Hello everyone. Are the Tony Dixon irish flutes worth looking at for a first irish flute? I posted about his whistles on the whistle forum but I am also interested in learning the irish flute as well. I play a boehm stlye flute now and wanted to begin irish whistle and flute. I notice that the Dixon flute I am looking at can also be used with a fipple and act as a low D whistle as well. Could this be a good combo for me for learning both irish flute and whistle? The model I am looking at I believe is priced around $100 for the body, whistle head, and flute head. Should I consider another? Thanks.
Stay away…far away, from that particular model…although the whistle head is decent if you want to put it on a different flute…
Other Dixons can be quite decent…
Hey OFloyd,
Doc currently has two good Dixons at the Irish Flute Store. Here: http://www.irishflutestore.com/newsite/products.php?c1=55&c2=137 I myself am tempted to try the wooden maple flute.
All the Best!
I wonder how it compares to the Sweetheart maple D.
Similar to what I posted to your inquiry on the whistle board - Dixon whistles are decent whistles. The flute head for the low D (or low C) doesn’t make for a very good flute - especially not for a beginner on the Irish flute. Now, the two Dixon low D whistle/flute combos I have owned are the older style, without the lip plate now offered. Has anyone out there tried one of the new models?
You would be better served by getting the Dixon low whistle and a Tipple flute. The Dixon three-piece polymer flutes can be pretty useful. They are a pretty good beginner flute.
Feadoggie
Thanks for the heads up everyone. I was just at the Irish Flute Store and seen a few that I am interested in. I hope you all can give me an “ok” or “no go” on these:
Hammy Hamilton practice flute - new $115.
Miller Windwood bamboo D - new $89.
Tipple tunable PVC - pre-owned $55.
From these, you can see where my price range is . . . Thanks!!
All three have been spoken highly of on these forums. Of the three, I’ve played only the Tipple, and highly recommend it.
Thanks. Are all the notes and registers able to come through evenly or are some harder than the others to achieve? Was the Tipple you played the PVC model?
I think all Tipples are PVC. Do a forum search and you’ll find lots of glowing recommendations.
Thanks for the clarification.
This particular flute, as seen at The Irish Flute Store web page has an additional two holes on the end. What are these two holes for? Many of the other Irish flutes that I have seen have just six holes just like the whistles?? Thanks again for all the help.
Doug explains on his site, if I remember aright. Some folk like the “full length” concert flute proportions, as if there were a low C foot joint. Obviously, if you aren’t going to have keys, you still need at least the D tone hole drilled in the tube (the other is just an extra vent) or you’d go from a very muffled E to a low C when you put down R3! Some people consider there are tone, intonation, response and octave balance advantages with the extended foot. Others disagree. Personally I am indifferent to the question. There was a thread recently about this whole issue here.
Hey Ofloyd
I’ve had Tony Dixon’s flute-whistle-combo for some month now.
My flute head is the later model with lip plate and I’m blown away by its huge volume, authentic tone and in-tuneness(?) in 2 octaves. Yes it DOES look and feels like a piece of black cylindrical pvc plumber’s pipe but with a ‘good’ player behind a curtain with a selection of other ‘good’ irish flutes, I doubt whether you could pick the Dixon. I do own and play three ‘real’ blackwood flutes from three well known makers and as soon as I can find a guineapig with a musical ear . . . I’ll keep you posted.
On the other hand I found the same body with the whistle head attached rather insipid and disappointing . . . maybe I just got the ‘Friday’ whistle. If I lived closer I’d take it back but not really worth the postage.
Robert
Thanks for the link jemtheflute. I’ll be sure to readhis reasoning for the eight holes.
Thanks for the feedback gurgler. So, it seems that the old style headjoint without the lip plate isn’t as good as the newer headjoints with the lip plate. Now I have to decide between the Tipple and the Dixon . . .
I have the older style Dixon two piece polymer flute and I must say I am a little puzzled by the extreme negative reaction I have seen in this and other threads.
I found the Dixon flute easy to get a sound from and once I had got a basic idea of producing the sound, found its tone quite good. I did have some trouble initally with finger stretch, which surprised me as I am used to playing tenor recorder and the finger stretch is not really that different. The hand position is, though and I put it down to that. I did nearly give up at one point because I seemed to be making little progress, but was given another flute and that fitted my hand better and I started to make progress again. I play the Dixon fairly regularly to give my other flute a rest and find it plays fine.
I would be interested to know what exactly your objections are.
My suggestion to ofloyd is if you are in the US go for a Tipple, if you are in the UK, go for a Dixon, but elswhere, take your pick.
Geoff
I have the older style Dixon two piece polymer flute and I must say I am a little puzzled by the extreme negative reaction I have seen in this and other threads.
I found the Dixon flute easy to get a sound from and once I had got a basic idea of producing the sound, found its tone quite good. I did have some trouble initally with finger stretch, which surprised me as I am used to playing tenor recorder and the finger stretch is not really that different. The hand position is, though and I put it down to that. I did nearly give up at one point because I seemed to be making little progress, but was given another flute and that fitted my hand better and I started to make progress again. I play the Dixon fairly regularly to give my other flute a rest and find it plays fine.
I would be interested to know what exactly your objections are.
My suggestion to ofloyd is if you are in the US go for a Tipple, if you are in the UK, go for a Dixon, but elswhere, take your pick.
Geoff
Thanks Tootler. What other flute did you find the easier finger stretch with?
Has anybody tried this one - http://www.bigwhistle.co.uk/shop_results.asp?search=1&keyword=dixon&subcat=14&GO=GO+�&offset=0
This is apparently a newer model than the Low D Duo that I had…the Al tube should be a big improvement over the cheap piece of plastic on the old one. The whistle head does not look as good as the old one (in the picture, at least) and the flute head (well, who can tell) ??
Still, there are much better choices at that price…
If I knew the answer I would tell you. I was given the flute and it came from someone who died some years ago and whose widow was having a clear out of his effects. The musical director of the recorder society I belong to brought it in and, knowing I played folk music asked if I wanted it. It is made of blackwood but has no makers name on it that I can find. It has a narrow conical bore and small finger holes rather like a baroque flute, but no Eb key. I suspect, knowing where it came from it was probably bought as a renaissance flute. It does have a very nice tone, though
Not much help I’m afraid. 
Geoff