Chiff and Fipple Forums

jemtheflute wrote:As for the Glenluce 5-keyers, I have history there...... see this thread - read all the way to the end!

I skipped to the end (rather than wading through). I'm afraid I still don't really agree. You're a lifelong - and much better than me - flute player. It stands to reason that you could get something out of it. I had a feeling that I'd tried that one ... and couldn't. "Arguments with your embouchure"? Hmmm. I'd interpret that as "too difficult to play".

benhall.1 wrote:"Arguments with your embouchure"? Hmmm. I'd interpret that as "too difficult to play".

Except it wasn't/isn't. I still have the ugly thing. It certainly isn't great but it does play quite decently. I was having a bad embouchure day or at least not adjusting well when I did the clips - there were/have been other occasions when I played it with no such problems.

I am glad I left it where it was to be honest. Interesting reading the old thread on it too, I read to the end and cant wait for the next chapter, some characters on here lol.

Jem, if you do come across a decent 8 key for sale, I would be interested but preferably in the new year.

The continual use of the word "professional" in ebay listings for various flute-like objects is an interesting paradox. It is being applied to instruments that are presumably the precise opposite of professional - unless it is argued that only a professional player has the chops to get anything out of them. What does "professional" in this context mean? Presumably it is intended as a reassurance of quality, which is a bit rich (judging from most of the correspondence on this thread). There is a new complication I have just noticed for the first time. Visit http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/28190061 ... 1900615338 and you should see a listing for a four-part, "Irish", eight-key "professional" flute. But we have added reassurance in the shape of a Union Jack and the statement that the instrument is "100 per cent British made". Well, I think it is intended as a reassurance - some may beg to differ. But is it true? Is this "professional" flute - selling for £89.99 - really a product of old Blighty? Is it the heir to the proud heritage of Rudall, Pratten, Wilde, Boosey et al? Perhaps somebody knows. I am too lazy to investigate.

"Professional" is assuredly a sales blurb usage with no technical meaning - a bit like "executive travel" on coaches most used as school buses on which no "executive" has or would ever set foot, etc.

Pakistani. No Q. They are probably in breach of Trades Descriptions legislation if anyone can be bothered reporting them. Not for displaying the Union Flag (meaningless) but for the very specific wording.

will marshall wrote:The continual use of the word "professional" in ebay listings for various flute-like objects is an interesting paradox. It is being applied to instruments that are presumably the precise opposite of professional - unless it is argued that only a professional player has the chops to get anything out of them. What does "professional" in this context mean? Presumably it is intended as a reassurance of quality, which is a bit rich (judging from most of the correspondence on this thread). There is a new complication I have just noticed for the first time. Visit http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/28190061 ... 1900615338 and you should see a listing for a four-part, "Irish", eight-key "professional" flute. But we have added reassurance in the shape of a Union Jack and the statement that the instrument is "100 per cent British made". Well, I think it is intended as a reassurance - some may beg to differ. But is it true? Is this "professional" flute - selling for £89.99 - really a product of old Blighty? Is it the heir to the proud heritage of Rudall, Pratten, Wilde, Boosey et al? Perhaps somebody knows. I am too lazy to investigate.

100%
Such a great history of TOP makers in Britain , the wording 'Irish flute' I've never been able to understand !

I found the youtube videos that show the playing of irish flutes made in pakistan.
I think the condition of these pakistani flutes is normal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW_NGfeYc0g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRoG_jT1d-I

I read this but I still did a dumb thing and decided to ask "How Bad Can They Be?". Answer REAL BAD. That flute won't toot!
It was sure pretty on the outside but little or no sound. I used every possible lip configuration and it was no use. I am trying to get my $250 back. I have an Olwell that I love to play, but wanted something cheap that could take to the beach or on fishing trips so if it was destroyed I would not care. The only thing the Pakistani flute was good for was to stake up the tomato patch.

Thanks for reading this

-------

"The next time you see a young person ask them what they would like to be, then show them the path to their dream"

Always be smart in what you buy on ebay!

Went into Hobgoblin in Snow Hill Birmingham today as I was shopping with the missus,I thought maybe I should have another try at these Glenluce Flutes for a laugh, surely my complaint to head office asking why they would sell something that doesnt play will have hit a nerve. No, they have remained deaf, still selling the same old **** and really poor quality.

I'm a total newbie in the field of playing the flute altough I have 35 years of musical experience as a guitar player. My first Irish flute was a Dixon aluminum tube I bought about a month ago. Two weeks ago I tried a wooden keyless flute with an ebonite head joint in a shop in the Netherlands and in my opinion (as a noob) it sounded sweet but rather quiet. When I had taken it home I found out is was the Glenluce Pakistan made flute. The bore was completely rough, so I took the risk of ruining it and pushed a dot of steelwool through a few times and then oiled it up. The volume improved drastically (or maybe it was just my embouchure that had improved). I still find it difficult to play but half of the time I get a nice sound out of it. I checked the intonation with a chromatic tuner (hey, I play the guitar ) and it is rather good over the first two octaves (the third octave is still out of reach for me ). I only wanted to say that not all Pakistani instruments are just firewood, but I agree that there is a lot of room for improvement in the field of quality...

klarnetisto wrote:I really wonder if he's so naive as to assume that the noise this device emits is an exotic Indian scale? Hindustani and Carnatic musicians alike would split their sides laughing!

LOVE IT. Ha!

Maybe it's just that they were all made to be in tune with my church's organ.



So what does tend to be the problems with these. I mean, obviously they won't play... that's a big one.

Is being out-of-tune with themselves a frequent problem or does it tend to be more that their construction makes them difficult to get a quality sound out of? For what reason(s)? It is often in the embochure hole? Elsewhere?

Well, the one I experimented with was so badly constructed that the socket and tennon fittings for one joint would not work, even with all the thread wrapping removed. The tennon was still too large to fit into the socket. Clearly it had never been assembled, and if that is the case could never have been fine tuned. I count these as flute blanks made out of somewhat substandard wood. I expect a good flute maker could make them playable, but they clearly need the touch of an experienced instrument maker to function at all in some cases, and perhaps never well. The ebonite Indian flute was orders of magnitude worse and more likely than not the tone holes were so poorly located that it could not be fixed.

My take on this is that there are no shortcuts to making a good simple system flute and you get what you pay for.

Very good to know, I will stay away from these flutes!

Thanks for this thread, saved me about 70.00. I bought one of those flutes, and when it came I spent about 4 hours trying to get it to make a tone. lol Watched youtube videos and read different instruction sites. Then sadly discovered I made a big mistake, lol but the good news is I didn't waste too much time and returned it asap. I'm fully aware I'm not going to be any good right off, but this thing was next to impossible to get a tone out of. It was fairly easy with the head tube only, but when I put it together I could only get a really weak tone and only as far as covering the top finger hole. After two fingers it wouldn't do anything. It was a Deura "Professional" Irish Flute/toilet paper roll holder, from e-bay. I've seen them anywhere from about 40 to 100 dollars. On to happier things, I love this site so far. I've been playing around on tin whistles for a while, and will probably try again with a flute before long.