Kerry Low D Tweaks?

Whistle
1

Hi, all – I did a quick search to see if I was creating a “rerun” topic, but couldn’t find anything specifically related to this on first blush … Anyway, my beloved gave me a Kerry Low D whistle (not a Pro model) recently. And, while 100% thrilled with him, I’m tempted to take the whistle to the woodshed for a bit of illicit tinkering. It just seems kind of muddy & muffled-sounding to me. So … am I just that bad a low whistle player (I’ll admit I’ve not got a lot of mileage in this department)? Or has anyone else encountered a murky Kerry Low D – and if so, have you performed any successful tweakage you’d like to share with us low-whistelly disadvantaged? :boggle:

Thanks so much!

Cat.

2

The Kerrys are a bit murky generally, or perhaps buzzy is the right word. While it might do to check for burs and bits, I wouldn’t start tweaking right away. You might want to experiment a bit with breath pressure and the angle at which you blow into the whitles. I’d also recommend recording yourself and listening back to see how murky you really sound. Some types of breathiness the player will hear but not the listener.

3

  1. The newer (2003) generation of heads was modified, and solved a few problems–notably the buzz on low tones–encountered with the original. Now I can’t tell them apart by eyesight.

  2. Kerry whistles do sell the heads separately, if you contact the maker directly.

  3. The fipple plug is removable, making it easier to check the windway for eventual flaws. Get the head over a broomstick, give it a good tap on the floor, and the plug should come out. If you screwed it up, go back to point #2) :wink:

4

I bought a few low kerrys a couple of years ago and they went straight back to the shop. I do know some people with some really nice ones though and the quality recently seems alot better.

As for tweaking it shouldn’t be too hard as there are no curves to deal with and the head of the whistle is large (being a low D). I would read the tweaking suggestions on the site and take everything a little at a time and check each adjustment by cleaning and playing. It might prove a good whistle to learn tweeks on.

5

I put in a thin plastic shim at the top of the windway last night. Cuts downs on air just a tad. Didn’t seem to affect the low end, but did help the upper notes a bit. It was a pretty slim shim. Cut it out of a plastic whistle box. Tried a shim on the bottom. No go. Top only.

6

You guys are so lovely. I’ll start studying on it and see … Vomit’s ( :laughing: I’ve been dying to write that) methods sound a little less aaahh, final than a broomstick ('Uh, honey, you know that whistle you gave me for my birthday? Ummmm … ‘) tho’, so I’ll probably go that route first. But thank you, thank you, thank you! I’ll let you know how it turns out when I actually pull the trigger on this project.

cat.