Melody always has a number of Ralph Sweet’s whistles. I usually diddle around on them whenever I go in for something else. I’ve never liked them. The 2nd octave G and above has always required way too much push for my tastes (and, if you ask NancyF about my Silkstone alloy, you’ll find that my tastes are tend toward a bit of agression).
I’d read here that the Sweets had been re-designed, but it wasn’t until SAMfest that I got to try one of these. I want to state for the record that my only complaint about the Sweetheart whistle has been eliminated..the whistle is much easier-blowing in the 2nd octave. Along the lines of a Sweetone, I’d guess.
Melody also had some Weltmeisters (sp?) which were loud, and hard to blow in the 2nd octave. A couple people showed up to whistle class clutching them, and were terribly disappointed in the 2nd octave difficulty.
My Ralph Sweet whistle has a big problem with the high F#, and I remember reading that it was a known issue. It’s very hard to get a stable note from it. Do you know if this has been fixed? (if it has ever been an issue in the first place).
I didn’t notice a problem with the high F# on the whistles I picked up and tried…that said, I wasn’t looking for a problem either. I just picked a couple up, toodled a bit, and went “Hey, that 2nd octave is much better now!” before moving on my way.
On 2002-08-01 13:32, Azalin wrote:
My Ralph Sweet whistle has a big problem with the high F#, and I remember reading that it was a known issue. It’s very hard to get a stable note from it. Do you know if this has been fixed? (if it has ever been an issue in the first place).
[ This Message was edited by: Wandering_Whistler on 2002-08-01 14:35 ]
I see Ralph once or twice a week. I’ll ask him whether there is something he can do with an unhappy F#.
I got an ebony/silver whistle second hand about two months ago, and was unhappy with the top three notes. He took it from me, ‘worked away at the plug’ and returned it the next week sounding wonderful.
He and I have been comparing our recoveries from virtually the same type of broken leg, but he had the audacity to go dancing a few months back and had a bit of a setback. I’ll wait a bit longer before trying THAT trick!
Well thanks but I guess I just forgot about the Sweet whistle… The tought of playin’ a recorder-like whistle gives me nightmares now… I’m not saying it’s a bad whistle, just a whistle I won’t be playing anyway… I’d be curious to try the new ones though!
I quite like the sound and quick response of the Sweetheart. Ornamentation that is okay on other whistles comes out crisp and clear, and it is far more expressive than any other I play for airs and such. If that’s “recorder like”, so be it!
I don’t have any information, other than the folks at Melody’s telling me that they were redesigned, me discovering that I could reach the 2nd octave more easily.
I’ll try to get a clip of mine to put up tonight for ya
Wandering_whistler, I’d appreciate that very much if it isn’t too much trouble
I thought I read on the board that Ralph had reshaped the Sweet whistle’s body to look less “recorder-like” but I can’t seem to find the thread. Tyghress, do you know anything about this?
On 2002-09-06 18:44, garycrosby wrote:
Wandering_whistler, I’d appreciate that very much if it isn’t too much trouble >
I thought I read on the board that Ralph had reshaped the Sweet whistle’s body to look less “recorder-like” but I can’t seem to find the thread. Tyghress, do you know anything about this?
I mentioend that..it was in the 2nd Susato thread about C&F demographics. The whistles still look recordery..just slightly less so More streamlined looking, but it’s a very subtle difference. They still don’t look like regular whistles.
Wandering_Whistler, thanks so much for the sound clip – I really appreciate it I finally found your comments on the redesigned Sweetheart whistle in the Susato “demographics” thread – thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
Is your son already 22 months old? How time flies …
