Hello everyboy, i’m new on this forum.
I play actually on a Tipple Flute in D and want to buy to a wooden flute. I’ve a 1 700€ budget and don’t know wich flute to choose, keyed or keyless. Can you help me to choose ?
I don’t want to go for a flute with a long waiting list (one year or less would be great). By the way i play on the Tipple with offset holes so i don’t have large hand and i guess i couldn’t be able to play on large Pratten.
thanks !
My friend might be selling a 6 key Stefan Morvan Rudall model. If you’re interested drop me a line and I’ll put you in touch with her.
You might consider first going to the used instrument board on this very site and looking at one of the many fantastic “preowned” flutes being sold by some of the other C&F members. As has been noted, there are quite a few great instruments looking for a new home these days. With your budget you have a lot of options, and I urge you to search through the board for other versions of this question as well. It has been asked and answered many times.
There are so many variables, and each of us has their own preference. Personally I happen to like antique 6-key Rudall style flutes with smaller toneholes and short feet, but I have different needs than someone who plans to do a lot of session playing. Remember that wooden flutes do need a certain amount more maintenance than your Tipple (though nothing arduous), so you might also want to consider something in Delrin.
Can’t help you with the small hand issue, mine are like shovels, so I’ve not had to hold back on that account.
Good luck and welcome to the forum.
Thanks for the answers, i’ll search a flute on the used instrument board. I dont want a delrin flute, i like the wood 
Yes i’m interested but i’ve seen the price of Morvan’s flute and it’s a bit expensive for me.
Don’t forget to look in the “Sold and Old” section as well. There is a lovely looking Rudall by Gallager, I think, that you might be interested in: https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/fs-john-gallagher-rudall-model/71953/1 Note, this is not mine, just looks good to me.
Yes but i would like a keyed flute if it’s possible !
For a new keyed flute in this price range you are getting a bit restricted. You may have to go with an M&E. Their flutes are perfectly adequate, and I know some who are very happy with them. The keywork on the one I recently saw wasn’t all that aesthetic IMHO, but they all seemed to function and the 11 year old girl who was playing it had no trouble with the finger spread. Her’s was Delrin, btw, and from 5 feet away you couldn’t visually tell the difference.
Another option would be a restored antique. As noted this is my personal preference, but there are always trade-offs. I do have a 6-key boxwood flute that I’m planning on selling that would be well within your price range, and possibly a 6 key Metzler as well. There are other, more experienced, flute restorers that sell from the board (I’ve only done three). You may wish to contact one directly to see if they have an unadvertised flute in stock or process that you might like. Please PM me if you would like info on either of the two antiques I have.
Good luck,
One way to save money on a keyed flute would be to order a flute with fewer keys…perhaps C, G# and one of the F keys. You could have the blocks for the remaining keys put on, and then add them later, when you have the money.
If you’re after a 6-key flute right away, your budget does limit the number of options, but a Copley flute would just about fit your budget. I’m very happy with mine. http://www.copleyflutes.com
You might also find a used keyed flute at a good price–there seem to be lots of flutes available at the moment at reasonable prices.
gilles lehart will be good choice for you. it will cost you around 1250 euros for 6 keyed, maker from your country, short delivery time ( around 3-4 months), great sound, large rudall type flute, post mounted keys.mike mcgoldrick first album was recorded with lehart flute, jm veillon used to play his flute…
sam murray 6 keyed rudall will cost you slighty over your budget ( around 1800 euros),great sound,block mounted keys, delivery around 10 months.( i recieved his flute before one months), but contact with sam will be possible only over mobile phone, don’t count on e mails…
i posses both flutes (lehart and murray) and likes both, but maybe murray little more…
i am still new with murray flute, so i think i will improve on sam flute over the time …
also, i generally like more unlined head than lined …
marin
Also, Glenn Watson’s 6-key flutes are 1700 Euros. http://www.watsonflutes.com
Thanks for all the answers ! Maybe i’ve to wait a little bit to save money and have a keyed flute. I have seen that some makers have a 2-years waiting list (even more sometimes). So a solution would be to buy a keyless and order a keyed flute, it’ll let me the time to save money for the 6 keyed flute.
