Chiff and Fipple Forums

Jon Cornia, of Cochran flutes in California, does excellent repairs and reconstruction of the best wooden flutes for some of the world’s best players at a reasonable price. I own two flutes that he made, both excellent. I highly recommend him.

One would have to like the rectangle embouchure cut.

I can see that you've made your decision, and having played one, a good decision. A young flute player who I helped teach started on boehm at school, and then, a bit younger than your daughter, started playing an M&E ebonite flute. While it was heavy, it was an excellent flute. Kids pick up embo...

There is a "we," as every flute player, on a simple system flute, blows into the embouchure hole. Different players blow into it at different angles. The rest of the flute, whether it winds up with the holes in line with the embouchure hole or forward or behind the embouchure hole, has not...

I know it can be construed as nitpicking, but it was important to me in acquiring a decent embouchure. There is no turning in or turning out the head joint; we play the head joint. We then turn the rest of the flute in or out to make playing comfortable on our hands, arms and bodies.

I have had a Cochran 6 key boxwood flute for about 5 years in New York, with humid summers and dry winters. It is straight as can be with no warping of any kind and the keys all work perfectly. Terrific flute. I keep it in a plactic covered hamper with a small damp sponge inside when not in use.

"Sellotape ("Scotch" to Merkins) isn't very water-resistant."

Merkins? Is that really necessary?

The Morse concertina is now sold.

I have two concertinas for sale, as family problems have forced me to sell off my instruments. Kensington Concertina Number 58 in C/G, Kensington layout (similar to Jeffries, see diagram in images). New Condition. It hasn't been played since I bought it new. It has true concertina reeds, and comes a...

Set in D concert pitch, cocobolo, boxwood and brass, with four chanter keys. Comes with two extra chanter reeds and two instructional books with cds. Played very little and always kept in an environmentally controlled room. Thomas Martin makes it pretty foolproof in that he can send out a perfect re...

Straight solid boxwood flute in D, large silver rings, reinforced tenons,sockets, keys and end cap, comes with Cavallaro roll case and swab stick. I'm selling my instruments because of family issues, and this is the last one I want to sell. It is a medium to large holed flute that is based on a grea...

It's important for me to add, having said that one of the keys had less than perfect chrome, that upon contacting Michael, he quickly sent me a whole new section, new keys included, postage paid. Terrific service for a terrific flute, which I still have and play regularly.

Terry, did you ever try treating your pine Pratten with tung oil or any other penetrating coating that wouldn't change tbe bore dimensions?

"I remember a maker (from London?) many years ago who painted his flutes to make them black."
You could be thinking of Tom Ganley, of Loughglynn Co. Roscommon in Ireland. His later flutes actually improved (there was no other direction to go).