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WTB: Wooden or delrin D flute

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 7:57 pm
by syllab
Hi,

I want to buy a used Wooden or Delrin D flute for my young daughter who want to start playing the irish flute.
Preferably something with small hole and ease of playing.

Let me know if you have something to sell.

Thanks,
Sylvain

Re: WTB: Wooden or delrin D flute

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 10:29 pm
by jim stone
The somers rudall isn't terribly expensive, can probably be resold,
and has smallish holes that might well suit a child's hands. It plays
well, too.

Re: WTB: Wooden or delrin D flute

Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 7:40 am
by Casey Burns
(CP) My Folk Flute (see http://www.folkflutes.com ) would be perfect. If I am allowed to toot my own horn here.... I have been working on the design of an Irish Flute for small hands ever since 1986 when Mickie Zekley of Lark in the Morning asked me to. Back then everyone was copying Rudall and Pratten designed flutes, myself included. Something about the bore of my flute not being exactly the same as the Pratten allowed me to be able to move the fingerholes closer together. So eventually I had 2 models that Richard Cook nicknamed the "Honker" and another nicknamed the "Honkette".

The "Honkette" is currently my Large Holed Standard. But it was the smallest handed kid on the block back in the 1980s. Since then I have iteratively worked with the bore, undercutting and embouchure to bring these finger holes even much closer together and I am able to fit my flutes to even the smallest petite hands and yet retain the flute's ability to produce a big tone and do so easily (I have a few other tricks up my sleeve). I would say that around half of the flutes I produce end up being for smaller handed players.

I currently list 3 sizes with the finger hole spacings but I can go even smaller if necessary. The acoustics of my flutes and my 35 years of experience making 100-150 wooden flutes a year make this possible.

A frequent comment from older players with arthritis and other hand issues is that they never thought they could play Irish Flute again and I have made that possible for them.

Most of the other makers don't focus on smaller handed flutes much. For me it has been a core element in my flute making for over 3 decades. Let me know via my website or email if I can be of further assistance or answer any questions.

Casey

Re: WTB: Wooden or delrin D flute

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 8:49 am
by syllab
Thanks Casey and Jim,

I will look at these options!

All the best,

Sylvain

Re: WTB: Wooden or delrin D flute

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 11:25 am
by jim stone
Well, I will certainly testify for Casey's flutes too.

Re: WTB: Wooden or delrin D flute

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 5:53 pm
by kmag
As will I.

There is no reason to sacrifice tone for playability. These have them both and she would not outgrow it any time soon, musically or otherwise.