I had an utterly delightful afternoon yesterday at Ralph Sweet’s workshop, when I went to pick up my newest acquisition, the prototype I had been playing last month. I returned it to him reluctantly, and after he did some cosmetic tweaking, I decided that I really did need to have it in my permanent possession.
Ralph and Walt showed me the basics of the process, going from raw stock, to turning the blank, drilling the bore and holes. Then as Walt tweaked a (different) whistle of mine (A Dixon that I couldn’t get six notes in tune with each other until he was through with it) Ralph ruttled around and gave me the opportunity to play some other whistles, including and Abell and Copeland, and Adler, Overton and Howard low D.
Among the hundreds of instruments arranged on his walls were a series of flutes and fifes that I have a particular interest in because I grew up in Waterbury, CT, the Brass City. The brass tubing turned out in Waterbury ranged from your ordinary smooth finish to some ornate scrollwork that makes the infamous engraved Copeland look as plain as yesterday’s bread. I didn’t try them out for sound, but I will keep my eye on eBay for one, just to have a sample of my hometown’s product in my collection.
Ralph has made over 11 thousand D whistes and fifes, over his years of crafting, and many more when you add in the other keys and flutes and such, and continues to tweak and change, encorporate new materials and designs. Some day I’m going back with my camera to take pics. It was a load of fun, and VERY educational.