Ormiston Rosewood Flute on Ebay

[MacEachain]

Hi Folks,
I found this for sale on Ebay,
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 10183&rd=1

Cheers, Mac

[jim stone]

Any idea what it's worth? Being rosewood...

[MacEachain]

Hi Jim,
Dave Copley used to give a price for a Rosewood flute, The website's been changed now only I had it printed out about a year ago (11/08/02). The Rosewood was $655 and the Blackwood, $720. This probably doesn't help but it's the only reference I could find.

Cheers, Mac

[jim stone]

Thanks... It looks a lovely flute.

[beowulf573]

How do rosewood and blackwood differ in the sound department? Or is the player the more important factor.

Eddie

[sturob]

Rosewood, blackwood . . . here we go again.

Hard question in the sense that blackwood is a rosewood. Rosewood, like what we're probably talking about here, is usually lighter in color, less dense, and less oily than African blackwood. So, if you're an adherent of the timber-sound theory (as I am, I must admit), then rosewood flutes are perhaps slightly mellower and less piercing than would be a blackwood flute which is an exact duplicate in every other way except timber. Insofar as that's not really possible, it probably depends on both the flute and the player, but the rosewood will contribute something to the sound.

Makers usually charge less for rosewood. I don't know if it's because the timber is that much cheaper (I'm sure it's less expensive), because it's easier to work . . . or what. Or a combination.

From Ormiston's website . . . There is a choice of wood - African Blackwood, Rosewood or Boxwood. African Blackwood is certainly the most-preferred choice, as much for its tone as for its stability. I have been buying my Blackwood direct from Africa for some years now and I am very happy with the quality and price.

Stuart

[jim stone]

Yes, they are closely related.
My impression is that rosewood has
a brighter sound, blackwood a
darker and smokier sound, if that
makes any sense. Of the two
I prefer blackwood, but a rosewood
flute would provide an interesting
voice.
Also might be less expensive.

[Ben Shaffer]

this is kinda like brunettes or redheads, as with woods there are differences when viewed, but if you play identical instruments except for the woods there are not big differences.
I have identical Abell Whistles, one rosewood , the other blackwood, sound wise very little difference. The Blackwood Whistle may be a little louder and have a more focused sound, but, I don't believe anyone would be able to tell the difference when hearing the 2 instruments( assuming they can't see them).
Ben

[Jayhawk]

Ben,

are your whistles high D or lower whistles? I wonder if the similarity in sound is aided by the nature of the higher pitched instruments. Would two low whistles of different timbers sound as similar as two high whistles?

Personally, I believe with flutes the player, the design of the instrument and lastly the material influence sound. But to me, the influence in the material depends upon the design of the instrument. If you made three flutes of different material (delrin, rosewood, blackwood) with exactly the same design I think they would sound vastly different. However, if the design changed to take into account the material, I think it would be hard to tell the difference and the player then would be the biggest influence.

Does that make sense at all?

Eric

[jim stone]

Sure. I suspect that differences in tone
maybe somewhat more apparent to the
person playing the flute than to the
audience, by the way.

Rosewood certainly seems to have
a distinctive sound--as in guitar back
and sides. Stuff sings. Possibly a
bit too much for flutes.

[BillG]

The first Rosewood instrument I owned was a fife about six or seven years ago. Very little difference in the sounds of Grenadilla and Rosewood on a fife since they are much higher in octave and more difficult to discern that quality.

HOWEVER, for the first two months of playing is - especially the first week - my lip (lower) began to tingle. I thought it might have been kick back vibration but it did not occur on any other fifes I played. Ergo - and therefore - I determined a slight alergy for Rosewood for me. It disapated slowly over the next few months, though, for which I am grateful. I seldom play fifes now that I've become addicted to wooden flutes.

BillG

[Ben Shaffer]

Eric and List:
My Abell Whistles are high D, it could be that pitch is a factor and low D whistles made of either Rosewood or Blackwood would sound different. That said I would keep the Blackwood if I could only have one of these Whistles
I think a nicely designed Flute of rosewood could sound better than a lesser Flute made of Blackwood, but for Irish Music the standard really is Blackwood.
I havent played Fife in awhile but I think Fifes sound about the same made of any wood, if the design is the same.
For looks however Blackwood is kinda plain and a nice Cocobola wood or Boxwood with a Nitric Acid wash is much more pleasing to the eye. Does anyone else like the looks of Boxwood with a nitric Acid Wash?
Ben

[Loren]

Jim, no offense but..... all things being equal, rosewood flutes and whistles are NOT brighter sounding than Blackwood, in fact it's just the opposite.

With regards to guitars, yes rosewood sings, but Rosewood backed guitars are generally not prized for their "brightness" of tone but rather the warmth and complexity of tone they produce. When someone wants a bright sounding guitar, they will usually go with Mahagony back and sides. I assure you, a guitar made with African Blackwood back and sides would be far brighter, sounding than the same with Blackwood back and sides.

This from someone who used to sell musical instruments for a living (5 years), for what that's worth.

Loren

[jim stone]

OK, maybe so Loren. I say that Rosewood guitars
sing--which isn't brighter--on the basis of
having played guitar avidly for 45 years and owning
both rosewood and mahogany guitars,
and playing numberless guitars made
of every wood of which guitars are made, I reckon.

I've played Rosewood flutes, own one, etc.
Hence 'bright,' for flutes.
But I don't trust my ear that well. Or
my powers of description! FWIW Best

[Loren]

Well then, as usual, our "perspectives" differ, somewhat radically

So be it

Loren