I have developed a nasty variation of Whistle Obsessive Acquisition Disorder (WhOA) that I call Whistle Obsessive Acquisition and Construction Disorder (WhOAC). Not only do I obsessively buy whistles in hopes of finding that next special whistle, I make them, often out of the oddest material I can reasonably get my hands on and easily cut and drill, in the same quixotic search for that “special new sound” (some of you will recall the thread concerning my glass whistle). It has even expanded to include other instruments. I can’t look at cookie tins without wondering what they would sound like as the bodies of banjos or other string instruments. I am designing a wooden slide bass saxophone and a slide contrabassoon that I will attempt to build when I have the funds. I set out to build a low D whistle to save money, only to have tried out over half a dozen designs, none of which sounded good enough for me and ended up spending more on plumbing parts and tools (including a drill press) than I would have for a decent low whistle. I purchased one hundred fipples (which will also the name of a song I am composing; I figured people name songs after anything and everything, and it sounds like a humorous pseudo-traditional song title, anyway) from the same company that makes the plastic slide whistles found in most music stores. They fit ½ inch tubing, so I had to try them out on copper tubing, which sounds really nice and will work down to Bb, A using thin wall plastic aquarium tubing. PVC is too thick walled, so the whistles get out off tune rather badly on the higher end of their range. I also figured out how to make my own fipples, so I made a C and D whistle set for my mom for Christmas. I made a whistle with an experimental fipple that I felt was a qualified success, that I gave to one of my more spiritual friends when she claimed she could sense a it had a soul of its own. I just did a count of how many whistles I’ve made and came up with over 40, over half of those with home made fipples! As my friends find out I make whistles, people are actually paying me to make whistles for them! I got the strange ambition to make whistles free for the members of my church’s folk orchestra because the bass guitarist thought we all needed them. Another friend purchased a C and D set from me to give to her son as a birthday present. She had me display them in the Latah County Fair. They won the second place silver ribbon in the craft show. My friends and family are telling their friends about me, so complete strangers are contacting me about purchasing whistles. My reaction to this situation is “Well, I’m no Michael Burke, but if the whistles make them happy, I guess I have an obligation to build them.” I think part of it is a pride in playing a local product. I just hope I don’t end up doing irreparable damage to the “greater Palouse whistle sound”. “The Inland Northwest whistle scene is mostly to be avoided, due to the unfortunate presence of the Sprague whistles.” At this point, it would be really stupid to quit my day job, so I have to budget my time carefully around it and my WhOAC. Would counseling and the right prescriptions help? Maybe send my worst whistle to Dale so he can pan it and help me put an end to this nonsense? Maybe my best whistle would do the trick. Please advise!
[ This Message was edited by: Rod Sprague on 2002-06-22 01:33 ]
I admire your ingenuity! Years ago, my father made me a fife from a piece of clear, flexible tubing. It was modeled on the Cooperman black plastic (rigid) tube fife, as Pop knows nothing about instrument making. This fife played just as well as the Cooperman, and was widely admired at musters and jam sessions.
You got it bad, man! Hope you never get cured…making instruments is fantastic. The thrill of hearing those first notes come out of a whistle you made yourself is pure magic.
About tune names-- I was drilling fingerholes in a whistle a while back guiding the drill with a drilling jig and came to the realization that this would be a great tune name: The Drilling Jig. No fair stealing it-- I thought of it first!
You have been blessed with a special gift! I hope you continue to bless others with your skill. May you develope a whistle design to make the world a better place.
Gary
PS I’d love to do a review of one of your whistles!
Hi Rod,
I call my dysfunction WhIM: Whistle Improvement Malady. For years my logo has been Just a Whim by Mack so it seemed fitting. I have recovered from the worst case where everything looked like a whistle. Now I stick to plastic plumbing pipe, curtain rods and ski poles and only about a dozen other miscellaneous categories of materials I keep on hand.
I can see you are more seriously inflicted than I, so maybe you can receive some solace from me. I have four drill presses, two lathes (need another), cut off saw, band saw, stationary belt sander, table saw and jointer, surface planer and enough carpentry tools to come out of retirement. And what do I do? Make whistles. So everyone can see you are obsessed, but I’m NOT.
By the way I’ll trade and borrow, but seldom buy these days. Well, maybe when I see one I’ve never tried.
Welcome to the wonderful world of whistle wonderment.
Rod,
Don’t feel bad. I’m still working on my glass whistle too. After the rock disasters I’ve decided to try and “perfect” this design first. But I still see all kinds of cool materials and think “Man that would make the coolest whistle… no glass first then other stuff.” Plus I do 3-D CAD design for work and it’s hard not to sit around virtually designing whistles and talking to machinists about cost to make bodies from different metals. Titianium would be too cool. And we have anodizers and powder coaters here in town that can do some really cool stuff. So I totally understand. Just enjoy the ideas and even if the end-product isn’t something you would sell or give away, it just might lead you to an idea for one you could. And just think about what you’re leaving around for your descendants. Maybe a couple of generations from now they’ll find one of your whistles and get a bit of insight into who you Really were.
Flutes may be the instruments of the Angels
Yet Whistles are chosen of Free Will
[ This Message was edited by: Sean on 2002-06-22 15:51 ]
Most of my “concerns” are tongue in cheek. I’m having way too much fun to want to quit at this point.
Check out http://www.kitebuilder.com/inventory/contents.htm
for composite hollow spars that might make good whistles, but some of the information is incomplete.
[ This Message was edited by: Rod Sprague on 2002-06-22 18:15 ]
Thank you, all of you that have given me all the kind support for me and my horrible malady. Sean, the hollow tapered kite spars might not be the right size for whistles, but the size figures given don’t make much sense, I don’t think they printed enough or the right values. I would contact them directly. One possible source of tapered tubes might be some of the longer, more tapered automotive funnels.
When I got home, there was a message on my answering machine from someone my sister had given my phone number. They were interested in what my whistles are like and wanting to purchase a whistle from a local maker. . .
An Idaho whistlesmith?!?!?! I must be dreaming! If you’re ever in Boise you’ll have to drop by. I’d love to see some of your work. Better yet, do you have any pictures and sound clips? (I do like supporting our local folks!)
