Best unusual whistle material
- Loren
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Unfortunately, Tusq seems to be manufactured only in relatively small pieces, designed specifically for a wide variety of guitar bridges and nuts: http://www.graphtech.bc.ca/product_disp ... brand=TUSQ Too bad, because it seems to have interesting acoustical properties.burnsbyrne wrote:There is also a synthetic material called "Tusq" that is used for guitar bridges and nuts as a substitute for ivory or bone. I don't know exactly what it is made of but I really like the name.
Mike
What about micarta, though? http://www.micarta.com/tube_tech_.htm shows that they have tubes. There are paper-based varieties used for knife handles that look a lot like ivory. I like those better than the fabric-based ones. The Web page is a bit hard to get info out of, though I did find some sheet material with thicknesses up to 0.75", which could probably be cut into rods and turned. I also saw something about the manufacture of rods, but didn't find specs on them.
Mike Wright
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- markv
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I've played a quena that's made of bone. Supposedly llama but I suspect it's cow. It plays wonderfully and has a very distinct resonance to it totally unlike wood or bamboo. I'm not sure how to describe it but it really feels different when you play it. The downside is that it is much heavier than wood or bamboo.Jetboy wrote:Saw a glass whistle once. And a stone one. On this forum too, if I recall. You wouldn't want to drop either, really!
What about antler or bone. I wouldn't be surprised if your Native Americans havn't used both of these materials at some time or other for flutes/whistles.
Gimme something long enough, straight enough and hard enough I' give it a go!
The wall thickness is much thicker than what I would want a whistle to be so I'm not sure how it would work out for a high D. I'm sure it would sound fantastic.
The guy who made the quena (Adrian Villanueva) only made a couple because it was such a pain to work with. Our band got one of them.
Mark V.
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- Paul
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That reminds me... when we were visiting the Inlaws in Qinghai, China, we rode out to a big temple complex nearby (Ta'er Lamasery) and they had some whistle flute things made out of human bone on display.markv wrote:I've played a quena that's made of bone. Supposedly llama but I suspect it's cow. It plays wonderfully and has a very distinct resonance to it totally unlike wood or bamboo. I'm not sure how to describe it but it really feels different when you play it. The downside is that it is much heavier than wood or bamboo.
The wall thickness is much thicker than what I would want a whistle to be so I'm not sure how it would work out for a high D. I'm sure it would sound fantastic.
The guy who made the quena (Adrian Villanueva) only made a couple because it was such a pain to work with. Our band got one of them.
Mark V.
- Rod Sprague
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- Walden
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"Common alum is the double sulphate of aluminium and potassium. It is white, transparent, very astringent, and crystallizes easily in octahedrons. The term is extended so as to include other double sulphates similar to alum in formula."Rod Sprague wrote:When the list of candidate whistle materials includes alum, is that in reference to aluminum sulfate, the bitter water-soluble salt used in styptic pencils?
Rod
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Walden
- Loren
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Well, as long as it wasn't a relative or something.......Paul wrote:That reminds me... when we were visiting the Inlaws in Qinghai, China, we rode out to a big temple complex nearby (Ta'er Lamasery) and they had some whistle flute things made out of human bone on display.markv wrote:I've played a quena that's made of bone. Supposedly llama but I suspect it's cow. It plays wonderfully and has a very distinct resonance to it totally unlike wood or bamboo. I'm not sure how to describe it but it really feels different when you play it. The downside is that it is much heavier than wood or bamboo.
The wall thickness is much thicker than what I would want a whistle to be so I'm not sure how it would work out for a high D. I'm sure it would sound fantastic.
The guy who made the quena (Adrian Villanueva) only made a couple because it was such a pain to work with. Our band got one of them.
Mark V.
Loren
- Rod Sprague
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I was spoofing. I thought it was simply an abreviation for aluminum.Walden wrote:"Common alum is the double sulphate of aluminium and potassium. It is white, transparent, very astringent, and crystallizes easily in octahedrons. The term is extended so as to include other double sulphates similar to alum in formula."Rod Sprague wrote:When the list of candidate whistle materials includes alum, is that in reference to aluminum sulfate, the bitter water-soluble salt used in styptic pencils?
Rod
Rod
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You certainly wouldn't have to worry about drips or clogging!Rod Sprague wrote:I was spoofing. I thought it was simply an abreviation for aluminum.Walden wrote:"Common alum is the double sulphate of aluminium and potassium. It is white, transparent, very astringent, and crystallizes easily in octahedrons. The term is extended so as to include other double sulphates similar to alum in formula."Rod Sprague wrote:When the list of candidate whistle materials includes alum, is that in reference to aluminum sulfate, the bitter water-soluble salt used in styptic pencils?
Rod
Rod
- Cyfiawnder
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Loren, WHat if say a hunter goes... Bear hunting and "Bags a Big'un" instead of tossing all the internal organs out, that Hunter takes them to CHina town and Sells those parts that Chinese herbal medican oh so calls for... Would that be equally as bad? The purpose of the "kill" wasn't for the "parts"... well except the meat... well you know what I'm saying...Loren wrote:Legal Ivory (from both Mammoths and Elephants) is available in sufficient qantities to make whistles from, it's just extremely expensive and hard to come by. We make (elephant) Ivory instruments now and then, and they do sound excellent, although I wouldn't say the sound is "better" than wood.
For the record, I am vigorously opposed to the killing (or injuring) of animals for the purpose of harvesting parts to make trinkets out of, musical instruments included. The only Ivory that's legal to use these days, is Ivory that was taken many years ago, before the laws changed and protections were put in place, which I absolutely support.
Loren
No I've never been bear hunting... But i've bagged a few gubblers... Turkeys that is...
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If Walden means the stuff I'm thinking of, it's used in the treatment of mouth ulcers. Astringent barely begins to describe the effect it has.Rod Sprague wrote:I was spoofing. I thought it was simply an abreviation for aluminum.Walden wrote:"Common alum is the double sulphate of aluminium and potassium. It is white, transparent, very astringent, and crystallizes easily in octahedrons. The term is extended so as to include other double sulphates similar to alum in formula."Rod Sprague wrote:When the list of candidate whistle materials includes alum, is that in reference to aluminum sulfate, the bitter water-soluble salt used in styptic pencils?
Rod
Rod
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http://www.opusartis.com/alabastrosonor ... afiato.htm
In the absence of pickling alum, I rather like alabaster.
In the absence of pickling alum, I rather like alabaster.
Heh heh, I meant alum, but I've had an aluminum whistle, and I really liked it. However, as aluminum is wont to do, it got squished. My general thought on the matter is how I see jade and some others, it is a suitable material, but needs to be treated with extra care.Rod Sprague wrote: I was spoofing. I thought it was simply an abreviation for aluminum.
Reasonable person
Walden
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