Best unusual whistle material

[Loren]

Okay, Amar's contributions in another thread have convinced me that the perfect alternative material is.......Jerky!!!

Loren

[Darwin]

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

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.

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.

[Rod Sprague]

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

[markv]

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!

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.

[Paul]

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.

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.

[Rod Sprague]

http://www.boneroom.com/bone/boneintro.html

[Walden]

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

"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."

[Loren]

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.

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.

Well, as long as it wasn't a relative or something.......

Loren

[Rod Sprague]

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

"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."

I was spoofing. I thought it was simply an abreviation for aluminum.

Rod

[Nanohedron]

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

"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."

I was spoofing. I thought it was simply an abreviation for aluminum.

Rod

You certainly wouldn't have to worry about drips or clogging!

[Cyfiawnder]

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

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...
No I've never been bear hunting... But i've bagged a few gubblers... Turkeys that is...

[Paul]

Cy,
From what I've seen on documentaries, etc. those elephant poachers just kill the elephants, saw the tusks off and leave the rest there to rot. I'm sure that's what Loren meant.
Best,
Paul

[Lark]

I would sat Damascus steel would be the loveliest exotic metal you could make a whistle out of:-)

[Wombat]

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

"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."

I was spoofing. I thought it was simply an abreviation for aluminum.

Rod

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.

[Walden]

http://www.opusartis.com/alabastrosonor ... afiato.htm

In the absence of pickling alum, I rather like alabaster.

I was spoofing. I thought it was simply an abreviation for aluminum.

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.