I’m just thinking this through …
I send whistles to other countries fairly often, and I have to fill out a customs declaration whenever I do.
Under “Description of contents” I could save a lot of time by just using the abbreviation “GTPDMO.”
Or maybe not. Seems like if I did, the GTPDMO might be delayed, or even confiscated, by the Homeland Security type officials in whatever checkpoints they would have to pass.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Which has nothing to do with your preference in diddly music generating devices. 
hehe 
Disclaimer: The previous statement was meant as a good natured jest, and should not in any way be interpreted as any one of the following:
Just to get this thing back towards the original subject: I was in Custy’s this morning with my 12 year old son (the shop was taking their weekly dozen of ‘They’ll be good yet’ off me).
While waiting around I picked a new whistle for my son and tried around ten Generation Ds sitting in the jar on the counter, they were all about the same and all perfectly serviceable withoutout any filing, cutting or filling. They were also all in tune with the CD playing in the shop (Gary Shannon’s new one)
We got an Oak by the end of it, for it’s slightly different tone in the lower octave.
Around here, you can’t just pick up whistles in shops and play them. They have conniption fits about hygiene. Yet, when Mike Burke is at a show, he has little antispetic wipes available and you can play any whistle you want.
Yes, that would be considered miles over the top here.
While waiting around I picked a new whistle for my son and tried around ten Generation Ds sitting in the jar on the counter, they were all about the same and all perfectly serviceable withoutout any filing, cutting or filling. They were also all in tune with the CD playing in the shop (Gary Shannon’s new one)
We got an Oak by the end of it, for it’s slightly different tone in the lower octave.
I’ve wondered before, and this makes me wonder again–perhaps the Generations you can buy there come from a different warehouse or factory than the ones we get here?
Every Generation D I’ve bought has been about 40 cents sharp where every Oak I’ve bought has been well-tuned out of the box compared to standard pitch.
40 cents is easily enough that you’d notice the difference going from the Gen to the Oak.
–James
Interestingly reading your post I tested the Oak we bought this morning: 45 cents sharp of concert pitch. The head was unglued and easily moved, stuck o nat random I would think. Also interesting, unlike the Oak I bought years ago this one is ‘Made in Ireland’.
The Oak C’s they had in Custy’s looked like they had that old ugly bulky head the early Feadogs had on them. Coincidence?
Mind you, the Generations I tried were maybe less screechy but not any easier to play compared to one ‘unplayable’ one Jerry once sent me for comparison. That one was fine too (except for the slightly screechy octave). I have also in the past referred to the Gens Brid used for the CD, assumed here as ‘the rare good ones’. Yes, good ones but nothing particularly hugely special, you bring your bit to it too.
I’m listening to that one as I’m reading your post! I just love his style, though those interested only in pure-drop should probably stay away from it. Thanks for clueing me into its impending release a couple of months ago – I pre-ordered it straight from Garry.
It’s just so damn hard to believe that a whistle, which SEEMs so easy to play, could be something that it takes practice and skill to get a good sound out of. The only thing easier should be a piano, where if you press the C key, it’s a C. But it’s not. And understanding this, believing it truly, is the first step toward getting better. The music is in the person, not the whistle.
Plus, and I can’t prove it, but I’d bet that me pressing the C key on a piano sounds different than if Keith Jarrett pressed the C.