I’m (again) seriously thinking about buying an Olwell keyless flute, in D. I was wondering if anyone knows what the current price is and the approximate wait time for one would be.
Thanks to all who reply.
With best regards.
Pfreddee(Stephen)
Brad has contact information for Pat Olwell here
If yer gonna order one yer gonna have to talk to someone there 
I think this is a valid question. Olwells are mentioned frequently in this forum, and are often the benchmark against which others are compared. Unlike other makers, there is no official Olwell web page. This info is not obvious and surely isn’t a secret. I’d be curious myself, although I’m not currently in the market for one.
we could all guess fer a dollar shot
closest one wins the pot 
should it be based on whoever answers the phones estimate or is someone gonna pop for one so we’s get a real time?
Old info:
Prices - February 2008
Keyless 3-Section, All Wood Flute (no tuning slide or silver rings)
Rosewood - $850
Blackwood - $950Keyless Flutes with Tuning Slide
Blackwood with Sterling silver trim and Nickel-lined head - $1450
Blackwood with Sterling Silver trim and Silver-lined head - $1550Six-Key Flute with block mounted keys for D#, F, G#, B Flat and C
made from Select African Blackwood
Sterling silver keys and rings with nickel tube in headjoint - $3250
Sterling silver keys and rings with silver tube in headjoint - $3350Center Section made in 2 Pieces-- add $50.00
Left-handed keyed flutes – add $100 (no charge for keyless)
There is an additional charge for using boxwood of $100, and for Cocus wood, $400.
“Keyless Flutes with Tuning Slide
Blackwood with Sterling silver trim and Nickel-lined head - $1450
Blackwood with Sterling Silver trim and Silver-lined head - $1550” Keyless Flutes with Tuning Slide
Blackwood with Sterling silver trim and Nickel-lined head - $1450
Blackwood with Sterling Silver trim and Silver-lined head - $1550kkrell.
I think that’s about right, bought a 6 month old keyless, silver lined slide Pratten Olwell six months ago for 1400. It’s a fine flute, has a different sound/flavour than a Murray or a Wilkes, not better, just different, recommended 
Those 2008 prices didn’t change.
The wait for a keyless is about 1 year (a deposit is required)…
what’s the wait on a keyed flute from Olwell?
Anyone get one recently (say within the last 12 mos) and willing to say how long they had to wait for it to arrive??
I’d be interested to know.
dm
A lot of the times, if a keyless flute is a 12 month wait, then a keyed flute would be around 18 months.
“The waiting list for a keyless is a year, but the waiting list for a 6-keyed is 7 years…ouch!” from thesession.org - 2003 
“Second, put in an order for a fully keyed flute with pat olwell when you order the keyless. the wait for the keyed is, oh, seven years minimum, but who cares, you’ll have a great keyless in the mean time. pat can arrange to swap the body when the keyed section is done too.” from thesession.org - 2007
" am selling a three year-old Patrick Olwell 6-key blackwood flute, Pratten model. It is in perfect condition and plays like a keyed Olwell- which is to say, beautifully. There is currently a six year wait for a keyed Olwell." thesession.org Febuary - 2009
No one’s replied with an up to date answer. Best to contact Pat to get up to date information. Judging by the above quotes from thesession.org, 6-7 years is probably the current speed even today?
I’m definitely waiting more than 7 years at this stage. When I last spoke with Pat, he told me that I was “percolating” to the top.
Just a sign of how highly they are rated.
Paul
I belive the waiting list for a keyed flute would be a bit less, about 5 years, but you can’t really be sure…
Yes, they do answer the phone there. And email, too! And like most well-mannered humans they’ll even call you back if you leave a reasonable voicemail. 
No big mystery to it. Getting on the list is the easy part; I don’t understand why people get all twisted around about picking up the phone and saying “Hi Patrick or Aaron, yes, when you guys get around to it I’d like you to make me one of your phenomenal (keyed or keyless) _______wood flutes.” It’s not like you send them the full amount then, and you certainly have time to change your mind. Shoot, you don’t even have to have the model or number of keys sorted for a year or two, you just need them to put a daggoned log aside for you eventually. In fact, you can just tell them to call you when they’re about ready to ream it out and THEN you can panic appropriately about the number of keyblocks and bore profile you want.
Meanwhile, it’s not like there isn’t someone else on the list who’ll be more than happy to take your place if you do opt out over the course of the wait.
Just be courteous and let them know if you change your mind or find a used one or … this can be useful for the reception you’ll get should you want to get back on the list down the road. And of course, if you do still want one, be smart like Paul and be sure to call or write every now and again to let them know you still care (but try not to be a pest).
Good luck with yours, Paul! I lucked into a used one after about 5 years on the list, and the more time I spend with it the more I know I would have happily waited much longer; it’s an amazing instrument.
I’d like to second everything that Cathy has said…(it’s the first time she’s made sense in years 
)…and a request for Mr. McGlinchey: please record another CD when you get your Olwell. Solo flute with guitar or bouzouki backing would be fine. 
Great flute player and a great flute. What a combination!
cheers,
Paul
for my beautiful keyless Olwell 1 year and 1000 €
I’d second that…with a qualification.
Cat is one of those effervescent, bubbly, girl, people.
Some of us are capable of pissing of a flute maker with what seemed a simple aside!
I’d second Denny’s secondment. Cathy’s talking a lotta sense. I’ve been on Patrick’s list since 2006. I email him every Christmas to say hello. I expect that he’ll contact me when he’s ready to start on what will become ‘mine’. You can’t rush greatness. When we last spoke about it he reckoned 6/7 years all in.
m.d.
how about newly-acquired keyed Olwells from the maker?
how long did you wait?
I waited decades, but that was for perfect, dark and straight-grained cocus. He only makes about one of those per year, and that’s IF he can get the log.
Maybe this thread has run its course. The Olwells make very fine flutes – some would say the best – and we’d all like to have one. Some can and do, and that’s great. Regarding wait time, contacting them will give the best information available.
So, using what we have, I bet there’s still a good tune to be had.