Tweaked Shaw Review

olehan · Post by **olehan** » Tue May 06, 2003 8:24 am

There have been quite a few threads on tweaking that have appeared on this board recently. I've followed them with interest. I've known several of my whistles had intonation problems-some of my Shaws the worst of the lot-but didn't know what to do beyond clearing the windway, a little sanding...you know the drill.

So, my apologies as the following has been posted on another thread (esp. to Cranberry), but everyone who has an ailing Shaw should know what wonderful success Jerry Freeman has been having in tweaking Shaws.

I got my Shaw low D back from Jerry yesterday. After his tweaking it sounds like a completely different whistle...in an Amazing way.

What I have noticed so far:
Stonger lower range. If you like the woody sound that Shaws and Clakes produce, you've noticed they can be too soft in the lower range. Inaudible, I'd say. Mine now has a great, stong first octave that requires only a little push to jump registers. It postively vibrates with vibrato on low D and E.

It is now less breathy and more solidly in tune, though the second octave above G is it's weak point. Whatever else a Shaw Low Whistle may be, it is still not a "high-end" instrument. But I love it now.

Overall, I'd say it's more responsive with less air requirements for a good, solid sustained tone, now. Perfect for airs, the tone color is what impresses me most. It just sounds deeper and richer-more like an real instrument.

All in all, my Low D now sounds like I first expected a low whistle to sound!

If you've gotten a Shaw expecting to get a nice, in-tune conical bore whistle and have been disappointed, my advice is this:
either return it immediately to where it came from (as I should have done with a "unfixable" Shaw C, another story) or consider sending it to Jerry's Shaw rehab clinic. My Low D is about 4 years old, and never had a real voice until now.
Thanks to Jerry, Shawmeister!
Now I want to hear what my E sounds like! I should have asked for visitation rights.

Olehan

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Tue May 06, 2003 11:43 am

Hi Olehan,
I'd be very interested to hear what your Shaw Low D sounds like now.
I have a Shaw low D as well,and used it on my first ever clip on 'Tin whistle tunes'(ah memories...).
Shaws have a very 'traditional' appeal and I'm sure that they would be more widely played if they weren't so breath-hungry!
Mind you,the more I've played whistles, the easier my Shaw has been to play-building up the lung power certainly helps!

trisha · Post by **trisha** » Tue May 06, 2003 1:35 pm

Interesting.

I still await a reply from Mr Shaw to my very polite email...

Trisha

Kar · Post by **Kar** » Tue May 06, 2003 1:40 pm

I have a Jerry-tweaked Shaw A that was a fine whistle beforehand but had breath requirements that just knocked me out. I was AMAZED at how much the tweak improved this. Also, the whistle is much more responsive, and in general just easier to play. My Shaw went from being unplayable to one of my favorite whistles!

I love the Shaw sound, and if you do as well, I highly recommend the Jerry Tweak.

olehan · Post by **olehan** » Tue May 06, 2003 1:47 pm

Would like to do just that, and am trying to set up something at home to give better results than my built-in microphone. I don't have a "before" sample though, unless Jerry made one.

Seriously folks, Shaws are underrated, for what they can be. I've seen the survey, and used to agree with it.

I miss my E, but glad it's gone to a loving home. If only Jerry's elves don't sit on it!

Olehan

WoodsonIrishMusic · Post by **WoodsonIrishMusic** » Tue May 06, 2003 3:19 pm

Jerry, I have not answered since I got my Shaw Eb back from you Saturday cause I can't put it down! It plays wonderfully! You really tweaked it miraculously. It is just what I needed, requiring far less air and has a beautiful, clear, chirp that is simply awesome. Never thought it could sound so pretty! Thanks!
I just wish I had a Shaw D whistle that had been tweaked like you did my Shaw Eb.

Cheers,
Don

Blackbeer · Post by **Blackbeer** » Tue May 06, 2003 3:36 pm

Oh great. I have wanted to try a Shaw for quite some time and this kind of thread doesn`t help my control. I stopped buying whistles once I started on this flute road but heck I am starting to feel that old shake coming on. Maybe its time for another trade. I wounder what I could get for my Elfsong D/E. Oh boy, I better think this over a little.

