See, I promised everyone they could see the new Serpent Polly-mer pics a couple weeks ago, not realizing just how popular the Vipers and stuff would get. So I had to build and ship whistles. So I didn’t get the pictures up. So they’re up now. Click my WWW link and link on in to see 'em. They’re amazing to look at, and purely wondrous to play.
Sorry for the late/early stuff… I’ll try to keep it to a minimum.
serpent
Those are the coolest looking whistles I have ever seen, bar none.
I neglected to mention that using the Viper dies, the Serpent Polly sounds a lot like the Viper, but with a dynamic just a tad more subdued in overtones. About the same loudness, but the range is a bit greater - you can easily hit the 3rd octave A, possibly higher. My cat ran out of the room at the A, and I had to go comfort her, so I didn’t try anything higher.
THANK YOU for the compliment!
serpent
i have to agree: serpent, they’re very cool looking. of course, i think the plain whistles you have on your main webpage look pretty spiffy too.
i’m currently trying to figure out if that is a contributing factor, or a symptom, of WhOA… do we WhOA sufferers buy so many whistles (partly) because they look so pretty, or do we find them so aesthetically appealing because we suffer from WhOA? (what came first, the chicken or the egg?)
This is undoubtedly a newbie question, but what is the difference on these (or any) whistles between a External brass tuning slide and an Integral (internal) tuning slide? I am only familiar with whistles that have two parts and by lengthening or shortening that “joint” you tune sharp or flat.
BTW…whistles look wonderful (purple would be a nice color addition! )
Hi, Larry – I couldn’t locate a good metallic purple yet. Eventually I want to offer a full spectrum of colors.
Either tuning slide model I use works to shift the base pitch of the whistle. The difference is as follows:
External - A brass collar is cemented to the body of the whistle and the head joint slides in and out of that collar.
Internal - A joint is physically turned into the whistle tubing on a lathe - the body is bored a bit wider for about an inch down from the “top”, and the head is turned down to match so they two bits slip together with some friction.
Of the two, the pitch error percentage based on wall thickness is less in the internal, or “integral” tuning slide.
(Edit) I bore the whistles for perfect pitch when the bell note is correct with the tuning slide out 1/4 inch.
If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Cheers,
serpent
P.S. The internal slide takes more labor to make, hence the extra cost.
Wow! I love the tie-die job!
Drool. I will be ordering a Polly!!!
Bill,
Is that my green one in the pic? It looks cool but dignified. That tie died whistle would be great for the next Austin Powers movie.
Mike
No, Mike. Yours is going out tomorrow, but that ain’t it, unless you want it, instead. That one is the dark turquoise. The green is a couple shades lighter with a lot less of a bluish tint. If you’d rather have the turquoise, though, email me and let me know.
FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT FINISH-UP
Since I have my head in an anatomically unlikely place this month, and forgot everything, I guess I’ll just add that, in honor of the release of the Serpent Polly-mer, I’m running a short sale on ALL Serpent whistles until the end of the month. Check out the www link for details. Please don’t kill me, Dale! I just got all bollixed up this time.
Cheers,
serpent
Dammit, Bill, i’m trying to get rid of WhOA! 
Oh man…Bill, you really know how to rattle my whistle weakness.
Lets see, first I have to get a Village Smithy (the Harley Davidson of whistles)…then one of the outrageous polly-mers (poor Polly). 
Just ordered one in psychedelic orange and yellow… mmmmmm… candy…
Me too. Can’t wait to whip it out at my local rock session.
Just ordered a Village Smithy and I’m going to call it “Harley”
Well, that’s one snake you can run over with your Harley without hurtin’ it! You could always go to a truck stop or Harley shop and get a little emblem and attach it to the whistle with Super Glue…
Just a (silly) thought…
serpent
Just ordered one of the Polly-Mer’s in Claret Red. They were simply too attractive NOT to buy.
And then of course, the Polly-Mer (the “Polly the parrot” part, anyway) ties in nicely with today, which is Talk Like a Pirate Day. What a lovely way to celebrate, with WHOA.
Polly want a whistle?
The Slitherin’ One said "Well, that’s one snake you can run over with your Harley without hurtin’ it! You could always go to a truck stop or Harley shop and get a little emblem and attach it to the whistle with Super Glue… " about my new Village Smithy…
Good thought. We have a local Harley dealer who might have something appropriate…sort of like how walton made Guiness Stout labeled whistles.
I’ve been tempted to tape the holes over and use mine as a straw