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Latest WhistleSmith News
January 17, 2010
Everything is not Barter... Some things are "Being Neighborly"
Being Neighborly with a tune at the Scarecrow Festival at Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. Just as this photo was being taken, a tour bus pulled up and I played some tunes to the passengers who thought I was part of the festival welcoming committee.
Barter is doing business without using man made money. Folks display their goods and you display what you will give them in return for those goods. This is the oldest kind of trade, swap or doing business that exists and a common method of exchange between neighbors and friends in rural Maine.
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January 7, 2010
Good & Plenty C Whistle
The Good and Plenty C whistle is the result of receiving so many requests for a back to basics whistle. Many folks asked for an easy to clean whistle with accurate tuning, no tuning slide, and an extra smooth bore for the best sound possible.
I received this email from a whistler in Pennsylvania who lives near Lancaster in the midst of Amish country. Here is an excerpt of his letter.
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April 1, 2009
WhistleSmith Good and Plenty Bb Whistle
Many folks asked for an easy to clean whistle with accurate tuning, no tuning slide, and an extra smooth bore for the best sound possible. The Good and Plenty whistle is the result of receiving so many requests for a back to basics whistle.
I received this email from a whistler in Pennsylvania who lives near Lancaster in the midst of Amish country. Here is an excerpt of his letter.
Continue reading "WhistleSmith Good and Plenty Bb Whistle"
March 21, 2009
What People Say for Spring and Summer '09
This section of What People Say! will be available for additions. If you have non commercial information you would like to share with other whistlers just send me an email.
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March 8, 2009
Slide Flute finds New Friends and Places to Play!
I have been busy making inventory this winter and one instrument that has been consistently in demand is the slide flute. The Pennywhistle and Symphony Slide Flutes have both been found to be very satisfactory instruments for children and adults with Down Syndrome.
These folks love music and the interaction that it gives them with others. Playing the slide flute is a good therapy for improved breathing and an inexpensive way to provide an instrument that is easy to play and fits into family activities.
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Tips about Antique Reviews•Second Hand Instruments •Chat•RIP Archives
I get a lot of calls and emails from folks inquiring about other whistle makers and instruments that they may have acquired second hand. Here is what I say.
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Blog Cleanup and Archived Files
If you have been searching the Internet for information, you have probably run into hundreds of dead ends on your search. After finding a web site with information on the item you are looking for, you find the information to be old, out of date and many times out of business.
I have been archiving many entries that no longer are valid into The Old Whistle Stuff Archive of this blog. Most entries have been edited out, but give you a redirect to the current instrument and how it is made. In this manner, you find only the new information and the updated features on that particular whistle, flute or fife.
This blog always opens on the "Main Page" which contains the most current entries made on the web site. Please use the directory to go to information that you are interested in.
I invite anyone to be an editor if you find a mistake or information that is out of date on the web site. I use all means possible to keep everything spelled and in proper context, but posting errors are often a problem when blogging. I appreciate your help on keeping things current.
Read More in: The WhistleSmith NewsDecember 16, 2008
What is the difference between a Thumb Post and a Thumb Ring?
This is The WhistleSmith Thumb ring that snaps to the barrel of the whistle and rotates for most comfortable playing position. Some
folks would like a Thumb ring for both hands so I am listing them as an individual item. Low whistles and flutes take a large ring and Hi whistles and flutes use a small ring. WhistleSmith Thumb rings are made to fit Whistlesmith whistles and flutes. Pick Thumb ring size to fit your whistle and Add it to Your Cart. We will ship your Thumb ring with your whistle order
This is The WhistleSmith Thumb ring that snaps to the barrel of the whistle and rotates for most comfortable playing position. Some folks would like a Thumb ring for both hands so I am listing them as an individual item. Low whistles and flutes take a large ring and Hi whistles and flutes use a small ring. WhistleSmith Thumb rings are made to fit Whistlesmith whistles and flutes. Pick Thumb ring size to fit your whistle and Add it to Your Cart. We will ship your Thumb ring with your whistle order
Continue reading "What is the difference between a Thumb Post and a Thumb Ring?"
November 18, 2008
The Whistler of Blackstone Bluff
Last ride of the season on November the sixth. Temperature was 55 degrees in the afternoon for about two hours and I had to dress warm to be comfortable. By evening, we had snow on the ground again.
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Update on the Proto 3 slide flute
We have had a lot of response from the article on the new Prototype 1 whistle for physically challenged people.
I took the information from the Proto1 instrument and built a second instrument and called it Proto 2. There were some technically nice things about Proto 2 which was the next step toward a production whistle. After working with Proto 2 for several week I decided the breath tube was collecting too much moisture and would always be a problem. I archived the design information and have moved on to Proto 3.
Continue reading "Update on the Proto 3 slide flute"
What People said November of '08
I received this note from Mark Hanson and thought you might like to hear about the work he is doing with his Low D whistle.
Hi thought you might want to hear your whistles in action . My album named The Lonely Traveler on I-tunes is live and features use of your low d whistle through out the album. Hope you like it. Mark Hanson [ aka Mark Perry ] God Bless
Continue reading "What People said November of '08"
September 16, 2008
What Folks are Saying in September '08
I have quite a few questions and some comments and feedback for the past couple of months that I find very interesting. First off is a very nice note from a gentleman that liked his new Low F whistle. This is the response every WhistleSmith likes to receive.
Continue reading "What Folks are Saying in September '08"
Proto 1 Auto Slide Flute Due for Production
Here I am holding the original Proto 1 auto slide flute. The long tube is the air tube into which you blow to play the flute. The air tube is held in a ring of the wire that goes to the slide rod in the flute. The slide moves back and forth with your head movement to change the pitch and determine the note you are playing.
My Top Secret, keep the lights burning project for the summer has been a whistle project with David Whalen from Scotia, New York. David approached me on the phone with the idea of making a slide whistle that he could play by moving the slide with just the movement of his head. The whistle would also have to be easy to blow, have a nice deep sound, and be easily cleaned and maintained. In addition to that, the cost should be as low as possible so a lot of folks could afford it in all kinds of countries and economic situations.
WOW! You have to love a project and challenge like this!
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Building completed at the WhistleSmith
Here is the way it looks on the mountain when everything has been put back together again. Mike Michaud is shown putting the last piece on the new building. Jerry and Mike set a new Olympic record in completing the job and it is greatly appreciated.
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April 24, 2008
New Building Well Under Way!
Our original barn was built by Jerry Michaud back in 1989 and was a great piece of work. Jerry, his wife Barb and his brother Michael built the barn in just two weeks and everyone marvelled back then on how quick and well built the barn was.
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