Of all the whistles I own, (all $10 whistles until I get my Syn) my favorite to play is a Sweetone in C. When I play the nasty thing, all the saliva runs out over the fipple and onto my hands, not down the tube. Normal? I concluded it might have been due to my beheading of it to make it tuneable but I’m not sure.
While I’m here, does anyone know a good place to get Clarke’s origionals in Chicago? I’d just order one online, but I don’t want to pay shipping for a $10 whistle.
There does seem to be a “large” gap where the head meets the barrel, at the seam. I could envision this happening, though it’s never happened with mine.
Don’t know anything about Chicago though, sorry. A city that big though, I would think that maybe they would have an eclectic musical instrument store. Or maybe I’m just spoiled.
Can you wrap Teflon tape or something around the barrel to get a tighter fit? I suppose you are also losing air through there too which wouldn’t be ideal I should think. I’m sure someone who has fixed the problem will be along.
Because the tube is irregular, beeswax or parafin fills the air (and condensate) leaks better than tape.
Of all my “messy whistles,” I’d say mine is my Chieftain low D… Be ware when a person is playing that thing.. Because it Shoots! Shoots that mysterious moisture from the soundblade at a high velocity! Usually it hits my fingers, even my lower hand fingers… But sometimes it will go out towards whatever is in front of me…
I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Clarke’s in the Different Strummer shop at the Old Town School in Lincoln Square. I know for a fact they have a full range of brass and nickel Gens, but I’m pretty sure I saw a couple Clarke’s on a rack on the other side of the room, near the kiddie stuff, a few weeks ago.
http://www.oldtownschool.org/Strummer/
If not there, you might also try Hogeye Music up in Evanston.
Flatts & Sharpe, 6749 N Sheridan, right by Loyola University, has had a few Clarke Originals every time I’ve been there. They’re where I got my first tinwhistle, though that was a Feadog. Very cool place, people there are very nice. They sell Feadog and Generation too, and other assorted musical oddities (mostly guitars and mandolins and such tho). That’s far north, but I don’t know any places further south, sorry. I wanna say there’s a music story around Devon and Belmont that has 'em, but I can’t remember if they had Clarke or just Generation, or if I’m deluding myself either way.