Looking for a better whistle

Hello:

My wife and I went to Bush Gardens williamsburg and on the Irish part of the theme park she purchased a Feadog Whistle in D for herself, so she can learn to play something. I personally play several musical instruments, so we was feeling a bit “left out” on that. However, I’ve been playing the whistle more than she does. However, I’m not sure if it is me or the whistle, but I can’t make anything from octave G to B to play cleanly. I’m not sure if it is me (could be) or the whistle.

So, I’m asking the experts in here to help me out. I could purchase a better, higher end whistle for me and “return” this back to her. Or coach me explaining me how to play those notes cleanly.

Kind Regards,

Luis

Hi Luis,

Have you read the notes on this site about tweaking? These top 3 notes do tend to be shrill on a Feadog, do you mean you’re getting a “split-note” sound, or just a lot of breathiness in the note or what?

Have you checked the head for loose bits of plastic? Have you moved the head to put it in tune? Have you tried the Blu-tac tweak (filling the gap under the blade with bluetac)?

Any of these 3 adjustments could clean up the notes.

It may also be a question of overblowing, even on the high notes it’s more of a breath than a blow to get a clean sound.

Good luck, good tweaking!

Enjoy Your Music!

Hi Luis,
My feadog is very squeaky though both octaves so it could just be the whistle. I put the head form a Waltons Little Black Whistle on it and it sounds much better.

I’m still partial to my Clarke Original but the modified Clarke Original that is at http://www.thewhistleshop.com is probably better and easier than tweeking it yourself like I did. I think the Clarke has more chiff and a higher wind requirement than the feadog but it also has a mellower more flute-like sound trhat is really great for solo playing. If you are looking to play in sessions or with a group, I’d say it is not loud enough.

I’ve heard a lot of people swear by the sweetones and the megs. I am waiting for a meg in the mail right now but haven’t tried one yet. Can’t really go too wrong for $3 though. If you don’t like it, give it to someone else.

I wouldn’t suggest the Little Black Whistle even though the head sounds good on the feadog body. Stock, the LBW is not pleasant sounding. It’s out of tune with itself, brings buzziness to a new level, and sounds very metalic. On the up side, it’s extremely light and cheap (about $4.50)

Hope this helps some.

If it was me I’d pay the extra $20-30 and get a Dixon - so much better really. If not, then an Oak.

a) Tweak? you tweak these? Now I feel stupid :slight_smile:.

b) Just to clarify the issue at hand. It sounds good for a while, when the whistle is “cold” (or I’m “cold”), eventually it sounds with the split-note sound.

c)

  1. I’ve checked for loose bits of plastic. I can take another look at it.

  2. No, I have not moved the head. I did not know that you can do it with this whislte.

  3. Blue what?

I will give these a try tonight.

I have tried to not to overblow it (or underblow it). It can be a problem of having a dirty head, or saliva being stuck at the head. I’ll check tonight.

Thanks for the advise.


Cheers,

Luis

If it plays fine for a while, it may just be moisture build up. Blue tack is the stuff by 3m that you use to put posters up. Usually it’s in the stationary aisle of the store with glue and tape. It’s sort of the consistancy of silly putty but it sticks a little more.
Good luck
-Jim

Even if you get this whistle sounding great you will be buying more whistles, a lot more whistles. Regarding giving the whistle back to your wife, won’t happen but you could buy another whistle for her and then also take that one.

Joe

I’m guessing, if it sounds OK while cold, that you’re dealing with condensation in the windway…happens to all of us. Try this…when you start getting that “split note” sound, put your finger (lightly!) over the window and give the whistle a good, hard blow to clear out any moisture. If that helps, you’ve found your problem.

All whistles develop condensation…some worse than others. One way to keep it from becoming a big problem is to use the “soap strip” fix. When your whistle is dry (i.e., hasn’t been played for a while), dip a strip of stiff paper or plastic in a solution of dish soap and water and use this to coat the windway with the soapy water. Let it dry thoroughly before playing. This works brilliantly to prevent condensation buildup…I can often go a week or so between treatments without a problem.

It is true that Feadogs can be shrill on those high notes, but if you’re getting that “split note” thing intermittantly, and you’re sure you’re not just dropping or increasing breath pressure without realizing it, I’m betting condensation is to blame.

Redwolf

It is the cry around the castle battlements: The Blade, he must Dull the Blade!

Hi again, Luis. Figured I’d add a bit to my last post.

