Roosebeck/Walmart flute

The Chiff & Fipple Irish Flute on-line community. Sideblown for your protection.
Post Reply
User avatar
Stev0
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:38 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I'm here as a milti-instrumentalist to learn about and discuss my new interest in irish-style keyless flutes. I played the Boehm flute from 5th grade through 8th grade (I am now 36yo), and recently aquired a Windwood bamboo flute.
Location: Elgin, Il, USA (Chicago)
Contact:

Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by Stev0 »

I was cruising the internet tonight and came across a few ads for Roosebeck flutes, with a few different models available. They claim to be ebony or satinwood. I tried to search for a makers website, and only found ads. They range in price form ~$150-$250. one of the websites I found them on was Walmart. I assume these to be "Pakistani" flutes. Does anybody know anything about these? I did a search on the forum and came up with a few threads about uilliann pipes, and some cases, but no flutes. :-?
-Stevo
User avatar
jemtheflute
Posts: 6969
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 6:47 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: N.E. Wales, G.B.
Contact:

Re: Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by jemtheflute »

Yup, pretty sure they'll be Pakistani.
I respect people's privilege to hold their beliefs, whatever those may be (within reason), but respect the beliefs themselves? You gotta be kidding!

My YouTube channel
My FB photo albums
Low Bb flute: 2 reels (audio)
Flute & Music Resources - helpsheet downloads
User avatar
Nanohedron
Moderatorer
Posts: 38212
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2002 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Been a fluter, citternist, and uilleann piper; committed now to the way of the harp.

Oh, yeah: also a mod here, not a spammer. A matter of opinion, perhaps.
Location: Lefse country

Re: Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by Nanohedron »

Any time you see the name Roosebeck, you can be confident that you're looking at Pakistani sweatshop-made unstruments.

Flutes at Walmart ... the very idea. That should be everyone's first clue.
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Tribal musician
User avatar
Stev0
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:38 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I'm here as a milti-instrumentalist to learn about and discuss my new interest in irish-style keyless flutes. I played the Boehm flute from 5th grade through 8th grade (I am now 36yo), and recently aquired a Windwood bamboo flute.
Location: Elgin, Il, USA (Chicago)
Contact:

Re: Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by Stev0 »

that's what I figured, but sometimes I get lucky. Not this time. I was hoping I'd be able to try before I buy, music shops in my area have absolutely nothing in the way of keyless flutes.
-Stevo
User avatar
Conical bore
Posts: 505
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2012 7:12 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Location: Pacific Northwest USA

Re: Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by Conical bore »

Stev0 wrote:that's what I figured, but sometimes I get lucky. Not this time. I was hoping I'd be able to try before I buy, music shops in my area have absolutely nothing in the way of keyless flutes.
Since you're here in the USA (like me), I recommend checking the stock at the Irish Flute Store:

https://www.irishflutestore.com/

I've dealt with them on several items, both selling and buying. It's a good resource for new and used flutes including beginner models. Much better than buying blind online unless it's a reputable Irish flute maker.
Dan A.
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:19 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I can only hope that my proficiency with the whistle is steadily improving. A few of my whistles get a workout on an almost daily basis. And I'm almost certainly afflicted with WhOAD.
Location: Detroit Metro

Re: Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by Dan A. »

Nanohedron wrote:Any time you see the name Roosebeck, you can be confident that you're looking at Pakistani sweatshop-made unstruments.
Was the italicized an accidental or intentional misspelling?

In my opinion, Wal-Mart, Amazon, and that ilk are not viable sources for instruments. As Conical Bore said, a shop such as the Irish Flute Store is a much safer bet. Trying before you buy is, sadly, probably a thing of the past when it comes to aerophones. Audio clips will have to stand in as a substitute.
User avatar
Nanohedron
Moderatorer
Posts: 38212
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2002 6:00 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Been a fluter, citternist, and uilleann piper; committed now to the way of the harp.

Oh, yeah: also a mod here, not a spammer. A matter of opinion, perhaps.
Location: Lefse country

Re: Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by Nanohedron »

Stev0 wrote:... music shops in my area have absolutely nothing in the way of keyless flutes.
That would be a rara avis these days; everything's about antiseptic turnover for the common denominator instead of being a temple of the world of music. Back when I was a kid the local music shop had a lyrically arranged window display with real instruments, including ones from around the world - a sitar, tablas, a GHB (pretty hard to miss in its McLeod of Lewis bag cover), a violin of course, a trombone, a guitar, some kind of accordion no doubt, etc. It caught the eye and beckoned, speaking of a world of delights within - and the display never changed for as long as I can remember, so it served as the shop's calling-card. I never went in to check out the offerings, though; earlier I thought I was too young, and then later on I was otherwise occupied with my misspent youth. But I'd often go by the place just to look at that attractive and signature display.

If there were any place a super-niche interest like wooden simple-system flutes could be met, I like to think that would probably have been it; if not off the shelf, then they might well be on the grapevine and be able to find out who there was to order from - and be happy to do it. Nowadays people would call a shop like that quaint and retro. For me, it would be a relief.
Dan A. wrote:
Nanohedron wrote:Any time you see the name Roosebeck, you can be confident that you're looking at Pakistani sweatshop-made unstruments.
Was the italicized an accidental or intentional misspelling?
100% intentional. :twisted:
"If you take music out of this world, you will have nothing but a ball of fire." - Tribal musician
Katharine
Posts: 491
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 6:10 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Something..............................................................................................

Re: Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by Katharine »

Not to mention, for that kind of money, you could get at least a Dixon polymer flute (or one of the less-expensive instruments by known makers, such as the Hamilton practice flute) new, or many others secondhand...

I can see the Pakistani instruments seeming attractive if at a very low price point, but when one can literally get something much better for the same price or less...
Here's tae us--
Wha's like us?
Damn few--
And they're a' deid--
Mair's the pity.
Dan A.
Posts: 453
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2017 8:19 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I can only hope that my proficiency with the whistle is steadily improving. A few of my whistles get a workout on an almost daily basis. And I'm almost certainly afflicted with WhOAD.
Location: Detroit Metro

Re: Roosebeck/Walmart flute

Post by Dan A. »

Katharine wrote:Not to mention, for that kind of money, you could get at least a Dixon polymer flute (or one of the less-expensive instruments by known makers, such as the Hamilton practice flute) new, or many others secondhand...
The assertion that there are better options is 100% correct. Secondhand is likely not a viable option for me, though...
Post Reply