I don’t know.
Which keyless flute would you recommend to me ?
Solen Lesouef’s 6-keyers are E1,700 and I think there’s an option to upgrade the foot to an 8-keyer when you can afford to.
http://www.atelierdelutherie.info/?Price-list,35&lang=en
She’s in Brittany, and I know she’s very helpful from when a friend nearly ordered a flute from her but then got a chance on an 8-key Aebi 2nd hand.
If you are in France, Glen LeBot makes very nice flute for 1 100 euros (6 keys!!).
His flutes have a good volume, are very in tune, and made with extreme care. Glen is a perfectionnist !
You can go to his website and/or call him for he is a nice guy to talk to, very passionate person.
Interesting thing, he have flutes for rental in case you want to try them.
Cheers,
Pascal
I wouldn’t. No aspersions cast on the many excellent keyless flutes that are available, but if you want keys eventually, as clearly you do, I think it is better to go straight on to the full kit, or as much of it as you can afford - better to work with them from the earliest stage, and if that means waiting a bit, I would. But really, on your budget there should be something before too long - either a new flute from a maker with a short wait, or a second hand modern one, or a decent antique.
I mean, I keep not making any progress with them, (so this is pie-in-the-sky, but by way of illustration) but I have several very promising, good quality English 8-keyers by non-famous makers or anon pending repair and overhaul - some of them may well play at close to Rudall quality when done but would be unlikely to sell for much over £1k at highest.
Thank you. I have seen different flutes on the web, the Lehart which is about 1250€, the Watson is 1700€, Solen Lesouef’s flutes are 1750€.
I have a question about the sound of these flutes, maybe it’s a stupid question but i ask
Does the flute have a big influence on the sound ? Because i have listened to a player who owns a Lehart and i’m not very fan of the sound.
The player has the biggest effect so far as a listener is concerned - any given player will tend to sound like themselves whatever they are playing on, though certainly they will be constrained by poor equipment and do better with good, and certain types of design may suit one player’s technique better than others. That said, different types (designs, makers’ work) of instrument do sound different to listeners, but more importantly sound and feel very different to the player. But I don’t think there is a distinctive “Lehart sound” to listeners - it’s more likely that was the player, but have you heard that person play anything else? Personally I have never liked the looks of Lehart’s flutes, but they sound just fine (especially when played by Jean-Michel Veillon!) You have to find what suits you… difficult if you cannot go on a tour of makers’ workshops or visit someone with a selection of antiques to try out! big festivals with extensive craft fairs may be a way to try out at least several makers’ wares - and you are in a good country for that - at least you ought fairly easily to be able to attend St Chartier, though you’ve missed it for this year - quite a few good flute makers exhibit there, though admittedly not the top names in the ITM field. Lorient usually has several to see too.
Today I was handed a McGee flute with 2 keys ( G# and Fnat ) and asked if I knew how to sell it.
The holes are similar in size to my Murray, it plays in tune. Blackwood with a tuning slide and cork-lined joints.
(Is easier to play than the Murray!)
Not sure about how to describe the embouchure , looks similar to the Murray and slightly offset. I know Terry is particularly adept at turning out flutes with various designs.
In any case, this one plays very easily…I was told my friend wants £1000 for it
B
Ok for the sound !
So if the player has the biggest influence on sound i can choose any flute, it’s a question of working on embouchure right ?
If only it were as simple as that sounds! You’ll find out…
But yes, if you are using an instrument that people who know what they’re doing approve of and with which you are initially reasonably comfortable, the rest is up to you. No point having a battle with one that does not work properly or which you find uncongenial - you have enough battles with your own physiology ahead!
I keep looking for a flute and i was wondering if someone has played a Watson ? I would like to know how is the flute and if it’s possible to have an opinion on Watson and Lehart’s flute it would be great !