Just wanted to give everyone a heads up. I will be temporarily suspending the production of Folk Flutes after the beginning of Fall. I need to take a break from these and work other flutes. I am exploring other materials and have someting that I am not ready to announce. Eventually if she ever makes it down from Canada my apprentice might resume making these.

Making so many of these tales a lot if time, especially in terms of answering the same basic questions that are there fully answered on my website. I am also wearing out my bidy making these. I am again looking into a 3D printed version and am on to something that might be possible. My more expensive flutes will continue to be available with their normal wait times.

Cheers and Stay Safe!

Casey

The headline was slightly shocking. I feared the business was bad or something. But I'm glad it's the other way round. Too much to do and not too little.

Tell me about it! I've been getting a lot of flute orders - including for my keyed flutes.

Added to this are two projects in development:

My Low G Alto Flute: this will be a large-bored loud session-capable flute in the key of G that will also be quite ergonomic to the hands and arms, with fingerhole Sizes and Spacing similar to my Large Holed Standard. I am developing this flute for Kevin Crawford, Matt Molloy, Grey Larsen and John Skelton.

Mrs. Best's Keys: My wife and I are going into the cast key making business. Nancy will handle the ins and outs of the business while I am the technical side. We are hoping to have sets of keys available for other flute makers to purchase and use on their flutes. Currently these styles are planned:

Mrs. Best's Originals - these are cast using the original keys of Prowse, Rudall and Rose, Clementi and a few anonymous mid 19th century London flute makers as the masters.
Pratten's Perfected - these are based on one of Mickie Zekley's originals. I will be drafting these in a CAD program, resin casting masters for molding
Thibouville: these will be for the 5 keyed French style flutes of Thibouville and Martin and other French makers.

These flutes are used as the Raw Material for Cuban flutes. Three modifications are made: 1) the plug is pushed in towards the embouchure so that the left edge of the embouchure is only 3.7mm away from the face of the plug. The end caps usually are clinging on by their toenails! 2) the head joint is pulled out so that the barrel joint tube is visible all the way to its edge, usually flush with the head joint and 3) the embouchure was made large, sometimes ungracefully so. This was due to the varying sizes of the lips of the Charangeiros. Rarely were the finger holes changed, and when this was done these were simply changed back.

I will be providing measurements of these flutes as well as instructions on the finishing of the keys (these will come as cast), how to source springs, etc. Besides handling most of the business Nancy will herself be making the old style purse pads for those who want to use these on the salt spoon style keywork.

Finally my own key designs will be made available. We may also do some cast Baroque keys and possibly get into other instruments' keys such as for Northumbrian and Uilleann pipes. The keys are all cast at a local superb casting service although we plan to locate a backup.

Mrs. Best was the maker of keys for many of the London flute makers. These were cast. She ran the business but beyond that, little is known about her. For years, beginning flute makers have asked me "Where do you get your keys?" We now have an answer to this question.

I will still be offering my array of flutes unless the demand for the Low Gs and the keys is sufficient for survival. I am turning 65 in November, am having significant issues in my shoulders and hands, and want to preserve some of my chops for making music myself, instead of making the hardware for ebveryone else to make music with!

Stay Safe Everyone and Wear Your Mask (especially over the nose as well) and maintain your Social Distancing!

Casey

Cool Stuff coming down the pike! Looking forward to it. A low G seems kind of, well, unplayable but I'm looking forward to being proven wrong

It will be pretty much in the same way the modern Alto flutes in A (they call these G flutes) are playable. Starting with a head joint bore of 25mm and tapering down slightly in the bidy. The embouchure cut is highly critical for bet response and volume. But then the tone holes are too far apart and too far down. I simply look things to bring these far apart holes close together. It should work!

Casey