Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

The Chiff & Fipple Irish Flute on-line community. Sideblown for your protection.
bigsciota
Posts: 519
Joined: Fri Jun 14, 2013 7:15 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by bigsciota »

The Tipple flutes have a big advantage over most of the others for the simple reason that they break down into three pieces. One piece flutes have the obvious issues with tunability, but they're also somewhat awkward to carry around given their dimensions. Two piece flutes are a little better, but usually you end up with one very short piece and one very long piece, not really cutting down too much on the bulk. A three piece flute, though, usually breaks down into three more or less equal segments, and is much more compact.

If travel is one of the reasons you're interested in getting this flute, I'd suggest one that can break down.
PB+J
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:40 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I'm a historian and the author of "The Beat Cop:Chicago's Chief O'Neill and the Creation of Irish Music," published by the University of Chicago in 2022. I live in Arlington VA and play the flute sincerely but not well

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by PB+J »

There do seem to be a lot of good options well under $500 dollars.

A PVC flute seems pretty ideal for travel. Virtually indestructible in any conditions ordinary life is likely to present and very light. A three piece PVC flute would be very easy to carry. I like my delrin flutes but they are heavier and as I understand it a delrin flute left in a closed car on a hot sunny day could be subject to softening and "creep." I'd be somewhat inclined to favor a conical bore flute but 've never tried one of Tipple's flutes and the difference might not matter
User avatar
kkrell
Posts: 4831
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2002 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Mostly producer of the Wooden Flute Obsession 3-volume 6-CD 7-hour set of mostly player's choice of Irish tunes, played mostly solo, on mostly wooden flutes by approximately 120 different mostly highly-rated traditional flute players & are mostly...
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by kkrell »

PB+J wrote:There do seem to be a lot of good options well under $500 dollars.

A PVC flute seems pretty ideal for travel. Virtually indestructible in any conditions ordinary life is likely to present and very light. A three piece PVC flute would be very easy to carry. I like my delrin flutes but they are heavier and as I understand it a delrin flute left in a closed car on a hot sunny day could be subject to softening and "creep." I'd be somewhat inclined to favor a conical bore flute but 've never tried one of Tipple's flutes and the difference might not matter
PVC distorts beginning about 140 degrees Farenheit.
"When temperatures outside range from 80 degrees to 100 degrees, the temperature inside a car parked in direct sunlight can quickly climb to between 130 to 172.”

I think Delrin is good to near 250 degrees, and has pretty good creep resistance.
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
User avatar
Steve Bliven
Posts: 2973
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2004 2:06 pm
antispam: No
Location: Dartmouth, Massachusetts, USA

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by Steve Bliven »

kkrell wrote:I think Delrin is good to near 250 degrees, and has pretty good creep resistance.
I had a couple of creeps come after my delrin flute one evening in a pub and it was no where near that warm—so I'm not so sure about how resistant they are.

Best wishes.

Steve
Live your life so that, if it was a book, Florida would ban it.
Tunborough
Posts: 1419
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2010 2:59 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 10
Location: Southwestern Ontario

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by Tunborough »

(Recalling Feadoggie on another thread, I was prompted to offer this ...)

The makers listed above are aiming for a much higher bar than, "passable backup." Any of their flutes could be someone's go-to instrument.

This is the real answer to "Absolute least expensive." Some assembly required.

Image

By all means, order a good flute from a professional maker. But while you're waiting, take a trip down to the hardware store, and see how close to "passable" you can get on your own for around $10. Get the kids involved, so when they play it, they have the extra thrill of having helped make it.
User avatar
keithsandra
Posts: 461
Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:55 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: BC., Canada

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by keithsandra »

Hear, hear, Tunbrough. Delrins and pvc flutes seem to be Overlooked just because they're cheaper and dismissed as "plastic". I don't think the next generations of flute players will have that prejudice. Tipple' s are grossly underpriced for their outstanding excellence for instance. I was familiar with senior marketing and if I had my way we'd see Doug a rich man with a two year waiting list for his highly priced crafted gems.

Best wishes,

K.
User avatar
Jon C.
Posts: 3526
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2001 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I restore 19th century flutes, specializing in Rudall & Rose, and early American flutes. I occasionally make new flutes. Been at it for about 15 years.
Location: San Diego

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by Jon C. »

Here is a nice stable flute:
Image
"I love the flute because it's the one instrument in the world where you can feel your own breath. I can feel my breath with my fingers. It's as if I'm speaking from my soul..."
Michael Flatley


Jon
User avatar
Chiffed
Posts: 1298
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:15 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Pender Island, B.C.

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by Chiffed »

Hamilton practice: got one, love it, great embouchure.
DIY pvc: made a couple hundred with student groups. Very satisfying, especially the part where you Bork one up and blithely start another, cause they’re cheeeeeep. F flutes are grand for kids.
Tipple: never had a real one, but I followed his old plans once and had a nice tooter with decent intonation and hole spacing. I played a real one briefly, and the workmanship was ridiculously good for the price.
Dixon: tried one, and I prefer my homemade.

Edit: My actual current travel flute is a Cochran 3 piece in a Pelican case. The case now looks like poo, but the flute is lovely. Not the kind of thing being discussed, but I just wanted to give a shoutout to JonC.
Happily tooting when my dogs let me.
User avatar
keithsandra
Posts: 461
Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:55 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: BC., Canada

Re: Absolute least expensive passable backup flute

Post by keithsandra »

How much is the photgraphed flute Jon? I'm presuming it's delrin?

Best wishes,

Keith.
Post Reply