If I were you, as a relative beginner, I wouldn’t rush out just yet and buy a high-end whistle, even if you conclude that the problem lies with the Feadog. There are wonderful high-end whistles out there, and they are beautiful instruments, but I really think that a person should have a good idea of the kind of sound they like from a whistle before they invest in an expensive one (remember, a lot of very good, professional, whistle players never play anything but “cheapies.” There are very good instruments in the low- to mid-price-range…that’s one of the things that’s particularly nice about this instrument). Many of us here do own high-end instruments, and we love them dearly, but in most cases we made those purchases after we’d played for a while and had a really good idea of what, to our mind, constitutes “the ideal whistle.”

By “high-end,” I mean a whistle that costs more than about $35. Most high-end whistles are hand-made and individually voiced, and they can range in price from around $70 to around $300, depending on the maker and the materials.

Definitely check the moisture aspect first, because it’s a problem common to all whistles (all fipple flutes, really…recorders clog too), no matter how much you pay for them or who made them.

If, despite clearing the moisture, you find you still have problems with your Feadog, you have several options. If you like to tinker, you certainly can try to tweak it…there are some instructions on the main C&F website. Lots of people do that, and end up with lovely whistles (though you also, of course, run the risk of ruining it entirely, especially while you’re learning).

If, like me, you don’t really enjoy tinkering, you have the option of buying an already tweaked whistle. I know of two that are commercially available: The already-mentioned tweaked Clarke (available from The Whistle Shop) and the Cillian O Briain “improved” Feadog (available from Shanna Quay, in Ireland). If you decide to go this route, I highly recommend you first find a standard Clarke original and play it a bit to find if you like the basic sound. Many love them, but they do sound very different from the Feadog/Generation/Oak/Etc. cylindrical-bore, plastic-topped genre. If you prefer the overall sound of the Feadog type, go with the O Briain “improved.” If you prefer the Clarke, go with the tweaked Clarke. I haven’t priced the tweaked Clarke, but the O Briain “improved” will cost you about $35 plus shipping (not prohibitive, even coming from Ireland).

The other option, of course, is to continue to search for the perfect stock whistle…and there are really good ones out there, though you may find yourself acquiring quite a few (whistles are addictive, if you haven’t already discovered this!). Many recommend the Dixon as a good beginner’s whistle…I haven’t played one, but I like what I hear about them. There are good Generations out there too, though quality control appears to be a problem (heck, there are good stock Feadogs out there too…I still have an older one that I love). Oaks get very good press here too. If you don’t mind becoming a collector, this can also be a good route to try.

One more option, of course, is to try to find a whistle teacher in your area. Someone like that could help you determine if the problems you’re experiencing are a factor of the whistle or how you’re playing it, and give you good advice as to how to deal with them. It’s not always an option, of course, but one to consider, if you can find a good whistle teacher in your area, and if money for lessons isn’t a problem.

Most important, to my mind, is to continue to hang out here and listen to what others have to say about their experiences with this fun and occasionally fickle instrument. You will learn a lot about how to get the best out of the whistles you already have, and you will undoubtedly learn about others that you will find yourself desperate to acquire :slight_smile:


Redwolf

Yes, if you are at all interested
in playing whistles, get a better
whistle.

I remember trying to learn on a feadog also; not easy. I too suffered from problems, mine being an inability to play the second octave without getting the first octave in there. Broke down and got a Clarke, a few sweetones, a few susato’s (Whistle acquisition disorder does hit hard) and haven’t had the problem with any of them at all. Occasionally go back to play the Feadog now that I am somewhat decent player and find that it is still a somewhat temperamental whistle; in short I don’t like it. Surely some tweaking is in order. Try a new whistle, sweetone or regular Clarkes opened up a whole new world for me. Go to thewhistleshop.com- good service and every kind of whistle you can hope for. I have trouble finding whistle’s even here in the middle of So. CA- find everything I want at whistle shop.

i vote you get another whistle. i have a feadog and truly enjoy it. however, it doesn’t compare to my hoovers. macks’ are a great buy and play like a dream.

Funny thing. My first whistle was from Busch Gardens in Williamsburg too. After a few weeks, when I couldn’t make the second octave sound any better, I decided it ws not me but the whistle. I got a Sausato. Even now, I cannot get the Feadog to sound good above the second E or maybe F.

Hello:

Well, it seems that I’m in good company, I appreciate all your kind responses. I decided to buy two whistles, a sweettone and a dixon tunable, both sopranos on D.

Probably my wife will use the sweettone to learn, the dixon we’ll be mine (of course, she’ll take the cooler one so this whole point is moot :slight_smile: ).

If I take this seriously, I might get something more exoteric. In the meantime, it should be enough.

Thanks,

Luis