I just recieved a shaw high d in the mail the other day. The fipple is bent to the left, and at the end of the body the finger holes are about 45 deg. off-center. It doesn’t look “damaged,” I was wandering if that was the case with others? It sounds good, but you have to hold fipple in your mouth almost on its side for the holes to face upwards. Does anyone else have these problems?
Bill: I have never had the pleasure of playing a Shaw. However, I have played a lot of whistles. If the first part of your second sentence were not there, I would simply assume you had a tunable whistle, and that the head-piece was rotated a bit from center…However, the ‘bent-to-the left’ bit leaves me confused. If it were truly ‘bent’, I would assume damage.
Good luck…
Byll
I have a Shaw soprano D and fipple and toneholes are properly aligned in a straight line both with one another and the fipple, as well as with the Shaw logo and key marking at the top of the tube below the fipple. The wooden fipple is retained via a series of symetrical dimples on either side and an upward slight crimping underneath. Either you’ve got some wierd new model there or perhaps the fipple just rotated within the metal head. There should be a seam running down the underside of the conical tubing; it’s hard to imagine the toneholes being off by 45deg.
Philo
Is there any way you can post a photo?
I’ve handled and played a thousand or so Shaws, so I would be able to tell you what’s going on if I could see it. I can’t figure it out from your description.
Best wishes,
Jerry
well I just sent it back, they said that they would send me a new one pretty soon. I don’t know what the deal was, maybe it did get bent or something. From what you guys said I guess the new one will be better. I’ll have to wait and see though. Thanks,
Bill
While on the subject of Shaws, just thought I’d ask a quick question. I’ve a Shaw in E and it sounds so sweet, the notes are really clear. The only problem I find with it is that I have to take more breaths than say a Gen. Also I find the volume of the higher notes (G up) just too loud, not shrill or anything, they’re spot on but just too loud and not well balanced with the lower notes. There just seems to be a big jump in volume at that point.
So anyway, I’m thinking of getting Shaw in D for sessions, would an off the shelf one have the same issues anyone know? Or would one of Jerry’s tweaked ones address these problems? Breath and volume.
If only for the moderation of the breath requirement - get a Freeman Tweaked. The volume jumps a bit at the A on my Freeman Tweaked high D Shaw, but not more than average for whistles I would say. Nice whistle.