My much-beloved Martin Doyle keyless “Celtic” model flute is for sale.
It comes with a fitted wooden box.
It’s time for a keyed flute and I’m too monogamous (and too poor )to have two D flutes. Do a search of the archives to read my comments about this tooter.
This is an excellent flute that has been played hard every day. It has performed with the family band for audiences up to 400 and for US senators and no one has ever thrown any tomatoes.
It has a wonderful, rich, complex tone. It has good volume and a strong bottem D. The high end is easy to get and sounds great as well. It will do wonders for your embouchre as it plays best with a very focused airstream. I bought the flute as a beginner several years ago and thought it was quite good from the “get go” but as my embouchre developed I was amazed at what the thing could do.
Anyway, I’m asking $650 which is what I paid for it. If someone wants to pay more so I don’t feel so bad that’s OK too.
I’ll cover insured shipping within the USA.
Please respond only by PM.
As always, Olwell bamboo flutes are the same as cash! I still need a D, E, Eb, hi C and hi Bb. Oh and I need a G for my nephew too.
Actually, you paid $450, including shipping. I know you’re busy. I don’t fault you for having an inaccurate memory. You have said here that you would never let it go for what you paid me, and that’s fine with me. I am glad you value it so highly. I paid about $560 for it in a little shop in Doolin, the first time I was in Ireland (a little over three years ago). I was on the lookout for flutemakers and flutes (and whistles), and this was the only flute I bought. It was special, better than any other Doyle flute I played. His embouchure holes are/were hand-cut without an apparent template, and this particular one was cut just right.
Does seem a little high Martin just made me a brand new one for $650.00 with no waiting list I’m not sure you can charge a premium!! I very much sympathise as I had to sell my Ormiston way under what I’d hoped for a little while ago.
Rob
You know, Pat, you could have keys put on your Doyle keyless. Martin could do it or the guy in New Zealand (www.kiwicelt.com). But it is also nice to have tuning slide, IMO.
I thought of that but decided the wait and international shipping back and forth were too much for me.
BTW, the guy in New Zealand only does wood buying and some rough turning for Martin as I understand it. Martin does all the actual flute making. I got the CDs by the way David. Thanks much.
It is a keyless blackwood Doyle. It is two-piece…fantastically handy for quickies!
It has a beautiful Celtic knot embossed sterling silver ring on the tenon.
It has no tuning slide but the tenon is more than long enough for any tuning needs I have ever had. Keep in mind that I play with pianos, concertinas, fiddles guitars,mandos etc… I’ve never had a tuning problem. I think the all-wood headjoint gives it a very rich, dark and complex tone.
I don’t like slides and I don’t like lined heads. Too sterile for me.
I did a search on Martin Doyle flutes and found this
recent review by David Levine, which I find informative:
‘As I’ve said before, Martin Doyle is the most under-rated flute maker today. His flutes play as well as any other maker’s flutes. Mick Hand, Desi Wilkenson, and Fergus McGorman (son of Catherine McEvoy and all-Ireland champion) all play Doyle flutes.
The sound is great-- crisp, loud, easy to blow – and the finish is impeccable. The price is lower than other makers’ flutes and the wait-time is short.’
The holes seem comparable with Peter Noy’s Pratten which I played in Seattle a few weeks ago. They are nearly identical to Copley’s flute which Dave says is based loosely on a Pratten. They are much larger than Galagher’s R&R.
I would say more Prattenesque. I believe Jessie once told me they sort of Olwell Nicholsenesque in size.
But again, almost identical to the Copley if your familiar with Dave’s flutes.
Interestingly the embouchre hole is smaller than any of those flutes. Also smaller than a Burns. I think the small embouchre lends much to the complexity of the sound and wide tonal pallete.
Patrick Olwell commented that the design was pretty much Doyle’s own. Martin told me he had worked out the design over years of making flutes and teaching lathe and metal-working skills as a guest-lecturer in prisons. The Doyle flute has a hard, clear edge to it that very few other flutes have. I wouldn’t sell my own Doyle for less than a thousand dollars.
Sorry Nick. I said I wouldn’t sell mine for $1,000. Mine has a wood-covered silver tuning slide and fancy rings.
But I’ll sell you Doc’s flute for $200. Send me a check and we’ll go from there…
Patrick asked me to post this message since he’s having some internet problems.
Please contact him at <pjandlbj@ltlink.com> (remove < and >) when you get ready to respond. And apologies are offered for those who may have tried to contact him already.
)to have two D flutes. Do a search of the archives to read my comments about this tooter.
