Newbie alert! Did not recieve the whistle I ordered?

Whistle
1

Hello everybody! Newbie here- Played the recorder as a child, and after that, 30 years of nothing. But I have a love for all things Celtic sounding, and I’ve always wanted to have another go at playing an instrument and I figured that if any instrument is going to work for me, it will be the tin whistle.
So I did a little bit of research, and ordered a Clarke Sweetone D whistle from a British seller on Ebay. It is called a Sweetone D, and there are pictures of a Sweetone D, but then they went and sent me something else entirely: a Clarke Original D.
Now as you probably know much better than I do, the Sweetone is a metal conical whistle with an ABS plastic upper part. The Original is a fully metal flute with a wood block inserted in the mouth piece.

I’m having a hard time convincing the seller that they made a mistake (he claims Clarke make only one kind of whistle?!). Also, I’m not sure if I’m better or worse off. I’m not sure if I should push for an exchange or not. I would really like to get started, and it does not seem decent to send back a used instrument. I live in Belgium, so it will all take quite a bit of time as well.

Also, about this wood block. It does leave open a space at the top so that the wind can reach the fipple, which is as it should be. But I also notice that there are quite sizable gaps between the metal and the underside and left and right of this block. Is this normal? I have no idea about how this is supposed to work, but I would say that air can escape through these gaps?

Thank you for your thoughts on this!

2

Opinions on the Clarke original vary. When I started with the whistle, I hated my old Clarke original C, but after a tweak or two, a couple of years of whistle, and some flute playing I now find that the breath requirements aren’t quite so outrageous as I first thought. Arguably the Sweettone is an easier whistle for the Newbie, but I would consider hanging on the Original as well. They have rather different sounds, and the original can be nice for those quiet evenings where you don’t want to offend the neighbors.

If you want a reliable, easy to play, whistle, I’d recommend getting one of the ones “professionally” tweaked by Mr. Freeman. I’m partial to the Mellow Dog personally, but there are plenty of others.

Info on the Clark self-tweak is in several locations, try here for starters: https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/looking-for-that-perfect-whistle/37593/8

3

Hi Elwing, and welcome to the Chiffboard!

The Clarke product page clearly shows the Original and the Sweetone - two different whistles. Either the seller is ignorant, or is feigning ignorance in order not to correct the mistake. In either case, eBay should be notified that the seller is not delivering the advertised product.

it does not seem decent to send back a used instrument.

You’re very kind, but that’s not your problem. It’s the seller’s problem. Besides, used whistles are traded all the time, and they can be disinfected.

Also, I’m not sure if I’m better or worse off. I’m not sure if I should push for an exchange or not.

Actually, most experienced players consider the Clark Original the better, more desirable whistle than the Sweetone. So you have the better whistle. But it may be a bit more difficult for a beginner. It’s also non-tunable, but the Clarke Original tuning is generally very good.

Also, about this wood block. … But I also notice that there are quite sizable gaps between the metal and the underside and left and right of this block. Is this normal?

Yes, it’s normal, and it won’t affect the sound or playability very much. But some people like to seal those gaps with hot wax or putty. You can also reduce the size of the windway by gently “crushing” the top of the beak with your thumb. Do a search for the term “Clarke tweak” here on the board. [Added: I see Latticino has posted links.]

Most whistle players have more than one whistle, and the Clarke Original is a desirable whistle for your collection. So if the price was reasonable, you might want to keep it anyway - and you can start your whistle adventure immediately. :slight_smile: Then think about getting a more “conventional” whistle. My short list of recommendations includes: Walton’s Little Black Whistle, Freeman tweaked whistle, Dixon Trad, and the Killarney whistle. The first three are available from Big Whistle, who offer very good service. The Killarney can be ordered directly from the maker.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide.

4

I don’t want to start off right away with an instrument that needs tweaking…I have mailed the seller, and they now accept it is the wrong item and ask me if I want to exchange it. I think I should… And oh, I’ve tried it. And I have told the seller I have tried it.

Have been able to get a basic tone scale out of it without too much trouble. Not sure if I like it; it seems to leave my lips rather raw…

5

There’s an art to modifying original Clarkes. It’s the great thing about them, you can adjust the height and width of the windway and adjust the height and shape of the blade.

One of the best whistles I’ve ever played was an old (1960s?) Clarke C my first mentor/teacher had. It was magic. He let me borrow it for a week, and I spent many hours trying to get another Clarke to sound just like his. (He had customised it of course. He also played an early Overton Low D on which he had removed the alloy block and put in his own hand-carved block. This played better than any other Overton.)

Anyhow I meticulously examined his Clarke and spent hours reshaping the windway and blade of mine to match. I got mine around 90% there, but oh that elusive 10%!

About those gaps, I filled them, as he had.

If I was you I’d keep that original Clarke. As you learn more about what you want in a whistle, you can modify it to suit. Can’t do that with plastic-top whistle (well, you can, but it’s more difficult).

6

As the original costs about twice as much as the Sweetone you’re definitively better off in this respect. :slight_smile:

7

Hmm, strange, my previous reply has disappeared. The seller has contacted and asked if I want an exchange, and I have told them yes in principle- but I have told them that I have used this instrument, and that I’m quite displeased about having to wait another two weeks. It’s in their camp now, and I’ll have to wait and see.
In the mean time, I have made a modest start with this whistle. It does seem to take quite a bit of air, and I’m getting quite raw under my upper lip. I blame this on inexperience. I’m now off to try out various online tutorials- thanks for your help!

8

MT Guru, a MUCH more proficient whistle player than I am has recommended the following whistle:

Walton’s Little Black Whistle

. As expected, opinions on whistles vary significantly. I’ve recently worked with a beginning whistler who struggled a lot with a Little Black. I tried it and found that it had an almost opposite issue to the Clark Original. This one, and I have no idea if it is typical of the Little Blacks, needed so little air that breath control was again a bit difficult for a beginner. I, and others, could play it without too much difficulty, but the owner broke into squeaks and squawks often. For an inexpensive, off the shelf whistle I feel that the Oak is a better choice, in addition to the other whistles that MT has suggested, but YMMV.

9

Well, I like my two LBWs, in the Guinness version. They play similarly to a Generation, with similar breath.

Oh, I forgot the Oak. Yes definitely, a great whistle and an excellent choice.