Wilkes Headjoint

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jim stone
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Wilkes Headjoint

Post by jim stone »

Davy Levine sold me a Wilkes headjoint fitted to an Olwell Pratten body.
By serendipity, the headjoint also fit the body of a narrow small-holed Rudally flute from 1840.
The result is the most beautiful sounding flute I've ever played. The headjoint makes the
flute extraordinarily expressive. I've played a number of very good flutes, and this
is something better still. Have others had experiences with Wilkes flutes?
Steampacket
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Re: Wilkes Headjoint

Post by Steampacket »

Yes have a Wilkes flute and the head joint fits well on the Rudall flutes I have. I also like the sound of a Rudall patent head on an Olwell Pratten body too. :thumbsup:
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flutefry
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Tell us something.: Pipes have become my main instrument, but I still play the flute. I have emerged from the "instrument acquisition" phase, and am now down to one full set of pipes (Gordon Galloway), and one flute (Hudson Siccama).
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Re: Wilkes Headjoint

Post by flutefry »

Similar experience-Blayne Chastain sold me an Olwell cocus headjoint which I put on my R+R 2883. This improves the tunability (more overtones?), the power of the bottom D and gives a lovely character of sound. This has ended my flute acquisition disorder (once I used a little shellac on the A, and B holes...).

A bandmate heard this, and tried her Olwell HJ on a flute from a very respected maker, and both agreed that the chimera was better than her pure Olwell, or her pure other flute.

Hugh
I thought I had no talent, but my talent is to persist anyway.
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eilam
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Re: Wilkes Headjoint

Post by eilam »

i have a Wilkes Pratten that i love, but i did not try to fit the H.J on other flutes.
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bradhurley
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Re: Wilkes Headjoint

Post by bradhurley »

I have an 8-key flute in C by Chris Wilkes, and he made two head joints for it. He couldn't decide which one he liked best, so he gave me both. It's like having two very different flutes. One has more power and an earthier sound; the other has a more refined, creamier tone. I've had similar experiences with other flutes: one maker asked me to choose between two different head joints that he'd made, and the contrast was amazing: one had a sort of foggy but rich and complex sound while the other gave the flute a very clear, crisp, and focused sound. Based on these and other experiences I'd say the head joint accounts for more than 90 percent of a flute's character. If you try three different flute bodies on the same head joint, the differences are far more subtle than if you try three different head joints on the same body.
jim stone
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Re: Wilkes Headjoint

Post by jim stone »

If I may blurt out what I think, I think Wilkes headjoints may simply be the best made. I have more nuance and expression with this than with any other headjoint I've ever used. Obviously some folks won't be sold on my opinion, but I do think he is doing something special. Or I've managed to get something exceptional, even for him.
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Steve Bliven
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Re: Wilkes Headjoint

Post by Steve Bliven »

jim stone wrote:If I may blurt out what I think, I think Wilkes headjoints may simply be the best made. I have more nuance and expression with this than with any other headjoint I've ever used. Obviously some folks won't be sold on my opinion, but I do think he is doing something special. Or I've managed to get something exceptional, even for him.
So, you going to send it out on a tour Jim? :poke:

Best wishes.

Steve
Live your life so that, if it was a book, Florida would ban it.
jim stone
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Re: Wilkes Headjoint

Post by jim stone »

I'll need a (human) hostage.
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Steve Bliven
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Re: Wilkes Headjoint

Post by Steve Bliven »

jim stone wrote:I'll need a (human) hostage.
In the words of Henny Youngman .....

Best wishes.

Steve
Live your life so that, if it was a book, Florida would ban it.
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