What’s your favorite non-wooden
flute? I’m impressed by how much
energy goes into caring for
wooden flutes, and I wonder
if anything in delrin or whatever
compares.
Copley doesn’t make a delrin model yet, but if they’re anything like his wooden ones, that should be one heck of a great innaugural!
David,
Are you hinting that Dave Copely has a Delrin flute in development?. I’ve been debating getting a Seery or M&E, or even a Dixon. Having a forth option to mull over would probably kill me, but it would good be to know about before buying one of the others.
Thanks,
jb
JB,
Dave Copley said the following in a recent thread:
On 2001-11-25 08:38, dcopley wrote:
I don’t have any plans to produce delrin flutes, mainly because the demand for wooden flutes is keeping us more than busy. Also there would be a fair amount of re-learning and re-tooling needed because of the differences in machining delrin rather than wood. However I am working with someone else who is planning to develop and market a delrin flute based on the Copley design.Dave Copley
JB, I expect it’ll be awhile before we see such a flute…
Loren
On 2001-12-12 09:28, Loren wrote:
…
JB, I expect it’ll be awhile before we see such a flute…Loren
So, barring production of such a flute in the near future, which is your favorite of the currently available non-wooden flutes?
Loren,
Thanks for the info.
Here’s my 2 cents about the M&E.
I’m what i’d consider an advanced beginner on the whistle.
My flute experience is limited to fooling around with the Dixon Low D duo.
A guy at the local session let me try his M&E. I was able to get decent sounding notes in both octaves without trying too hard. The couple of slow tunes i could play on the Dixon, I was able to play better on the M&E on the first try. The finger spacing, hole size, and weight make it fit and stay in my hand without any gymnastics.
Now, i want to try the Seery before i put my money down.
Regards,
John
On 2001-12-12 12:09, gogo wrote:
On 2001-12-12 09:28, Loren wrote:
…
JB, I expect it’ll be awhile before we see such a flute…Loren
So, barring production of such a flute in the near future, which is your favorite of the currently available non-wooden flutes?
Well, if you question is directed at me: I’ve only played the M&E, not the others. And, since I currently have my M&E up for sale, my opinion is suspect anyway 
Having given that disclaimer…I’ve found the M&E relatively easy to play, as JB mentions. I’ve heard from many reliable sources that the Seerys are less consistent and tougher for a beginner to get good tone and volume from. OTH, it sounds like the Seery is the better choice for the more experienced player who needs a knock about flute with a little more volume than the M&E.
Loren
On 2001-12-12 13:22, Loren wrote:
Well, if you question is directed at me: I’ve only played the M&E, not the others. And, since I currently have my M&E up for sale, my opinion is suspect anyway >Having given that disclaimer…I’ve found the M&E relatively easy to play, as JB mentions. I’ve heard from many reliable sources that the Seerys are less consistent and tougher for a beginner to get good tone and volume from. OTH, it sounds like the Seery is the better choice for the more experienced player who needs a knock about flute with a little more volume than the M&E.
Loren
No, not directed at anyone in particular, it just seemed that the question (which I’d been meaning to ask on this forum as well, but hadn’t gotten around to yet) was in danger of getting diverted from a discussion of good, available non-wooden flutes, to the realm of possibilities.
Your comments were very helpful. Anyone else out there with experience playing/listening to either of these two flutes?
I have an M&E. I like it. It’s low range is easy and powerful. There’s a “sweet spot” where you can get a great 2nd octave as well. I’m inconsistant about finding it: when I do, I can toodle away in both octaves with no problems; when I can’t, I struggle a little with the upper octave. Put in perspective, I am a beginner; I’ve been playing flute for about 4-5 months now. But I’d say the M&E is optimized for the low range; it takes some skill for the high range. If you develop the skill, the high range is fine. Do I recommend it? Sure, but:
Last session I attended, there was a guy there who had that same Seery flute that David Migoya was raving about (how great it was); he had bought it from David. I got to try it. It was indeed really nice. It seemed more balanced between the octaves: the low octave for me, initially, was not as gnarly as on the M&E, but I could tell that I would be able to get it that way with only a little work. The upper octave was much easier than on the M&E. Also the Seery looks much nicer than my M&E (mine has no rings and the polymer is a dark grey color, rather than the blackwood-like black of the Seery).
So now I want a Seery! But I still like my M&E.
Haven’t tried anybody else’s.
Joe
One flute that you rarely see mentioned is the Aulos plastic baroque flute at A-440. I use it for business trips, any place I don’t want to risk taking a wood flute. Right now I’m in Japan right now on a trip, played my Aulos all week in performances. Its not a loud flute, probably not the best choice for sessions, but at less than $300.00, its a very good deal, plays easily and in tune.
For more info:
http://webhome.idirect.com/~toot/plastic.html
Cheers,
Michael