I’m looking for a whistle in soprano D that plays like a really good nickel Eb Generation. I would like the whistle to be in tune with itself and have that bright sound…from what I’ve heard a Humphrey seems to fit this…does the Jerry Freeman tweaked D sound as good as the untweaked Eb?
I don’t know, but I absolutely love my nickel gen Eb. A beautiful whistle.
I think you’d be very pleased with a Humphrey. I also just got a Black Diamond, and while they’re similar, I prefer the Humphrey.
-brett
I was just playing the BD and the Humphrey that I have on loan. Wow, very close in sound. I thing the BD (at least the one I have) is slightly brighter in sound (by my understanding of what bright means). Could you say a bit more by what BRIGHT means to you?
As an aside:
Considering the BD is a narrower bore (it fits within the ID of the Humphrey) and a narrower and shorter windway( approximately 50% of the Humphrey), I am amazed at the volume Erle was able to get out of it. It again, is slightly louder than the Humphrey.
Almost a coin flip there.
The Black Diamond has a 1/2" inside diameter, so you must be comparing it to one of my wide bore D whistles if the Black Diamond fits inside it.
My narrow bore D has a 15/32" inside diameter, and should fit inside the Black Diamond tube.
A Generation Eb or D should almost, but not quite fit inside the Black Diamond tube… Gens have a 13mm outside diameter, which is ever-so-slightly larger than 1/2".
I have brass and nickel Eb Gens and a Humphreys Eb. I have played the Black Diamond D and compared it to my Humphreys Narrow bore D. They are very close in sound. I prefer the Humphreys. The Humphrey Eb sings. It is a beautiful whistle.
I would buy a Black Diamond if I had the money for yet another whistle but not if I had to give up my Humphreys. My Gen Ebs are just fine also.
Ron
I mean bright in the sense that nickel tends to be brighter than brass. Brass is more mellow, rounder in sound.
Gary, have you ever made your whistles out of nickel?
Are generations made of nickel plated brass or just nickel?
The narrow-bore Humphrey D is brilliant.
Doesn’t Sindt make sterling silver (along with the more common Brass) gen type whistles? That might be what you are looking for.
I haven’t found a supplier of nickel tubing that doesn’t require it to be special ordered with a large minimum order.
Generation tubes are nickel plated brass… I recently found that out when I turned the end of one down to fit one of my mouthpieces.
Gary,
If you ever get around to using nickel shoot me an email and I just noticed your nice quotation from the man himself. I heard he just did a free concert in San Jose…my friend was really bummed considering most of his touring is done in Europe, let alone a free concert.