried the washing up liquid and just got bubbles Tried the matches and got a slight improvement.
I think I need to go to a music shop and bend a few ears…whilst trying each Bb for 20 mins or so. Somehow I don’t think I would be allowed!
Anyway thanks for the suggestions.
Dave.
Dave,
I have turned a Gen Bb into something playable by:
A: Blue tack in teh cavity
B: Sanding back the lip until the whistle was virtually unplayable, then sticking on a piece of plastic from a Coffeemate bottle. I used a small amount of sticky tack to hold the pastic on until I had it positioned to there the sound was good, then I dropped some Crazy Glue on to hold it.
That whistle is 100% better now. The suggestion (from this thread) to use a matchstick to increase backpressure only improved it further. (Two matchsticks set me backwards)
Tom
Tom,
You certainly have an improvising mind!
I understand about the blue tack in the cavity and sanding back the lip, you lost me on the coffemate bit. I will have to look in the shops. When I have the bit of plastic where do I stick it?..(no profanity’s please)…Crazy Glue?? I presume this is just a brand name for ordinary glue?
Excuse me if I am missing the obvious, I’m not very good at making stuff…I can make a mean cauliflower cheese though
Dave.
Thats a great tweak Tom.I realized after my ealier contribution to this thread that my Bb Gen was also rather chiff heavy in 2nd oct so I decided to do the guitar pick thing.What an improvement!Heaps less chiff with a very easy, pure 2nd oct…extremely satisfying…its a pisser!(Ausie slang for fantastic or I like it very much) Mike
Hi Dave,
After hearing some of your playing I never thought I’d see the day when I could tell you anything about a whistle. Go figure! I tried trimming back the lip on my Bb, but by the time I had finished circumsizing the old bugger, it didn’t play at all. So I resorted to “replacing” the lip with a piece of (thin) plastic. You can use coffeemate bottle (white) or water bottle (clear) or body-builders drink bottle (black). I like thin plastic like this because it seems to give a pure sound.
Cut a piece (a little rectangle) that is exactly wide enough to fit into the window. It should fit snugly and not have any gaps on either side. Then put a tiny (TINY) amount of blue tack on the ramp to hold your little piece in place. For the piece to sit steadily I had to sand off that little hump that they put on the ramp. Now you start experimenting to get the sound right. First get SOME sound. Then the slightest movement will give you different results. Play, move, play move, play move…stop. I like to put the whistle aside and play again next day to see if I really like it. Play, move, play, move, play, move. When it’s perfect, put a drop of Krazy Glue (it’s a brand) on the square and wait until dry. Krazy glue only requires a small amount. Don’t use the gel type, becuase the glue should soak under the plastic piece to hold it on, and the gel won’t penetrate. I like this tweak, because invariably after a few weeks or months you think you can do better, and it is possible to just break the seal, scrape off the glue-impregnated blue tack, and start the fun all over again. Once you get this down pat you’ll never buy another high end whistle.
Tom.
(edit: I find it helps sometimes to bend the plastic piece a little. I usually end up bending it down just a little, so that the end that goes in the window droops down a bit. I seem to have better luck with this and just straight. It helps when you cut the bottle in such a way that the bend is already taking the piece that way.)
[ This Message was edited by: E = Fb on 2002-11-04 21:53 ]
Cheers Tom,
I think I get the idea, I will give it a go.
Anyway It must be better than throwing it out of the window.
Dave.
On 2002-11-04 16:51, DaveAuty wrote:
Crazy Glue?? I presume this is just a brand name for ordinary glue?
Generically, cyanoacrilate glue. In UK, you should find from Loctite under SuperGlue brand. There’s also Cyanolit.
Zubivka,
Thanks. Loctite sounds familiar and superglue is easier to say than cyanoacrilate!
Dave.
I tried to improve a Gen Bb and eventually gave up. It still sounds teribble. It might make a good duck call…
Cheers,
Stef.