clarke sweetone tuning

Subject: clarke sweetone tuning
From: GUEST,sean mac ruaraidh
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 06:21 PM

I have bought two Clarke Sweetone whistles and I have been told that they have to be tuned.

The ony way I know of doing this, from reading an earlier thread, is to move the mouthpiece.

1. What is the best method to remove the mouthpiece ?

2. What is the best way to re-cement it - i.e. which glue ?

3. What is the best instrument to tune it to - I have a guitar tuner (steel reed) but it doesn't play the basic notes of the whistle i.e. C or D

Any help appreciated,

Cheers,

Sean.

Subject: RE: clarke sweetone tuning
From: sophocleese
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 06:27 PM

Check out this site here for great information on tin whistles.

Subject: RE: clarke sweetone tuning
From: GUEST,Kernow Jon
Date: 10 Oct 00 - 07:13 PM

Sean
I have had quite a few sweetone whistles and can't remember one that needed tuning when new.
I have had a couple go off afer some time and to get the mouthpiece off I stood that end of the whistle in some very hot water for a very short time. This seemed to expand the plastic and break the glue joint. The end could then be moved slightly to re- tune. I think I tuned to my wife's concertina but you should be able to manage with your reed tuner. You won't need to tune every note on the whistle just use the lowest and one midway to check all is well. I never attempted to re-glue the mouthpiece back on as the fit always remained tight enough. Do check out Chiff and Fipple as Sophoclese says.
Good luck it's a great little instrument!
KJ

Subject: RE: clarke sweetone tuning
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 11 Oct 00 - 03:02 PM

I saw a whistle player who tunes his whisle by putting tape on the body to slightly overlap a hole. Anyone out there tried it?

Subject: RE: clarke sweetone tuning
From: georgeward
Date: 12 Oct 00 - 02:14 AM

Yep. If you have an individual note that is sharp, a piece of tape (electrical is good) across the top of the hole - in effect lengthening the distance from the fipple to the top of the hole - will flatten it a bit.

It is best to try both octaves when you're done. What seems to help in one octave may change things for the worse in the other. Usually doesn't, but it can. The nice thing about tape is that you can reverse the process with no damage to the whistle.

One can take this to extremes. I sometimes jam with my jazz-guitarist son and needed a D-flat whistle for something (forget what. This was a year or so ago. "Take Five", maybe ?). I sawed a bit off the top of the body of a Susato C whistle. That brought the pipe up to D-flat with all holes closed. But, of course, the hole spacing was wrong for the D-flat scale. A bit of judicious taping later, I was ready to pretend I was Paul Desmond (who probably didn't even bother to turn over in his grave, though he'd have been justified). And the red whistle looked quite snappy with its blue electrical tape wrappings!

Serious question. Most every six-hole pipe is a bit off somewhere. I seem to recall that there's a reason for this in the physics of the beast. Can anyone explain ?

-George ::-.--O

Subject: RE: clarke sweetone tuning
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 12 Oct 00 - 02:56 PM

Could ask Mr Howard in the pub next week but I think the explanation maybe very long............

Subject: RE: clarke sweetone tuning
From: GUEST,dulcimer
Date: 12 Oct 00 - 03:39 PM

If you are talking about the inexpensive Clarke Sweetones, I have found the C to actually be C# and playing it throws other performers off at times. I try to tell that "That's folk music." and usually get glares that tell what they would like to do with my whistle.

Subject: RE: clarke sweetone tuning
From: georgeward
Date: 13 Oct 00 - 02:29 AM

Maybe not the most congenial pub topic, Roger. But thanks for the thought.

Subject: RE: clarke sweetone tuning
From: alison
Date: 13 Oct 00 - 02:53 AM

I like the tone of Sweetones but have never mangaed to get one that is completely in tune with itself (usually the bottom D is a bit dodgey)... but the colours are pretty....

to tune to another instrument (also to clean it) the above advice is good.. loosen the mouthpiece with hot (not boiling) water...

I don't advise gluing it back on.. they are usually a snug fit anyway... in fact putting some vaseline (white petroleum jelly) around the end will make it move easier for re-tuning.

slainte

alison