This may be a strange request, but here goes. I’m looking for a high D flute (transverse) to carry with me when traveling and to generally horse around on. I was looking at fifes online, but most are either in B-flat or C. And any in D I found were far too expensive for my needs. I’m fine with an inexpensive plastic/ABS or even metal flute or fife. Does anyone have any recommendations? I got a Yamaha 8 hole fife in C for $9US, but I’d really like a 6-hole model in D.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I’d like to keep it as inexpensive as possible. If I can keep it around $20US or less, great!
The Dixon ABS piccolo is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s in two pieces so it’s pretty easy to carry around, and it sounds and plays pretty well. Plus, you can also get a whistle head for it, so you can switch between mouthpieces if you’d like. The only issue is that it generally sells for more like $30 than your $20, but I’d say it’s your best option.
Tony Dixon one piece ABS, about £14, if you can find one, I don’t think he is selling them any more, he also used to make a brass one like his Trad brass high D whistle, I’ve got one of each, very nice little instruments.
I have just the thing, if you’re willing to increase your spending ceiling to $30 to cover shipping and the packaging I’d need to get. A member here, Jem Hammond, used to make these high D simple system nontunable piccolos out of ABS plastic (pretty sure that’s the material at least). He stopped making them several years ago and never started back as far as I know. I think I paid around $25 USD plus shipping from the UK at the time. If you’re willing to Paypal me $30 I can send it your way within the next day or two.
Here’s an Imgur link with a photo of it: https://imgur.com/gallery/2z88rdJ
I never could get it to sound good, but my embouchure is crap. It’s sounded great and in tune when better players than me have tried it out. PM me if interested!
OP might also check out this guy on his eBay page. He does a whole range of keys in a simple, cylindrical bore fife/flute. I have a couple—they are playable through the two lower registers, but will give your embouchure a workout.
And if they’re not, I’ve been thinking of posting a WTB.
I’ll third it… I keep hearing such good things about them that even when I look at other options, like the Dixon, I keep thinking these must be the way to go…
I’m very flattered, guys, but I’m afraid that my current position remains what it has been for 2-3 years now. I do hope one day in the indeterminate future to return to making my simple piccs and to finishing my project of making a tunable version with a selection of different tonality bodies. But for the foreseeable I intend to use my very limited flute-work time on refurbishment of antique wooden flutes. I have a ridiculous backlog and I have to turn away occasional requests to take on such jobs because I can’t do so fairly to either new or existing customers, and that’s leaving aside doing up flutes I’ve bought “for stock/to sell on” and also instruments of my own I want to fettle up. The simple piccolos are waaay down my priority list. Sorry!
indeed… Sorry to hear it, Jem, but understandable.
I’d still be interested if anyone has one they’d like to part with, or, I’d take more advice on the Dixon piccolos (or other alternatives around the price range). It seems the Dixons are no longer made and are getting harder to find? I assume the “tuneable” version is the preferred one?
Does anyone have thoughts on the plastic Dixon piccolo vs. the brass? It seems Hobgoblin still stocks both. Is there a difference in the sound, feel, playability? I’ve found only one Youtube video that compares the two, sorta.
I have both, in fact I have just bought a second brass one, I rather like the head piece/embouchure hole, & it can be tuned, as against the one piece ABS plastic one that I have.
Tone wise, the ABS is a little mellower, the brass is similar to their whistle, but more breathy sounding, which, to me, makes it sound just that bit better.
If you want to just use it quietly at home, the ABS is probably the one to use, but the brass one isn’t too loud either.
The brass tube is narrower to hold than the ABS, weight wise, they are about the same.
Thanks Keith! That’s really helpful. Something I had read had actually said the brass was the more mellow of the two, so it’s good to hear from someone who has played both. I think that’s kind of what I’m looking for-- in a piccolo with notes that high, I think mellower is probably best! But you say you actually prefer the sound of the brass? That bears thinking about, too… I’ve heard some plastic whistles that I don’t prefer the sound of.
Yes, some plastic whistles sound quite like a recorder, & others more like a traditional tin whistle, these two piccolos have quite similar sound to each other, so I think it would be more your own personal preference as to which to get.
Steve,
I checked out Alan’s ebay store upon your recommendation and bought a Padauk wooden flute in the key of C. I played the flute today and really like it. It plays easily and has a lovely tone; the build and beautiful wood is an added bonus. Thanks for your recommendation.
I’ll give OP another day or two to respond. If he doesn’t I’ll PM you!
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