I have a Low D Nontunable Overton (it was a birthday gift and I’ve never had in my hands any other Overton) to be honest, I never was able to “tame” it and now I moved to flute I was about to sell it.
The fact is that, while taking the Goldie Low Whistles photos (and the Overton images I could find in the Web), I noticed that they are very well finished (maybe they are retouched), which is not the case with mine. My Overton headjoint seems to be indented in the windway (should that be completely straight?) and there seem to be some defects in some finger holes (specially the fifth)
The photograph looks normal. I am unable to discern what you call an indentation. If what you have is a Goldie Overton, Colin will check it out for you.
Best.
Byll
The two pictures you have posted look the same as my low D. Do you have a picture of the fifth hole? Have you looked inside the bottom end for where Colin has scribed his name?
Byll said it best. Colin will tell you what you have.
This one was bought not before 2000 I think, Michael, but it is probably older.
Thank you for your replies; I should play it instead of studying its windway and holes; but the ones in Colin page are so shiny and new…
Too much freetime today I’m afraid
The whistles have a brushed finish with circular “grain” lines, which gives them a nice matte appearance, not shiny. If you want to polish it to a higher gloss, Colin has instructions on his website.
Looks like yours may be a Bernard Overton. Bernard changed his design very little over time and did not finish his whistles. Colin Goldie, who continued to refine and develop the whistle’s design has for many years now finished the whistle better, sandblasted the inside tube, and chamfered the finger holes, improving both design and looks.
That said, a little metal polish and elbow grease will go a long way to give your whistle a nicer finish. Don’t touch the blade though.
To me it looks like the edge of the blade has indeed been damaged. It should be straight and sharp. And I would imagine that it can affect the way it plays too, tiny changes in the windway and window can make big differences. An overhaul might be a good idea.
Each of these Overton whistles are custom tuned and as such each will look a little bit different and may have what looks like odd things done to them.
I don’t remember when Goldie started making whistles with Bernard, but is the inside of the bell end engraved with Goldie’s name? If it is I would not question what it looks like at all and play it to see if it meets your expectations.
Each of these Overton whistles are custom tuned and as such each will look a little bit different and may have what looks like odd things done to them.
Very true. I make whistles by hand myself and I know that no two are exactly alike. But to me that doesn’t look like a custom feature. It looks like the blade has been damaged some time over the years, perhaps during cleaning. And taking into account that Maeloc hasn’t been able to “tame it” as he puts it I thought that this might be the reason.
I don’t remember when Goldie started making whistles with Bernard, but is the inside of the bell end engraved with Goldie’s name? If it is I would not question what it looks like at all and play it to see if it meets your expectations.
If it plays fine then play it and enjoy it. But if you’re not happy I don’t think it’s wrong to question the instrument. Even if it is an Overton.
It should be said that I am not in any way questioning the makers skill. Overtons are fantastic instruments and there are lots of people who can testify to that! I certainly can.
I have an old Bernard Overton low D. A couple of years ago the block had been fallen out. This happened before and the block was not very well fixed. I took it to Colin (he lives and hour and a half driving from my home) and he fixed it for me, also he did some finetuning, and I don’t know what else. After Colin fixed it it was so very much improved that it was almost another whistle, the sound was deeper, and it blows so much easier ever since. I’m never gonna part with it, it’s a beauty. And about the graining, mine wasn’t grained either, but then it slipped out of my hands, so I grained it myself. Overton is one of a kind. And now a new Overton whistle is gonna be named a Goldie whistle.
Yep, it seems it is a Bernard Overton (no mark inside inner bell);
here is at last a good photo of the windway (for the curious) http://www.box.net/shared/rsby981drv
The windway didn’t suffer any damage through the years, it is as the first day the low was given to me
Thank you again for all your answers; I’ll follow your advice and see if Colin Goldie can overhaul it
