Seth Gallager a well known Uilleann pipe manufacturer attended a workshop for Uilleann pipers. He brought with him several Flutes he has made. You may contact his at
http://www.uilleann.com/
Ask him to post some clips. Several people played them and the sounded good. I myself are no were near playing in public so I did not give them a try.
Well, I think I will wait a few years to see if he is still around in the flute world. I took a real thrashing here for owning a flute made by, yes, a pipe maker. My money stays in my pocket for the time being.
It’s not the same story with Seth, though, piper7. Seth learned instrument building from the Von Huenes, cutting his teeth on reproductions of baroque/transitional recorders and FLUTES from the same period.
He made flutes before pipes, I do believe.
Stuart
Okay, if you say so, but I’m still keeping my money in my pocket not matter what his story is. A pipe maker is a pipe maker.
Well, OK, but that’s totally untrue.
Seriously, how different do you think pipemaking is from flute making? The embouchure is the hard part, and I’m sure a skilled instrument maker could learn to do that.
Whose flute did you take a trashing for owning? And did you just take the board’s word for it, or did you actually think the flute was bad?
Stuart
It was actually a Ray Sloan Flute. And, nah,it was just one street clown who thrashed it. I finally sold the flute. Had too many flutes and wanted to find it a home where it would be played. Still, I am leary of put big money into any flute that does not have flute board name recognition. These clowns on this board really know their flutes, well some of them anyway. I suppose a guy who makes pipes can also make good flutes, but I am the doubting one on this. I believe that pipemakers should stick with pipes and flute makers with flutes and nary the twain shall meet. I have the luxury of waiting a few years to see if this guy is still around.
Heck, I’d buy a Seth Gallagher flute just based on his reputation and my experience with his Uilleann pipes.
I have a practice set he built and it is absolutely incredible. The other sets I have seen have been equally impressive. Having the experience with the Von Huene workshop, I have no doubt that Seth can produce a flute that would favorably compare with those built by more well-known flute makers.
Cheers,
Michael
http://www.michaeleskin.com
I don’t believe that the clown, knowing his flutes or not, actually criticized Ray Sloan’s flute making based on his being pipe maker. The clown actually criticized his flutes based on his experience, knowledge and opinion of the man’s flutes. He knows nothing about his pipes, good, bad or otherwise. The fact that Ray is not, to the clown’s knowledge, a flute player, though, probably had more to do with the difference between his being a decent maker of pipes and not necessarily one of flutes.
Seth’s pipes, on the other hand, the clown is familiar with, and they’re superb. Said clown hadn’t known he learned with von Huene workshop, but that doesn’t surprise him. He suspect Seth’d make a fine flute, especially if he does, in fact, play one.
Yep, there’s no one holding a gun to anyone’s head to buy a Gallagher flute.
But the pipemakers sticking to pipes . . . hmm. That just doesn’t make sense, since most of them probably started out on something else. Just like Seth, who got his start making recorders and flutes.
So maybe he should have just stuck to them.
The implication is that there’s some kind of huge difference between making various woodwinds. I think that’s hogwash. I don’t know if it’s any easier to make a good double reed than it is to cut a flute embouchure . . . they’re just different skills. But the rest of the flute is not much different from making a chanter or a whistle or a recorder.
I know the flute is special, and that the business end, the embouchure, is where it’s at . . . but we’ll just have to see with Seth. He certainly won’t disappear soon from the scene.
Stuart
Well, I’m still keeping my money in my pocket until the goods prove to be.
And Gordon, how do you know what that street clown said? I was just out busking and he came up to me. Did not see anyone else around.
On 2003-02-18 13:17, piper7 wrote:
Well, I’m still keeping my money in my pocket until the goods prove to be.
And Gordon, how do you know what that street clown said? I was just out busking and he came up to me. Did not see anyone else around.
Well, I know my street clowns. But perhaps this was a different one, after all.
As for keeping your money in your pocket, that’s always a good idea, unless you really see/hear something that you like. Then it really doesn’t matter what anyone says. Others’ opinions are worth considering, particularly if you are new to something or unable to try something out yourself, but ultimately it’s gonna be you and your instrument.
Seth makes fine, fine pipes, but I, too, would wait to hear or play his flutes before buying or advising anyone to buy one.