The size of your instrument

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ochoin
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The size of your instrument

Post by ochoin »

Whilst happily (?) assembling my Zvesda Grenadiers I've come to a musician figure; to wit a jolly fifer.

http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=1716

Now this figure is sculpted in the usual excellent Zvesda-mode but I'm not sure about his instrument. The fife in question is a whopping 10mm, which equals something well over 2' long. A modern fife is a diminutive 15", so the Zvesda fife is long.
So before I trim (circumcise?) the instrument:

a. Are military fifes longer than civilian ones?
b. Have Zvesda forgotten that size doesn't matter & exaggerated the thing?
c. Should I find genuine problems to worry about?
d. Could I stop the phallic symbolism?

donald
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levied troop
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by levied troop »

Fife’s pre-19th century were longer than the later ones and military fifes could apparently be heard 3 miles away or more, so size may be important. This chap (1775) seems to have a big one:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a8/b9/78 ... 559bdc.jpg
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Vintage Wargaming
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by Vintage Wargaming »

Given PSR commented extensively on the length of the clarinet/hautboy in Zvezda’s Napoleonic Russian Grenadiers set but have felt no reason to comment on the fife here, and given the huge size of the Prussian Grenadiers as figures, I’d let it lie.
valleyboy
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by valleyboy »

Probably would be more accurate if he'd been modelled with a large horn :shock:
ochoin
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by ochoin »

levied troop wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:05 pm military fifes could apparently be heard 3 miles away or more,
And people complain about the bagpipes!

donald
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by grizzlymc »

Yes Donald, but they aren't playing military fifes marching up and down a suburban street, wi their kilt flappin I the breeze.
ochoin
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by ochoin »

There were a few issues from neighbours when I practiced playing my pipes at age 7, in suburbia at 5 30 on a Sunday morning......for obvious reasons, this practice only happened once.
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by grizzlymc »

:thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

How kind of you to share your culture with the neighbours.
ochoin
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by ochoin »

grizzlymc wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 7:33 am :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs: :thumbs:

How kind of you to share your culture with the neighbours.
Yes, I'm exceedingly generous. And as my dear father put it, "There are only two types of people in the world: Scots & those who wish they were Scots."

And we are a generous people, as my Mum's frequent invitation to the neighbours to come and share some mince & totties shows. Surprisingly, it was an invitation the surrounding Aussies only ever accepted once.

donald
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Re: The size of your instrument

Post by BaronVonWreckedoften »

ochoin wrote: Sun Mar 15, 2020 11:19 am And we are a generous people, as my Mum's frequent invitation to the neighbours to come and share some mince & totties shows.
My wife's #1 favourite meal. She'd have been round like a startled weasel.
Last edited by BaronVonWreckedoften on Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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