Here’s the method I use for wrapping the outside of the whistlehead socket. It’s the same as used for “whipping” the ends of a rope to prevent fraying:
In case the third picture isn’t obvious, to finish you pull the right end of the thread (B) to draw the loop and capture the other end (A) under the wraps of thread. You can trim the ends closer than shown so they disappear completely.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Oh Crom!!! Thou have returned!!!
Once you get the head off a Gen style whistle some Susato joint grease on the tube can make it just a fraction easier to move the head up and down or remove it again if you need to.
Feadog Cs can be as tight as the Gens, so every one I get off gets the joint grease put on the tube before the head goes back on.
[quote=“Bloomfield”]There are other ways to get a C Gen head off, but let me ask you first: Why exactly do you want to do this? What tweaks will you perform once you have the head off? I don’t think it will be worth the bother for the blu-tac tweak.
You don’t need to remove the head for dulling the blade. You can reduce the windway and replace the blade w/o removing the head. Is it tunability?[/quote]
BTW-you don’t actually have to take the head off for the blu-tac tweak either.You can use a dowel or the like through the tube to squish the blu-tac into place.
Remember, mortal, I do not respond favorably to prayer. The only gifts you can expect come at birth - a bold heart and a nimble fingers upon your whistle.
Annoy me with insolent petitions, and I shall send a horde of Cimmerians with bodhrans to Basel, and you shall be cast forever into the hell of the rhythm-challenged. 
I am not worthy to receive such wise words from you, my lord. 
Thank you for all your suggestions:)
The reason I want to tweak my whistle is Because I want to be able to tune it, and Id like to improve the sound.
Again, I really don’t want to do the acetone thing…
Bloomfield - what methods do you employ?
I recently played a D whistle of my friend’s. It was also Generation, but it sounded much clearer, much…smoother. She has not done any tweaking to it, yet the effect if far better than my own C. Is this simply because C whistles in general don’t sound as nice, or is it a problem with my individual whistle?
Lower whistles tend to get less clear, I don’t think the C is at fault, it’s just different than the D. If you want really clear smooth and responsive, try the Generation E flat. Like this</a](http://www.tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/Audio/11-02/londonbridgePeterL.mp3">this</a)> or this</a](http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/clips/steampacket_ambrose_brid.mp3">this</a)> or this</a](http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/clips/rollingmicho.mp3">this</a)> . All whistles in the clips totally untweaked.
Hi, Peter.
For clarity’s sake, I think we should sort out which of the clips were played on pre-1980’s Generations and which were played on current design Generations.
Of the three clips you’ve provided, the Micho Russell clip, I would expect was done with a pre-1980’s Generation (please correct me if I’m mistaken). What about Brid Donahoe’s clip and yours?
The reason I mention this is that the voicing of pre-1980’s Generations is slightly purer/sweeter than that of Generation whistles being made today. Current Generations are slightly huskier voiced than pre-1980’s ones.
This isn’t to dispute Peter’s point that untweaked Generations can be played beautifully. He’s proven that to me many times over.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Mine I bought in 1971 or so, the Brid clip was recorded in 1985 but she would, and does, sound exactly the same on an off the shelf one now. I recorded Micho during the mid 80’s, may have been either. Nevertheless, hatever you think of the D’s or C’s, it’s hard to beat one of their e flats.
Thanks for posting the clips, Peter. It’s always a pleasure to listen to your examples.
The Eb Generation uses the same whistlehead as the D.
You will get a slightly brighter, purer/sweeter, more birdlike timbre from a pre-1980’s Eb or D Generation than from a current Generation whistle of the same key.
However, you’ll also get a more birdlike timbre from an Eb Generation than from a D Generation that uses the same whistlehead (either pre-1980’s or current).
Best wishes,
Jerry
This](http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/clips/greenlinnetdonohue.mp3%22%3EThis) one was recorded around 1998, she definitely played a modern untweaked one there, blue-top nickle if I remember well.
If I compare Brid’s recent clip with your earlier clip, I can hear the difference in timbre I’m talking about.
The modern one is slightly more complex, slightly “edgier” than the vintage ones. I think this would be even more noticeable if the two whistles were sampled live, side by side. That’s certainly been my experience since I’ve been collecting and borrowing vintage Generation whistles and comparing them with the current ones off the shelf.
That is not to say that Brid’s playing of the modern Generation isn’t beautiful or that the whistle doesn’t sound beautiful. Nothing wrong with the sound. It’s just that the voicing is different from the older ones.
There’s a continuum of voicing from extremely pure/sweet (O’Briain Improved) through a middle area that’s noticeably huskier (Generations/Waltons) to the other end of the continuum where the voicing is very husky/edgy (Feadog).
Needless to say, you’ve proven, once again, that it’s possible to play an untweaked, new Generation perfectly.
Best wishes,
Jerry