I have a tony Dixon 3 piece delrin flute (this is different/better than the usual TD pvc ones).
I’ve been playing whistle about 2.5 years and flute about 1.5 and loving the flute more and more.
I have small hands and have to use the pipers grip for both and still it’s a stretch on my tony Dixon.
I’ve started to get whistful envy of some of the next level up flutes (m&e and Damian Thompson delrins etc) and considering getting one…
I was wondering, does/did anyone own the tony Dixon 3 point piece delrin?
If so, do they think upgrading to a m&e, Damian Thompson or similar flute would make tunes easier to play, or merely make the tone better (in whistle world, whistles don’t make a huge difference to the ease of playing, more micro improvements/changes to the quality of the tone).
I had a Dixon three-piece some years ago. I found that flute VERY easy to play, but eventually found it kind of bland. By that I mean that the sound was pretty mellow and I couldn’t vary the sound that much. That flute sounded like itself.
I would absolutely recommend upgrading. I don’t think the M&E is that big a step up, and I haven’t played a Damian Thompson, but if you’re into polymer flutes, my favorite is by Dave Copley. Others will ring in, I’m sure, with their suggestions.
I’ve had a Dixon 3 piece for a few years. At first I thought it sounded quite bad. But after improving as a player and also modifying the embouchure hole it now sounds quite good. It (now) has a lively tone and is very easy to play.
No doubt an M&E (I have three) will sound better, but it will probably be harder to play and have bigger finger stretches and bigger holes. A Casey Burns folk flute would probably be a good upgrade for you. Good sound and very easy to play.
I have a Tony Dixon 3 piece low ‘D’, a Damian Thompson 2 piece low ‘D’ (with offset holes), an M&E low ‘F’ 3 piece, (& a Davy Angus 3 piece aluminium low ‘D’, plus the Tony Dixon ABS low ‘D’ one piece).
The M&E is heavy, the TD 3 piece is nicely balanced & fairly easy to play, the DT 2 piece would be as easy as the TD, only, I personally, don’t really like the offset holes, I don’t need them, though I thought I might, but would make it easier for smaller hands, I’m sure.
I’d say that a Damian Thompson would be a nice addition, & likely to be easier to play, if you got the offset holes.
(You’d probably struggle with an M&E owing to its weight.)
Thankyou so much everyone that’s answered my question absolutely perfectly (I didn’t expect many/any people to own it!)
It sounds like it’s exactly the same with whistles in that a more expensive one won’t necessarily make it easier to play, other than having offset holes (2 of you say the TD is actually very easy), which would have been my main reason for upgrading, so I think I’ll stick with what I have for the moment and try to get better/think about upgrading in the future when we can hopefully test instruments again
If you are struggling with the pipers grip, maybe try using your little finger on the lowest hole, just because it’s not the regular way, doesn’t make it wrong.
I, too, have a TD 3-piece delrin flute–my first. I thought it would be better for learning and developing an embouchure than the TD ABS two-piece. The embouchure development was off and on, though mostly progressing well. But a bad left shoulder and short reach in the right hand made playing frustratingly uncomfortable.
After almost a year I bit the bullet and bought a Casey Burns ergonomic small-hand folk flute. Progress has been much faster and I feel like practicing, even though the left arm still tires easily. Being able to rotate the three sections independently in addition to the hole placement and size has allowed me to focus on the embouchure, which is also developing thanks to Casey’s care with its shape.
I’ve not tried any of the other flutes mentioned, though the Copley looks attractive. But I do not regret the change. A three-piece with ergonomic finger hole placement can make a big difference.
If you get interested in a Casey Burns Folk Flute, I have one for sale right now. It’s the standard model (so not the small-handed type) but with ergonomic offset hole configuration. I’ve only had it since September, so it’s in perfect condition. https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/fs-casey-burns-folk-flute-w-end-cap/103054/1
I have a Dixon 3pc from 20 something years ago that I learned on, I still play it a lot even though I have “better” flutes (Seery, Burns and Olwell). It’s convenient to keep assembled, sounds good, is a very easy player and pretty much indestructible. It also makes a great travel flute.
Never getting rid of mine.
That said, when I got my Burns I did want to play more but the Dixon has a smaller embouchure so it taught me a lot of focus.
