I was just whiling the time away, looking around the C&F main board. I see in the review of Fred Rose’s whistles the reviewer says he was impressed by Fred Rose’s flutes as well.
Anyone have a Fred Rose flute? Or just played one?
Stuart
Hello
I’ve got a flute with just “Rose” written on headjoint; it’s in mopane, and it’s in one piece.
It has been played by good players (I’m just a beginner) who said it was quite a good flute. They perhaps were just polite.
I think it’s a good one, but bot too easy for me in low notes.
I bought it in France. I don’t know how to contact F. Rose
Best regards
Philippe
I don’t have his e-mail address, but K.F.Rose (aka Fred Rose) lives in Combe, Lancs. UK. Sorry I can’t remember the street and house number, but you can probably find it via the appropriate telephone White Pages on the Internet. You could try contacting him.
Or you could put this query on the Whistle forum. Many folks there have bought his whistles and may still have a record of his address.
Mal
I just got my first blackwood Rose D whistle about three days ago, and absolutely love it. If his flutes are anything like this whistle, I would highly recommend it. Beautiful craftsmanship, nice tone, and very low maintenance.
He just recently changed his email address to:
fredrose.whistles@ntlworld.com
Let us know what you find out!
Well, I took the plunge and ordered one. Very inexpensive (£150). I’ve been looking for something that might be a good spare/travel instrument . . . and I just didn’t want to get a polymer instrument.
So we’ll see. I’ll keep you posted. Fred told me it’s in the mail.
Stuart
Congratulations!
I’m surprised at the price! That’s about what I paid for my whistle. Personally, I think it was underpriced but I don’t think I’ll tell Fred Rose! For the record, my whistle took just over a week to get to me, despite the massive power outage. Guess Customs doesn’t need lights!
And I’m with you on not wanting a polymer. Just personal taste, but I can never get a sound I like from polymers like I can with brass or wood.
Definitely, let me know how you like your new flute.
Am I reading this right - £150 for a Rose wooden FLUTE? 
What is the spec.? What materials is it made from? This is a usual concert ‘D’ flute? Own design,or based on a 19th c. model?
WE NEED TO KNOW! 
Material is bubinga. Design is Fred’s, I believe. Based on what exactly I couldn’t tell you. No tuning slide.
Flute, yep, £150.
We’ll see!
Stuart
If the workmanship is anything like that on his whistles (and from what I can gather,Fred is a bit of a perfectionist),then his flutes should be marvelous,nay,miraculous value for £150!
P.S. I’ve just e-mailed Fred Rose for further details!
My thoughts exactly! Hence why I ordered first and asked questions later.
Let me know what you find out as well, and I’ll be sure to post when I get the thing.
Stuart
For what it’s worth … I once had a descant (alto) recorder made of Bubinga and it had the most “chiffy” tone of any recorder I have ever heard. I liked it a lot but though I had bought it new for a very reasonable price , I thought maybe recorders were not supposed to sound like that and “upgraded” eventually (pricewise, anyway) to a rosewood Dolmetsch and disposed of the old one through the conductor of the Peninsula Recorder Orchestra, of which I was a member. She reported that the recorder had wound up in Israel and that the new owner was ecstatic about it. I have been sorry I gave it up every since!
Bubinga looks much like Cooktown Ironwood but comes from Africa I believe.
Mal
Wow, it came today! Talk about FAST!
It’s great!
And I mean it! What a nice instrument! Sure, it’s a £160 (I remembered wrong) flute, but gosh. It’s got a single-piece body, smaller bore than a Pratten, but still not a tiny bore. Very simple turning. This one doesn’t have a tuning slide, and interestingly no crown (just a stopper with a blackened face).
But it’s seriously a great instrument. Perfectly in tune with itself into the third octave, and nicely balanced. The bubinga is actually very attractive; not really all that much like Cooktown ironwood to my eyes, but ind of a nice reddish-brown with prominent stripes. It’s amazing how lightweight a flute with no slide and no rings is . . .
Anyway, this is the perfect spare/beginner/travel companion, I think. It’s a blast to play!
Disclaimer: I’m not a beginner, so who knows how easy it is to play. I feel like I am doing different things than I do with my “expensive name-brand” flutes, but it’s by no means hard to play at all. Just a little different. It feels like a little sdjustment, but not a huge one.
And no, I don’t have a digital camera! DOH! If I did I’d take a picture.
Stuart
Hey Stuart, when you get a chance, how about some additional info. I’m wondering about:
Volume
Low D and E – honkable? Loud? In tune at volume?
Responsiveness
Corked tenons?
Is it two pieces (headjoint + body) or three (headjoint + Body + foot)?
Is it tuneable in either direction? In tune with joints pushed all the way in?
How’s the workmanship? I’ve seen his whistles (pretty. . .), so I’m hoping his flutes show a good level of care.
I’ve been looking around for a cheapish wooden instrument to replace my polymer (a Dixon, which was fine for a while but which has limitations I’m now aware of, having been playing a McGee R&R for a few months) for travelling, etc. Sounds like this might fit the bill!
Fast shipment, eh? Impressive. Talk about a short waiting list.
–Aaron
Volume:
Hmm. Quieter than an Olwell Pratten. Somewhat.
Low D and E – honkable? Loud? In tune at volume?
I’ve never played a flute that you couldn’t play a hard low D. I think it depends more on your embouchure. So, yes, can be loud, and in tune.
Responsiveness
Quite so. Makes me sound a little chiffy, like the sound Chris Norman has.
Corked tenons?
Yes.
Is it two pieces (headjoint + body) or three (headjoint + Body + foot)?
Two.
Is it tuneable in either direction? In tune with joints pushed all the way in?
I don’t know. I haven’t checked yet; I’ll mess with that tomorrow.
How’s the workmanship?
Good! Very nice! Simple.
Yes, there was zero wait, since he had a couple lying around.
Stuart
Congratulations! 
I’m happy to hear that his flutes show the same high quality as his whistles. Maybe Fred Rose will now start getting the attention he deserves! (But I hope I get my flute before his waiting list gets too long!)
Yes, Rose’s flute are amazing!
Mine is a mopane one, 2 pieces, and the sound may be extremely different according to the way you blow; I can get very a interesting sound, that I can’t get with other flutes.
I bought another flute from afamous French maker, ebony, but came back to my Rose flute.
I wish he made C flutes!
Anyone have a Fred Rose flute? Or just played one?
I have played a Fred Rose flute and whistle for years, Both are very fine instruments. The craftsmanship is superb. Highly reccomended.
The flute I have is a two piece rosewood keyless flute but shall be getting back in touch to see what he is making these days.
Mat