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I recently bought a sliding whistle. Can't lie, it wasn't the most expensive, but it definitely was a not suspicious price. I tried using it, but the sound was very off. The best I can describe it is either a possessed bird call or a cryptid infested forest.

It's made of plastic so I can't really take it apart, and the piston seems to be ever so slightly wobbly when pulled out. I'm thinking that maybe it was made poorly and isn't sealed right, but I'm no expert and I'm not ruling out that I'm simply playing it wrong (although from the videos I've seen even first time users get a more consistent sound).

Any kind of advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

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  • Sliding whistle = Swannee whistle? My guess is that the piston seal is dry, and could benefit from a good soaking - to expand it slightly.
    – Tim
    Commented Apr 5 at 14:24
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    Can you add an audio recording? You would need to upload to youtube, soundcloud, or similar, and then add the link to your question.
    – Edward
    Commented Apr 5 at 15:03
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    LOL, "a possesed bird call or a cryptid infested forest" sounds like a great effect! But it's certainly true that any leak in a wind instrument is trouble. And yes, slide whistles take no special technique, and you ought to be able to get good ones for very cheap.
    – Andy Bonner
    Commented Apr 5 at 15:55
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    @AndyBonner Exchange it to a SFX studio for a working slide whistle!
    – Lazy
    Commented Apr 5 at 18:39

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The inexpensive slide whistles use a rubber grommet to create the seal. The grommet can dry out and shrink, or get misaligned in manufacturing. Usually the whistles are inexpensive enough that you buy a new one rather that try to do a repair.

You could try working a small amount of petroleum jelly into the shaft to help the grommet seal.

Depending on the manufacture, it is possible on some of the plastic types to soak the end piece in boiling water and soften the end cap enough to remove and get access to the grommet.

On metal whistles that don't have a screw-on cap there is usually an indent in the metal that keeps the end cap on. This can be drilled out and replaced with a set screw to get access for repairs.

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