I found Burke carries all these Keys. Does anybody know of anybody else. I was first thinking Generation (or Freeman Tweak), but their sets were missing F#. I don’t think I want to pay more than $75/ whistle. If a cheaper set isn’t availible Burke will do. I just can’t see spending $800 on whistles I won’t use as often.
Susato makes the VSB (very small bore) in those keys. You can buy one head with multiple bodies for a reasonable price.
Here is a place that I saw the VSB F# forsale.
http://www.whistleanddrum.com/susato-kildare-custom-orders
Cheers!
Now, this is an interesting proposition.
I’ve a tweaked Enat Generation in the works, along with a tweaked Bnat. There’s nothing to stop me from doing a tweaked F# Generation as well. It will take some time, but I’ll do it. Is there any use for a C#? Or an Ab?
Best wishes,
Jerry
Why do you want a high F#?
Interesting indeed. I wonder whether it would be possible to turn a G or an F whistle into an F# whistle by simply adjusting the head, or are you replacing the tube, Jerry? The head adjustment works reasonably well to produce an A whistle from a Bb Gen. A slightly more complex procedure is to refine the tuning of each note with a spot of tape or a file. But a high F# whistle would really be a collector’s item. If you really need to play in F#, have you considered a C# whistle instead? (And I guess that turning a D or a C whistle into a C# whistle would be an equally achievable DIY project.)
Indeed - and not much more than that. I can barely play my G at times, the holes are so close together for my long fingers. An F# whistle? ![]()
I have a Generation C that in truth is closer to being a C# (ie very sharp) than a C.
My sister has a Gen G - the holes are so close I cannot play it.
The E’s I have made I can just play (due to closeness of holes) - sweet whistles and fun to play, though I have had little call to play one)
My ears and cat are probably grateful for nothing higher.
Bill
That would be awesome Jerry!
I was leaning toward Gen anyway. I’m not big on poly bodies
Contact me when you got something. Between Gen Brass or Nickel, I prefer the later. BTW, are your tweaks tunable? I remember I could loosen my old feadog to get some minor tuning adjustment.
-Mike
Why not just pull the head out to bring it into tune?
The Gen C can be pulled down almost to B-nat, and the self-intonation should be fine at A440.
I’ve been looking for a low F# whistle for bluegrass. There are a few standard tunes our local bluegrass group plays in B but the dip below B (as many bluegrass tunes do). An F# would let me play those tunes using “G fingering.” Jerry, I’m hoping your tweaked Enat and Bnat are low/alto whistles not high ones; I’d be intererested in the alto Enat, Bnat and F# when you get around to it.
The Bnat will be an alto whistle, but the Enat and F# will be high whistles. I’ll keep in mind there’s demand for low Enat and F# whistles and see I can work in that direction. An alto G tweaked Generation is next on the list after the Bnat and Enat. I will have to experiment to find out if I can make it work. If an alto G tweaked Generation works, then I can try an alto F# tweaked Generation.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Ohhh Jerry,
Don’t tease me with a G! I’m just getting used to this wonderful A you sent me a couple of months ago.
Mercy please,
Michael
Why not just pull the head out to bring it into tune?
well thats what I did - its seems that it wasn’t quite as special after I did that, but that may just be my memory playing tricks, guess I’ll dig it out and try it out tomorrow …
Is there any use for a C#? Or an Ab?
Oh yes!
It’s why I created my C# Generation Frankenwhistle, and why I bought a Susato Ab. They’re possibly my least-used whistles but sometimes I’ve had to play in that many sharps and that many flats. (Actually I never seem to use my lovely Burke Low F either…)
In fact, I was just thinking the other day about the possibility of sending my Generation C# and Generation Bnat bodies to you to have optimised heads fitted. They actually play pretty well considering how crudely I made them.
I used a Bnat every day on my recent tour. And Enat is very very useful as well. I’d LOVE to have a Freeman Tweaked Feadog or Generation in high Enat!!
Here’s my funky bevy of FrankenGens: A, Bb, B, C, C#, D, and Eb. (that horrid Bb there has been replaced by a fantastic Freeman Bb)

What a beautiful collection. Conincedently stopping where I want my collection to began.
I am assuming you are showing both Bbs in the picture, because you only mention 7 keys and have 8 whistles showing. I also noted that you seem to prefer Brass over Nickle. Would you please enlighten me to why that is. I’m not saying either is superior. I’m more curious about why you like brass (if indeed you do).
Sorry, I forgot to mention the evil little F whistle! I can’t even put my fingers on the holes of that thing. Its tuning is horrendous.
So that photo shows Generations in A, Bb, Bnat, C, C#, D, Eb, and F.
The A is a funky thing I cobbled together myself, but it plays fine.
No duplicate Bb’s, otherwise there would be two same-sized whistles in the photo.
The high F I can’t finger, but I might be able to manage a high E.
About the laquered brass v nickleplate, back when I started playing in the 70s Generations were the only whistles available (other than Clarke Cs) and just about all the good players used brass (usually with red tops but sometimes with blue tops).
Sometimes I heard people say that they thought that the brass ones sounded better, that the nickle plating dulled the sound. It could be that, or simply that the brass ones were cheaper!
Sorry, I forgot to mention the evil little F whistle! I can’t even put my fingers on the holes of that thing. Its tuning is horrendous.
I’ll take it off your hands. ![]()