Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

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Casey Burns
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by Casey Burns »

I've been doing smaller handed flutes longer than anyone else, starting with a question back in 1985 from Mickie Zekley of Lark in the Morning fame. He asked me if it was possible to make a Pratten flute that could fit smaller hands. I told him I would get right on it. After a few prototypes I brought him some attempts.

Mickie is very honest in his flute appraisals and will bluntly tell you if the flute passes or if it is crap. Its the best and at the same time the harshest kind of review. The very first time I met him was a Seattle Folklife Festival. I had only been making flutes for 3 months and had a table full of them to sell. Mickie comes up to my booth and tries all of them then says "These flutes play like crap!" I explained that I had only been making flutes for 3 months and he said "Oh - in that context they aren't that bad. But meet me after Folklife and I'll show you how they should play." Mickie generously took me under his wing then and I was given access to his flute collection to measure. I treasure our friendship!

So I expected we would have to work on several examples before we hit on something that worked. Instead, the first few I brought him worked fine and passed his evaluation. What is funny is that the small handed model of 1985 which I developed then, nicknamed the "Honkette" (my otherwise Pratten-derived flutes were given the moniker "Honker" by Richard Cook) is now essentially what I call my "Large Holed Standard". I've been pushing the holes closer and closer together ever since.

The challenge is to maintain the voice of the flute. Smaller holes tend to radiate the sound less. Intonation problems arise in the 2nd octave. I've had to do a lot of iterative exploring in terms of bore parameters, hole placement and tone hole treatment to find what works. Beyond that the outside aesthetics are secondary and can be modified from the shapes that are currently employed - some of my clients prefer a more streamlined look at the sockets. I am actually working on these aesthetics next year, as I'll have more time since I'll no longer be accepting new keyed flute orders (I'll make the occasional one to sell, and will still be offering retrofits). See elsewhere re my engraving activities.

What really matters is how it plays even with the smaller and more ergonomic hole placement. From the maker's perspective this can only be discerned by making several flutes. In 1985 when I was exploring this, I was numbering my flutes and was around the 300 range. I stopped numbering at 500 and figure now that I have made over 3500 flutes, about half of them small handed instruments. Every single flute has been an exploration, to improve what I am doing always.

Casey
ryarbrough
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by ryarbrough »

To answer the ordinal inquiry, I’ve played both the Copley & Boegli keyless w/o slide and the Gallagher small hole Rudall. The C&B has a pretty big stretch between r2 and r3, similar to my Gallagher Pratten six-key. The Gallagher small hole rudall I found to be very comfortable with a smaller stretch. I found the Gallagher small-hole to have a voice similar to the Gallagher Pratten and to be consistent bottom to top with good intonation. I did not spend as much time with the C&B, but it is a quiet flute compared to the Gallagher. The materials and workmanship of both flutes were very nice.

If I were looking for a new flute with a short stretch, i’d look at the Gallagher.
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by Peter Duggan »

ryarbrough wrote:I did not spend as much time with the C&B, but it is a quiet flute compared to the Gallagher.
While I haven't tried a Gallagher, I wonder if that was just unfamiliarity with the Copley? Because they're not quiet flutes...
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by bigsciota »

Peter Duggan wrote:
ryarbrough wrote:I did not spend as much time with the C&B, but it is a quiet flute compared to the Gallagher.
While I haven't tried a Gallagher, I wonder if that was just unfamiliarity with the Copley? Because they're not quiet flutes...
I've heard a Gallagher flute, and it was an absolute cannon. Even if the Copley is on the loud side, I wouldn't be surprised if its softer than the Gallagher.
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by dunnp »

There was a Gallagher for sale with4 keys for a very reasonable price on Facebook recently.
I don’t think it was the smallest holed one but not sure.
I certainly considered buying it.
The Wood was Purple Heart I think.
If anyone is interested I could put in touch with owner.
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by ryarbrough »

[Thread revival. - Mod]

I'm posting to this old thread in case someone comes across my original and very wrong post from five years ago.

To correct my original post, the stretch on a Copley and Boegli flute is small compared to a Gallagher Pratten. I've subsequently purchased a keyed Copley, which is now my principal instrument. The Copley finger stretch for both the left and right hand is several mm less than the stretch for either a Rudal-type or a Pratten-type flute. If a Pratten or Rudal-type flute is too large for you, the Copley is definitely an option.
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by rudallcarte »

One other type of flute mentioned here that can get around the key reach problem is the Siccama-style one which have been made at least by Terry McGee in Australia and may be made by one or two others. It has a key for the E and A which is usually open and you close those two holes with the keys. It means the holes are much easier to reach and also, a big bonus, the intonation of the flute is improved because the holes can be made more equal and therefore more equal-volume. This link has a pic and other info, for the small-handed amongst us:

http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Siccama.html

Terry doesn't advertise the Siccama model currently but he'll be able to tell you if you can still commission one.
PS I play an original Siccama and love it.
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by tstermitz »

There is an original Abel Siccama at the IrishFluteFtore right now, which offers a rare piece of history. (Disclaimer: I'm the interested party in selling it.) I had Jeff Denning put some excellent repairs into making it sing.

Siccama flutes are great for small hands. I think the reach between the middle and ring fingers is the problem point for small hands, and the Siccama fixes that perfectly.

Not to mention the HUGE voice and the strong, even tone on the notes which are typically weak.
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Re: Copley, Gallagher, or other for small hands and comfort?

Post by flutefry »

I have an original Siccama, and agree with the above comments about reach, tone and tuning. If you play the silver flute, you won't find the keys bothersome, and as (I think) Jim Stone pointed out, the plateau key for the lower hand ring finger makes it easy to use the short F for D to F transitions.
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