Tom

PS: What happens if you get sick of doing this stuff Jerry??

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Tue May 06, 2003 3:41 pm

I have a related question - does anybody like Shaws the way they are out of the box?

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Tue May 06, 2003 3:47 pm

Thanks for the kind words, all.

Tom, don't worry. I don't expect to get tired of this anytime soon. It's such a pleasure to be able to do it. I feel that I'm sending out some happiness with each whistle I work on, and the feedback that comes from that is very sustaining. There's so little I can do in this poor, sad world, and this fills a need for me to feel that I'm helping in a small way.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Blackbeer · Post by **Blackbeer** » Tue May 06, 2003 4:05 pm

Well Jerry the reason this place is such a treasure box is because when you open the lid the treasure consists of people like you. I am humbled by your selflessness and incouraged by your nature. In a hopless world the twinkle of stars renews my strength and refreshes my soul. Thanks.

Tom

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Tue May 06, 2003 4:21 pm

Tom,

Backatcha, buddy. I feel exactly the same way about this place, and about you.

Best wishes,
Jerry

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Wed May 07, 2003 12:57 am

trisha wrote:I still await a reply from Mr Shaw to my very polite email...

From people who met him, Dave Shaw seems a fine bloke, and friendly when appearing at the Festivals where he displays his instruments.

Many craftsmen who do have an Internet site let it run without consulting much their "info" mailbox, or even using email. Consider it like buying ad space in magazines you don't read regularly.

Trisha, did you simply try calling Dave Shaw at +1207 231474 ?
--for you it's almost a locall call.

Like going to Durham Co. wouldn't be much a ride.

Kar · Post by **Kar** » Wed May 07, 2003 11:52 am

By the way, I have a Shaw C and a Shaw E that I liked RIGHT away, "out of the box" as it were (even though I got them at Lark In the Morning, so technically they came from a bin....)

The Shaw C is really a nice whistle. And the E is especially good as I can't tolerate the higher whistles, usually, but the Shaw has a more mellow, less piercing sound than other high whistles I've tried. And the breath requirements on the higher whistles are not so bad.

However, I must say that although my biggest complaint with my Shaw A was the I'm-passing-out breath requirement, when Jerry tweaked it, the whistle seemed to get better in MANY other ways as well. It's just sort of sweeter and better-sounding. So I wonder how much better my C or E would be....but, to defend Shaws, they are perfectly fine now.

olehan · Post by **olehan** » Wed May 07, 2003 12:33 pm

Out of the box my C (also from Lark in AM) was wretched. I also sent it to Jerry but it was un-tweakable, although he gave it his best shot. It now plays in its own mysterious third octave.

I want to make it clear that I mean no slur upon on Mr. Shaw's work. It could be a quality control issue, but I personally think they simply do not travel well. Hand-made whistles are bound to show some variation.

I think the tubing is somewhat fragile, and dings to the fipple and body a common hazard that certainly affected the tone of MY whistles.

Jerry gave me a detailed run-down of what steps he took; pulling dents, adjusting/trimming the fipple opening to better direct the airstream were important tweaks. Whatever other magic touches he performed worked like charm on the Low D, but couldn't help my C. We don't know why. Still, I'd trust his work again. I'm sending a high D on to him with high hopes of improvements to come.
Olehan

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Wed May 07, 2003 1:37 pm

Olehan's Shaw C was a very odd whistle to begin with.

He sent it along, asking me to see if I could do anything with it and not to worry if it couldn't be saved.

Like Olehan, I wondered what might have been up with it, as it was unplayable when I received it. It seemed to mainly want to play in a mysterious third register, above the normal upper register. The low register was almost completely inaccessible.

I took more liberties with that whistle than usual, experimenting a bit with the dimensions of the voicing window. A longer window (blade edge further from the fipple block) strengthens the lower register, a shorter window more favors the upper register.

By doing this I was able to get it to play very softly in both the normal registers, but the sound was hardly more than a whisper, and not anything most people would consider serviceable.

At that point, I concluded that the likelihood of ever tweaking it into a really excellent whistle was too small and my time better spent on other whistles, so I gave up the effort.

Best wishes,
Jerry

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