My mellow dog is probably my favorite dollar/quality ratio whistle, and I wondered what the lowest key is that Jerry tweaks? Is the Generation Bb?
At the moment, it’s the tweaked Bb Generation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7-IbDBioxY
However, I’m almost finished creating a tweaked A Generation, which I will announce as soon as it’s available. I’ll try to make a tweaked G Generation, but it remains to be seen whether this will work.
Best wishes,
Jerry
I’ll be very interested in one of these, in case you’re taking pre-orders!
Ubizmo
^yep, me too, and a G for sure. i’m sure C&F will be the first to know!
Interesting! So is it a Gen Bb head on a tube of your own making, or will you be modifying a Gen Bb tube to work in A (not really sure if that’s even possible)?
Jerry,
Although it feels like piling on, I’m in for an A as well. Your Bb, whether brass or nickel, is still my favorite whistle. Thanks for making it easier for regular working folks to own really good instruments.
Freeman Bb: ordered.
It’s a tweaked Bb Generation whistlehead on a tube of my own making.
Best wishes,
Jerry
Mr. Freeman, if I may ask, are there any further developments regarding the Bb Blackbird project?
At the time we were talking about Bb Blackbirds, I still wasn’t completely happy with my tweaked Bb Generations.
Then, at the August 2009 Pipers’ Gathering in Vermont, I was able to examine an exceptional old Bb Generation that was nicer than any I’d encountered. Studying the geometry of that whistle, which was not exactly the way it was designed to come out of the mold, technically a defective whistlehead, I memorized what I saw. Then I went home and experimented with adjustments to the tweaking scheme based on the variation I had seen on the prized Generation.
The result is the tweaked Bb Generations I’m making now, which are getting very positive reactions from just about everyone I show them to. It is the quality of this tweaked Generation whistlehead that’s given me the confidence to proceed to a tweaked A Generation and possibly to a tweaked G Generation.
I’m inclined to think the mass produced Bb Blackbird will be similar in voicing and handling to the tweaked Bb Generations I’m producing now. Bear in mind, Mary Bergin loves (her word) my Bb Generations, but she chooses my C, D, and Eb Blackbirds over my tweaked Generations in those keys. Once all the keys have been produced with a similar appearance, I believe there will be a nice continuity throughout the group and a clear family relationship.
So I would say, yes. There has been some progress towards a Bb Blackbird, but it will still be awhile before it comes into being. In the meantime, tweaked Bb Generations are available and very affordable (only $28.50 for brass or $29.50 for nickel).
Best wishes,
Jerry
Glad to hear about all the progress! I’ll definitely be adding a Bb Blackbird to the three other Blackbird keys I’ve already got. Lovely tweaked whistles! 
Matt
Thanks for the update. Looking forward to your A and G.
YES!!! Reverse engineering! I approve wholeheartedly.
A Freeman A whistle would make my day.
Hi Freeman
Just came here to see news about the A whistle, nice to see that it’s almost done! I’m waiting anxiously you finish to order the A and a D.
Daniel
just got the Bb Freeman Generation that i mentioned i ordered. it’s awesome! but hey, what did you expect from Jerry?
well, i’d like to think this very thread helped a little bit, but as a follow-up to anyone reading this, there is now a Freeman Generation A!
Keep 'em coming Jerry, we’ll keep buying them.