A left-handed C foot

[JCortese]

I know that it would be more complicated since it involved articulated keys, but is there quite literally no one on Earth who is willing or able to make a left-handed C foot? Are there really no kluges or adjustments that would render this doable? I mean, it can be done, mechanically speaking.

Please someone tell me that I can throw some money at this problem and solve it. I have a 6-key Copley that I'm in love with and would really like to have a C foot for it.

[an seanduine]

I'm unclear as to whether you wish for the 'grasshopper' style keys or a Boehm style foot.
Reviol could, I should think, make you the Boehm style. Ask him. Lars Kirmser is another resource, since he has buckets of old keys, and fabricates keys from scratch.
Clearly the easier course is to post mount the keys. Block style would require wood grafting or another complete joint to be turned.
I am surprised that Dave Copley himself couldn't/wouldn't do it.

Bob

p.s. No repair/modification is insurmountable if you splash enough dosh about.

[JCortese]

I'm unclear as to whether you wish for the 'grasshopper' style keys or a Boehm style foot.

At this point, I imagine I'd take anything I could find -- but I'd definitely prefer the grasshopper keys since they would complement the look of my flute, which I'm very fond of.

p.s. No repair/modification is insurmountable if you splash enough dosh about.

I'm hoping ... *crosses fingers*

[Caspermilktoast]

Have you contacted Dave Copley about it? In my experience,he is very willing to take up things like this .

[JCortese]

Have you contacted Dave Copley about it? In my experience,he is very willing to take up things like this .

Actually, when I wrote to him and asked for an 8-key leftie, he was the one who said that he could only do a 6-key version.

I wish I could have a C foot straight from him because other than that, the thing is marvelous and I'm head over ears in love with it. Everything from the sound of it to the velvety finish it has, to how it blows, the feel of the keys, and the ease of maintenance is perfect. If only it had a C foot, I couldn't imagine ever wanting a different flute for the rest of my life.

[kkrell]

Possibly the issue is more of maker not being a willing to work on an existing flute, but to build a complete left-handed instrument. Maurice Reviol probably woudn't shy from keying an existing flute, or making only a foot.

Chris Wilkes makes fully-keyed left-handed flutes.

Hammy Hamilton.

Casey Burns.

Martin Doyle.

I believe Peter Noy does, too.

[Peter Duggan]

Actually, when I wrote to him and asked for an 8-key leftie, he was the one who said that he could only do a 6-key version.

I was also surprised when you first said this, given that he worked on a substantially custom layout including one key I don't think he'd done before (right-hand G#) for my right-handed flute. But he must have his reasons (maybe to do with those articulated C and C# keys being substantially more complex things?) when he's really so accommodating about mods and specials.

That said, I chose not to go with the C and C# keys on my Copley because the touch positions weren't right for me. So I'd have preferred a Boehm-style arrangement where the C and C# sit to the foot side of the Eb rather than up above/behind it, but probably not at the cost of mix-and-matching in pin-mounted foot keys.

[JCortese]

Possibly the issue is more of maker not being a willing to work on an existing flute, but to build a complete left-handed instrument. Maurice Reviol probably woudn't shy from keying an existing flute, or making only a foot.

It's a fully left-handed 6-key, though -- he just didn't do the articulated C and C# keys. He's very happy to make 6-key lefties, and like I said, I'm delighted with what he's made. I love it to bits; I just wish it had those extra keys.

I think I'll ask after a left-handed Boehm-style foot for it from Reviol and see what happens. I can only imagine that the challenges of making mirror-image articulated keys is the problem; the other keys are symmetrical enough that making a lefty would only be a matter of carving the blocks on the other side of the body.