Swanson Tonette (PG suggested: explicit image)

Whistle
1

:astonished: Yikes!

Is this

  1. a hybrid of a whistle and ocarina (closed-end whistle)?

  2. a 1930’s fountain pen?

  3. The, er, inseminating organ of that crabfish gasmask thing in Alien?

Seriously, does anyone know about this instrument?

I spared you the poll–be a sport! :laughing:

2

I don’t know anything about them except that in the fourth grade we were all required to have one. We sort of learned to read music with them. Miss Ballard was the teacher. She didn’t allow us to go to the candy store which was just across an alley from the school.

Steve

3

http://www.amis.org/inside/announce.htm

Here’s a bit about the tonette.

Steve

4

Flutophone is an imitation of this Tonette, which is itself an imitation of a German-system recer. They were used in primary education since around the 1930’s. Tonette was the most popular up until the early 1970’s I think. Two other of these patent school recers are Songflute and Suzuki Precorder. I think Flutophone is the most popular today, but Tonette is currently in production, and available new.

The Tonette was marketed by a band instrument company, in hopes of interesting school children, who were approaching the level where band classes are offered, in joining the band.

5

These things are basically an ocarina, so you only get one octave. The tone is surprisingly lovely though and for one octave tunes they are sort of fun. I recently bought my wife a Flutofone at a local Cracker Barrel restaurant in the gift trap , er shop at the entrance/exit of the restaurant.

6

I remember them! We couldn’t afford the $1.00 so Mom sewed a uniform for my sister and cut a broomstick to baton length and she was the majorette.
If only I’d have saved some of the nickles a movie and a Grapette cost I could have had one of those magic instruments!

Besides, Mrs. Bonecutter (yes that’s right! Knockenschneider wasn’t a name too popular during the war) taught us to use our voices as instruments. Except for Robert who only had one note. “Now all together children like a little mouse…” (except for Robert the frog)
We learned to draw the trouble cleff and the fife lines named “Efery Goot Boy Does Fine” and the spaces called “FACE”.

I got my first tool at age six: a folding pocket knife… but that’s a different story…
a mack memory

7

i have an original tonette in black that i bought on the 10 cent table at the local thrift store. it does have a lovely tone. if it only play the next octave i’d use it more.
tansy

8

It is:

  1. A cross between an ocarina and a recorder with all the worst features of both;
  2. Unsuited for hands over ten years old;
  3. Damn near indestructible.
9

I swear I saw one of those in a headshop, displayed right next to the skull hookahs and, er, “priapic” bongs. Nice.

10

After Armageddon/world war 111/the Giant Asteroid strike/thw world turned into Nano grey gloop, THIS is the thing which will survive and inherit the Earth- Huh! forget about the 'Roaches! :astonished:

11

Kevin, I will take that as an hommage to my previous post. :smiley:

12

The double meaning DID cross my mind! And Honestly-I was referring to one of the perceived environmental dangers of NANOtechnology when I mentioned the Earth being reduced to ‘Grey Gloop’-I would never suggest that YOU were in anyway responsible! :laughing:

13

Drat! Busted. No matter; I’m too small to detect by average scrutiny, anyway. Oh, the plans I have, the plans. :smiling_imp:

rubs hands together