For those that have a McGee flute (I’m considering a Pratten style) what type of embrochure hole did you go with, and what do you think of the results?
I have a Seery right now, and would like the transition to be fairly painless.
I’ve just played one McGee, it had a rounded rectangle embouchure cut.
I found it to be fairly easy to play, loud and clear but lacked tonal versatility and ‘feel’. I thought the flute sounded dead. Good, but without character.
I prefer oval embouchures, which tend to be a little bit harder to play cleanly, might not be quite as loud (but really, loud enough if you can play it), but they seem to have a lot more character, warmer, sweeter, more woody tone and greater versatility. You can play them crisp and raspy as well.
Edit: If you want a painless transition, you will want one that is essentially the same. If so, why buy a new flute at all? You will probably have to adabt to something significantly different no matter what embouchure style you choose. So I wouldn’t worry too much about matching your Seery. Think about what you want your new flute to be instead.
What kind does your Serry have?
I went with the more traditional elliptical embrochure for my Mcgee rudall. I’m a new player, but FWIW, I’m very happy it. As I get used to it, I’m starting to get a nice reedy tone and very nice, loud, bottom D. It’s not at all “dead” or “boehm-like” as I’ve sometimes heard some people say about Terry’s more modern embrochures. I had an experienced flute player try the flute, who concurred that it was a grand flute indeed.
I have a delrin large holed.
I see your point Henke, but it seems I just want a similar sound in wood. I know, why not just play the Seery all the time, but I really want a wooden flute!
EDIT: maybe I’ll just go on looks. I love that Casey Burns in boxwood 
I received a Boxwood 5088 Rudall from Terry about three or four months ago with a modern embouchure and love it. I have not had any problem getting any sound or volume out of it that I desire.
I was a little nervous after ordering after reading about its “Boehm-like” tone but I must say I have not encountered any such problem with character. I have noticed however, that for me, it is very easy to play and it is the only one I am playing at the moment to the extent that I am going to sell my other flutes (only two).
I don’t really feel you could go wrong with Terry McGee’s flutes.
Kurt
I guess it’s really personal. I felt that the rounded rectangles embouchure failed to deliver what I wanted in some aspects. I never had any problems at all with getting a good, powerful, strong tone from it though. It just wasn’t for me. I can’t explain better than that it lacked in character.
Il Friscaletto, I don’t really see the logic in that. If you’re happy with the tone, then why get another flute just for the material?
Anyway, if it’s just down to that, you might be better off just getting a wooden Seery, he does make them from a variety of different woods. Why run around for a flute from a different maker to resemble your flute when you can just have one from the original maker, for less than half the price and considerably less wait?
Or are you a sucker for brand names? 
Honestly, I do feel a bit bad about me constantly recommending people to get something else than McGee. He does make extraordinarily good flutes, great craftsmanship, he seems like a very nice fellow, and he’s probably one of the most knowledgeable guys when it comes to wooden flutes in the world. I wouldn’t buy one of his flutes, because in my opinion, they are too expensive. I can get what I want from a flute of half the price.
Luckily, I couldn’t really do his business anything bad even if I would want to. And I wouldn’t want to, I have nothing against Terry what so ever.
EMBOUCHURE
BTW, doesn’t Desi Seery still make wooden flutes?
I have one of his blackwood ones (since 1993) although it now has a replacement Delrin head (since 2000).
So if you’re wanting a Seery equivalent in wood why not go Seery?
(emphasis mine)
Henke, most of us could say the same thing about any other maker’s flutes. You are right. It comes down to personal preference. I have a gorgeous blackwood flute from a top maker that I rarely play, same reason. It is NOT a McGee. But every time “that” maker’s name comes up, I don’t rush in with my 2 cents against it.
The person wants to buy a McGee flute, and wants to get an opinion about the varying embouchure styles…From people who have played some of Terry’s flutes. Fair enough. Much like some folks want to try Peter Noy’s different embouchure styles, I might add. Terry offers a lot of different choices, because he tries to personalize his flutes to what each individual might want.
For the record, I have played a McGee flute, dunno what-all the embouchure style it was (Beowolf, feel free to tell us) but in my opinion, it played like a dream.
M
Henke, why do you have to bring logic into this? 
I’m not settled on which maker I want to buy from. I guess I’m looking for a loud, reedy, barking flute, capable of a dark tone. I know with proper embrochure, I can probably get that from most prattens, but I would like a flute that is somewhat predisposed to it.
Thanks, everybody, for your input!
Hamilton.
Does anyone own both a Seery delrin and a Hamilton? How similar/different are they in sound and playability?
James does. Hopefully he will chime in.
Comparing a Hamilton and a Seery: a Hamilton is stronger, more focused and easier to play. The sound is richer and the feel is superior. The craftsmanship is also in another league.
I’m very fond of my McGee Pratten (rounded rectangles). I’d say it’s more of a honker than a barker. It’s capable of a very dark tone – however, it’s a rich dark tone as opposed to a really edgy one. You can put an edge on it just fine, but it’s not a “dirty” or “ripping” sounding flute like some. It has a very sweet second octave, though I’d say it’s more a contralto than a soprano. It’s very free-blowing and authoritative, thus easy to play.
I’ve thought about getting a new headjoint for it with a more traditional cut, if I ever come up with the money. But bottom line, the McGee’s the flute that gets the most “nice tone” remarks at various gigs, workshops, etc … although this may be in part because it’s loud enough to let me hear myself and thus think about such things!?
But it sure is fun to play, sort of like driving a monster truck over a pile of banjos. 
Thanks Jessie. The reason I ask is I wondering about the suitability of a Seery as a backup/travel/camping flute. I play a Hamilton and use a Burns FF for backup, but they are completely different players and I am looking for something more similar in emboucher/hole spacing.
I wish I had said that.
Gary K needs to amend the Auto Reviewer to incorporate this phrase.
That’s a pretty strong endorsment!
My 2 cents worth - I have a 6-key McGee Rudall Perfected with 2 semicircles embouchure, and I love it. It took a while to adjust, but it rocks. I’ve not played his other embouchures, at least not in recent history, so I can’t help with a comparsion, and I’m not going to bore you all with unhelpful descriptions (dancing about architechture?), but my other flute is a keyless Olwell, and it’s feeling pretty neglected these days.
Hey! I resemble that remark! 