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Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 12:38 am
by AntonEmery
I am looking for a keyless Delrin flute, something I can travel with and leave assembled around the house. I would be looking for a larger holed Rudall or a Pratten. My main flute is a keyed LeHart.

I was thinking about either a Somers, Paddy Ward Delrin, or Forbes, and was wondering if folks here might have an opinion. I have played a Somers that was outstanding, a few that were not as great. Never played a Ward delrin but it sure sounds good on the Irish Flute Store sight. I played an older Forbes that was pretty nice, and I hear the newer ones are better.

Thanks in advance,

Anton

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 1:27 am
by kkrell
Consider Dave Copley.

Somers is good, as are the others.

From Ireland/UK , Seery or Damian Thompson.
There's a Seery on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332921832229

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:21 am
by PB+J
Not the makers you are asking about and I'm very very very far from an expert, but for what it's worth:

I have two delrin or delrin-like flutes, a Walt Sweet "shannon" and an M&E. "Delrin" is a generic name for DuPont's specific polymer: it comes in different grades and densities: The Shannon is much lighter and the material feels a bit softer.

Both are capable of making very nice music in the hands of a better player than me. The Shannon is a simple and clever two piece tunable design. It's extremely easy to play and gets a big sound with little trouble. The M&E looks more traditional and has a tuning slide and steel rings. It's a bit harder to play but has more of what I think of as the "Irish Flute" sound, although that's subjective. The M&E came coated with some kind of glossy black finish which very quickly started chipping and wearing off. I removed it all with acetone and now it has a nice semi-gloss look. I find myself playing the M&E more, even though it's harder to play.

I think either one would make a fine flute, for not much money

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:22 am
by bradhurley
I agree that Dave Copley would be a good choice. Jon Cornia also makes very good flutes in delrin.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 5:51 am
by kkrell
bradhurley wrote:Jon Cornia also makes very good flutes in delrin.
He does indeed, I went to visit him last month. I have 2 of his flutes in blackwood, 1 in Delrin. However, he's not a prolific maker and is primarily involved lately in restoration work. I think he enjoys the research & sometimes unique problem-solving aspects of working on antique instruments, and returning them to playable condition. He's certainly acquired substantial skills from what his "patients" have required of him.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 8:07 am
by Loren
I have owned quite a few different Delrin/Polymer flutes over the years: Baubet, Somers, Seery, M&E, Watson, Forbes, Gallagher, and Copley..... Perhaps one or two others that I am forgetting.

Without getting into the pros and cons of each of the others, My personal recommendation to people is the Copley because it ticks all the boxes: Very well made, easy to play, excellent tone, plus Dave Copley is easy to deal with - he communicates and delivers in a timely fashion, which not every maker does. Also, for travel, the Copley has the advantage of being shorter and therefore lighter and more compact than most, if not all of the other flutes I’ve mentioned.

John Gallagher and Glenn Watson also make excellent Delrin flutes, but the cost is about 4 times that of a Copley, and it’s debatable as to whether they are any better.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 10:48 am
by kkrell
Loren wrote:My personal recommendation to people is the Copley because it ticks all the boxes: Very well made, easy to play, excellent tone, plus Dave Copley is easy to deal with - he communicates and delivers in a timely fashion, which not every maker does. Also, for travel, the Copley has the advantage of being shorter and therefore lighter and more compact than most, if not all of the other flutes I’ve mentioned.

John Gallagher and Glenn Watson also make excellent Delrin flutes, but the cost is about 4 times that of a Copley, and it’s debatable as to whether they are any better.
I agree with the above. I recently (January) purchased a used Dave Copley keyless D in Delrin, (3-piece) with faux ivory rings, corked tenons and soft flute roll. Beautiful fit and finish, and a marvelous voice.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2019 10:55 am
by jim stone
I'm a fan of Dave Copley's delrin flutes, especially the bottom of the line,
without rings. Elegant. Good price.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:36 am
by AntonEmery
Thanks for the suggestions folks. Copley is definitely on my list for a C flute. We had a few C sessions at the recent Roche Harbor Irish Music retreat and I think there were no less than 5 Copleys. For this keyless D I want something with a tuning slide, and for a Copley that probably puts me closer to $1000. I was hoping to spend closer to $500, so I will probably look at Somers or one of the other options in that price range.

Anton

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:03 am
by jim stone
FWIW, the Copley delrin has a tuning slide, made of delrin (hard, precise stuff, well designed) that works very well in sessions etc.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:08 am
by AntonEmery
Thanks for the heads up on that Jim. Is this some sort of internal tuning slide? I assumed it was a long headjoint and a regular tenon, at least it looks that way in the photo on his site.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:24 am
by jim stone
The end of the flute body is reduced to a long-enough cylinder that fits into the headjoint. It's simple and it definitely works well. I play flutes with metal tuning slides in sessions and often use the delrin slide too, which works as well, as far as I can tell. These are good session-flutes.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:43 am
by kkrell
AntonEmery wrote:Thanks for the heads up on that Jim. Is this some sort of internal tuning slide? I assumed it was a long headjoint and a regular tenon, at least it looks that way in the photo on his site.
Deliberately long tenon, which allows some range of tuning, but not so much as a metal tuning slide arrangement.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 9:59 am
by jim stone
Just to note, for those who haven't noticed, that Dave sells a six-keyed
version of his bottom of the line delrin flute, with an all-delrin tuning slide
and no rings, for 1900 dollars. It's tempting. His craftsmanship is impeccable, IMO.

Re: Looking for a keyless delrin

Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2019 2:09 pm
by cac
I think that Rob Forbes' flutes are a kind of 'gold standard' for delrin flutes with a Pratten sound. The workmanship is superb and the intonation is excellent. I've played Copleys and Forbes and listened to others on YT. I hesitate to say that a Forbes is better than a Copley b/c they have different types of sound, but for a full-bodied Pratten type session flute, I think the Forbes is the better.