While wiating for a whitecap I decided to have a go and tweak my generation Bb with the matchstick trick…
What had I to lose, as the mouthpiece will be changed in a few days time.
So I stuck a matchstick in the fipple at the sides, just one at the right side, and broke off the excess and had a blow…
WOW!
All of a sudden this has become a better whistle than I thought it would ever be, takes less air and you can even lean into a little bit with a nice push for the second octave…
I was wondering if there are further simple ways of tweaking although it doesn’t need much more I think, though it still sounds a bit buzzy (it’s a brass gen).
Go to the search window and do a search for “gen and tweak”.
Several ways to tweak a gen. Blue tac. Glue on extra plastic on to the blade, top or bottom. Matchsticks.
I’d have to say I’ve never been super happy with my Bb gens though…
One day I’ll find one that floats my boat.
I’ve tried the guitar pick tweak, and it made mine better–less breathy or airy in the second octave. This tweak is mentioned on several threads, you can do a search.
Thanks to all. I just reshaped my Generation Bb whistle. First, I cut a thin/narrow strip of 150 grit sandpaper, doubled it over, and pulled it through the wind chamber a couple times with pressure on the bottom side as it approached the ramp (I had pushed the sandpaper on through into the brass tube, then pullled it slowly out for the sanding effect). It had a hump in the middle but this leveled the opening so it matched/paralleled the edge of the blade/ramp. Next, I took a couple of those square tapered cane toothpicks you get free at a Thai restuarant and shaved one edge off so it fit snug and wedged them in about an inch or less on both sides of the wind chamber. This narrowed the opening and mellowed the tone right down and yet produced a louder volume because of the sanding I think. I like it a lot. My Gen whistle is one of the older ones with a red mouthpiece. It had been played to death.
The C Generation whistle had a larger gap in the windway (both directions), but had a hump in the middle too just as it came to the ramp. It was a little trickier to get right. I’m still experimenting with it to get it to sound/feel like the Bb. The sanding opened up the sound…it’s louder now, and nice enough (better than before). It’s also an older one with a red mouthpiece that had been played to death.
