The choice of wood used in making the tube is mostly a matter of appearance. The effect on tone is slight (in a blind test most folks could not tell the difference from one wood to the next). One exception is use of Dymondwood. Dymondwood (a trade name) is a composite of very fine wood veneers and polymer adhesive cured under high pressure and high heat. This makes a very moisture resistant material, very important for whistles that are played for long periods of time, such as experienced in session playing. The wood veneers used can also be dyed different colors (red, black, green and etc.) which makes for a very striking effect.
The first photo is of the woods. They are, left to right :
Cocobolo, a hard wood with very tight grain. It is highly figured and polishes to a high sheen. The color varies from dark brown to all most red. It is my all around favorite wood for whistle tubes.
Honduran Rosewood, another hard wood lighter in color than Cocobolo. It is not as figured as Cocobolo and more consistent in color.
African Blackwood, a hard wood of varied shades of black. It can run from pure, dark black to black with shades of brown and/or yellow streaked throughout. It is a wood that is used also in the building of clarinets and other wood wind instruments. It also polishes out to high sheen.
Purple Heart, as the name suggests, light purple in color. Not as hard as the before mentioned woods and does not polish out to a high sheen. It does make a very attractive whistle.
Bloodwood, a light reddish colored wood. It is a softer wood but finishes nicely for a attractive whistle.
The second photo is that of the Dymondwoods. They are, left to right:
Cocobolo Dymondwood, a composite using actual Cocobolo veneers.
Red Dymondwood, a composite using light colored veneers (usually birch) dyed red.
Black Dymondwood, a composite using veneers dyed a dark black. The overall effect is a gray shade.
Green Dymondwood, a composite using veneers dyed green. I just recently ran across this configuration and have found a number of folks who like it (the whole Irish green thing I guess).
Next week I will elaborate on the mouthpiece as I have worked it out.
Hmmm, a little birdie posted on Facebook that you have a new blog about your wooden whistles. Now, I don't know how to use a wooden whistle but I am almost always whistling some little tune......thankfully most of my friends don't mind. There's an wee bit o Irish in me and you can hear it in my whistle. :-)
ReplyDeleteQuilt interesting to a girl with maiden name of McNally! The mere mention of tin whistles sets my feet a'dancing. My husband plays accordion in a large accordion group (a couple of tin whistles & drums too) and they hosted Gary blair & Gary Blair Jr from Ireland last month. They are purported to be the best in the world. I look forward to future posts.
ReplyDeleteA certain someone brought me the most BEAUTIFUL handmade Mulligan whistle! I'd say it was made out of the darker Dymondwood finish, and I was happy to read about what it was made of. It makes the most beautiful Irish sound and I whistle with it everywhere! I'm sure your wife told you I whistled all over Spring quilt market, I was so thrilled. Thank you SO much for my beautiful instrument. I'll be looking forward to learning more about how you started making them. I've made flutes, but only out of PVC. - Liz the Irish Whistler
ReplyDeleteIn my primitive woodcarving class we carved ants, like picnic ants, out of African blackwood. You're right. . . It is a very hard wood. I finished one ant, but the second is still in the box, waiting patiently for me to get back to finishing him.
ReplyDeleteThe colors are amazing and the sound that comes out of them is something special.
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