Rich, yes, I'd forgotten about Healy's starter flute That reminds me: Copley also makes a rosewood flute for $485 - same design as the blackwood version, with the full tuning slide. Just one more option for Erik.
By the way Erik, many of these flute makers offer a money back trial period.
Loren
Flute dreams.
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Loren
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gcollins
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Well, Erik. As you've surely noticed around here, our comradarie on this forum involves more often becoming fast experts on the way flutes sound, respond, feel. Talking about them with each other is a kind of AA.
Whatever you do, just get on Olwell's waiting list, then figure out your next step. The problem with those who never get an Olwell is that they will spend the rest of their days thinking about how one would feel and sound. This is an objective fact, whistle and flute players are not subjective people.
Loren and I have been trying to get Dave Copely to make a delrin flute for travelling and the like, but that will take another year before he's got the production capacity and equipment in place. So I guess the M&E variety would be a good first step.
Whatever you do, just get on Olwell's waiting list, then figure out your next step. The problem with those who never get an Olwell is that they will spend the rest of their days thinking about how one would feel and sound. This is an objective fact, whistle and flute players are not subjective people.
Loren and I have been trying to get Dave Copely to make a delrin flute for travelling and the like, but that will take another year before he's got the production capacity and equipment in place. So I guess the M&E variety would be a good first step.
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ErikT
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Thank you all very much.
I think that I've narrowed it down to an Ormiston, Olwell, Copley, Healy or McGee. I'll probably also watch ebay while trying to decide. I'm not in a big hurry. It's hard to base a flute decision soley on looks, though, so thank you for all of your opinions. I may even attempt to try some of them before buying - I'm not a particularly picky flute player, though. If they're well enough made, it's usually just a matter of getting used to the feel of a new instrument (now if they're just bad, that's another story).
And as far as price, I think that I'll wait until I can afford the $400-1000 range. I'd like to stay away from plastic and maybe even get a key or two.
Thanks again,
Erik
I think that I've narrowed it down to an Ormiston, Olwell, Copley, Healy or McGee. I'll probably also watch ebay while trying to decide. I'm not in a big hurry. It's hard to base a flute decision soley on looks, though, so thank you for all of your opinions. I may even attempt to try some of them before buying - I'm not a particularly picky flute player, though. If they're well enough made, it's usually just a matter of getting used to the feel of a new instrument (now if they're just bad, that's another story).
And as far as price, I think that I'll wait until I can afford the $400-1000 range. I'd like to stay away from plastic and maybe even get a key or two.
Thanks again,
Erik
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ChrisLaughlin
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Okay... just as with whistles, the wooden flute world in Ireland is completely different. People would not even consider spending upwards of a thousand dollars for a keyless flute. People over here play flutes mostly by Hammy Hamilton, Eamonn Cotter, and Sam Murray, few of which cost more than $500. Just keep that in mind.
Erik,
I have the perfect flute for you in your price range. The price is 300 USA dollars, so it's actually at the bottom end of your range. It's the flute by John Rutzen that I mentioned in another thread. The only thing you might not like is that the head and tuning slide sections are delrin. The other 3 sections (two piece body with separate foot joint) are blackwood. Construction quality is excellent, amazing considering the price. The fitting and slide are brass. The flute looks beautiful, very trad looking as it's closely based on a ~1840's Rudall. The blackwood and delrin look fine together, I doubt someone several feet away would even notice.
The best part is playing it. Foremost, the holes are perhaps slightly on the small side by today's standards, and the flute almost plays itself. It's exceptionally easy to fill. The stretch & hole size make it very easy to reach and play quickly. The response is lightning fast, I guess both because of how well it's made and the fact it's not a big flute with large holes and bore.
Surprisingly, it's fairly loud. Not a session blaster, by any means, but a good strong volume. It's actually very close in volume to a Seery, which is a bigger flute. The tone is excellent, it has a good strong bottom "D", well in tune, and sounds beautiful. Mostly, it's just great fun as it's so responsive and easy to play fast, with a great sound. This would be a solid playing flute at any price, and an absolute steal at 300.
I have the perfect flute for you in your price range. The price is 300 USA dollars, so it's actually at the bottom end of your range. It's the flute by John Rutzen that I mentioned in another thread. The only thing you might not like is that the head and tuning slide sections are delrin. The other 3 sections (two piece body with separate foot joint) are blackwood. Construction quality is excellent, amazing considering the price. The fitting and slide are brass. The flute looks beautiful, very trad looking as it's closely based on a ~1840's Rudall. The blackwood and delrin look fine together, I doubt someone several feet away would even notice.
The best part is playing it. Foremost, the holes are perhaps slightly on the small side by today's standards, and the flute almost plays itself. It's exceptionally easy to fill. The stretch & hole size make it very easy to reach and play quickly. The response is lightning fast, I guess both because of how well it's made and the fact it's not a big flute with large holes and bore.
Surprisingly, it's fairly loud. Not a session blaster, by any means, but a good strong volume. It's actually very close in volume to a Seery, which is a bigger flute. The tone is excellent, it has a good strong bottom "D", well in tune, and sounds beautiful. Mostly, it's just great fun as it's so responsive and easy to play fast, with a great sound. This would be a solid playing flute at any price, and an absolute steal at 300.