Folks,
As the header states, I’m looking for a good quality new flute in the key of D for around £500.00. I’ve got a Tony Dixon polymer flute but I like quality… 
I’ve been toying with the idea of an Ormiston Blackwood but £900 is a bit much considering I also spend loads on my Goldie whistles and expensive cameras, and bicycles, and computers and you get the gist!!! 
!
So, anyone with an opinion regarding a good keyless flute for around £500.00?
Cheers,
Rich
gilles lehart flute … it will cost you 660 euros with short delivery time.
marin
G’day Rich,
Terry McGee posted here a week or so ago with some of his keyless Flutes that are ready to purchase now… if you scroll down a few posts you’ll see the post..a couple there for $800/$900 Aussie dollars… I have a Terry Flute and really like it,he’s easy to deal with,a great Flutemaker and also a good bloke 
..
Web site here …
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Avail-flutes.htm
And keep an eye on the C&F Used Instrument Forum. All sorts of good things come up there.
Best wishes.
Steve
I’d go for a Keyless Francois Baubet, it’s well within budget, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better sub 500-flute!
Phil Bleazey’s small-holed flute is about £500. I’ve had one for over a decade and it’s still one of my favorites to play. It doesn’t lend itself to a fat sound if that’s what you like, but it’s got plenty of volume and is very easy on the lip and on the hands and enables really crisp ornaments.
A friend of mine has a M&E deluxe polymer flute with 6 keys, which sounds lovely when she plays it. It is priced at 550 euros including hard case on the website M&E flutes.
Why buy keyless, when you can get a keyed flute from a known maker at the same price?
David
If you are 100% sure that flute is an instrument that you like, take a Vincenzo Di Mauro or Baubet Wooden or Delrin and save your money for a good Keyed flute, if you play several years with a Keyless, when you will get a keyed flute you will never use the C key.
I don’t believe that keys are needed for playing Irish Trad ,but that’s just my two bobs worth..
Whistles,as a rule don’t have keys .
If you are playing other Music ,well then that’s another story.
Maybe Rich just wants to play Irish Music…on a ‘naked’ Flute ..
I agree. Also Francois Baubet will swap your unkeyed Delrin joints for keyed ditto should you feel the need.
EDIT: Timberflute22: I don’t know if i am interpreting you wrong, but to me it looks a bit like “buy a Di Mauro or Baubet as a stopgap until you are able to buy a good flute”.
I truly believe you could spend the rest of your life with either and be perfectly happy.
I don’t think that is how you meant though..
Yes, I agree you could run all life with them.
However if your passion still rule year by year you will put your eyes in the top quality irish flute makers, that are so more expensive than Francois or Vincenzo.
Having owned LOTS of keyless flutes (I think about 10), I would recommend (since you’re in the UK already) a Martin Doyle. Mine was easy to play and had a great sound. He has an interesting technique where he “bells out” the internal channel at the bottom of the flute. Seems to really help with the “honk”. He’s right on your price point, for the one-ferrule model (which is what I had)…
Pat
I would recommend > (since you’re in the UK already) > a Martin Doyle.
I am totally mystified by the relevance of the :
(since you’re in the UK already)
when it comes to recommending the Doyle over some of the other flutes mentioned above.
Otherwise known as back reaming the foot(joint). Not an uncommon technique among wooden flute makers.
@ Gumby: Sheesh!!! do I EVER say anything that you don’t jump on? I simply meant that shipping, duty, etc, would be easier with the Doyle since it’s close. I’ve owned both M&E and McGee flutes and the Doyle beats the M&E hands down, but the McGee is a superb flute as well (but it ships from Australia). My McGee was a GLP, by the way.
Haven’t played the others mentioned, so can’t comment - I was simply recommending from my own experience. At the price point mentioned, I think the Doyle is a great choice. I have also owned: a Casey Burns Folk Flute, a Copley keyless (great flute, but has to go through Customs over there), Sweetheart, and a few delrins by Copley and Sommers. I’ve also played a few more, but haven’t had long-term experience with them.
@ Loren: I commented on the back reaming of the Doyle because his seems a little more pronounced than other flutes I’ve owned.
Pat
Doyle. At that price point you’d be hard pressed to find a better wooden keyless. You’ll probably never out grow it either.
I absolutely concur. If you want a Pratten one go for a Forbes IMHO, but if you want a Rudall&Rose one go for a Baubet.
Best Moritz
I have a lovely mopane Rudall & Rose style flute by Tony Millyard: http://www.millyard-molem.com/, was about £450
I visited Tony at his workshop in Northants. and spent a good hour and a half trying various flutes out to find the one I liked best. He also showed me how to look after it.
Highly recommended!