I’ve been playing my new Overton Sop D for about a week and find that the windway has a tendency to clog up even though I warm the whistle up before playing it. I haven’t experienced this problem with my other whistles (a Burke and a Feadog).
Is this characteristic of the Overtons and other all metal whistles?
How is this problem best remedied?
Does the liquid soap treatment cure the problem?
Thanks!!
Giles
It tends to be a problem with Overtons particularly, because the windway is so narrow and it therefore doesn’t take much to disrupt the airflow. My experience comes from the three Overtons I play, a high D, a B, and a low D.
Yes, the soap trick makes a big difference. I don’t use soap myself, but something called “Jet-Dry Sparkle” which is used in dishwashers to keep water droplets from beading up on glassware and spotting it. I use a swab to paint it onto the bevel where the windway exits into the window ( that’s the opposite end of the windway from your mouth ), and have never found it necessary to coat the inside of the windway with it. Others may use different methods, but this is what works for me.
Because the windway is so narrow, it’s also a good idea to work a patch of some sort through it from time to time to clean out the grunge that tends to accumulate there – even if you can’t see it. You may be surprised at how much difference in tone and ease of playing it can make.
Remember to blow harder - you have to play an Overton as if you really mean it.
Just to expand on what Stevie has said, when you blow harder on the Overton and play it as it was made to be played, the moisture has no time to collect at all and will be pushed out of the windway. All you’ll find after a few minutes playing is that the moisture (in droplet form) will trickle down from the narrow windway in a neat thread(s). My Overton Low D and F (and the Overton sop D I tried) have never clogged on me. (although the low D is a beast to play cold). But then again it might just be that your particular Overton needs a little re-tweaking by Colin, or jet-dry application.
Okay.. off to camp tomorrow!
[ This Message was edited by: Eldarion on 2002-03-18 08:42 ]
Thanks to you all for your replies. You’ve been a great help.
Giles
I’ll have to agree. When I first started playing the Overtons, I had some clogging probs. But as I learned how to blow into them the probs went away. Even when the whistle is cold, now if it’s windy you can forget it. It’s all in your technique with the Overtons.
I have a Hoover low D and it requires such soft air that the condensation doesn’t get blown through, there for clogging is a prob on it. I love the whistle though so It doesn’t bother me.
Overtons on the other hand…never a problem.