I have been looking for some time for a Delrin flute. I have a checklist, which includes medium to small holes, medium to narrow bore, Rudall style, under $500. This will become my camping/travelling flute. It seems to me that Gary Somers’ flutes tick all the boxes. Does anyone know whether Gary is still making flutes?
I have tried to find a used one, but with no luck. I guess people who have them are hanging on to them.
Are there others I should consider? Damian Thompson? others?
Thanks
Bruce
Per Mr. Somers, as of a Nov. 2020 post on C&F:
Having just seen this thread, I thought I’d better let people know that due to unforeseen circumstances, I will not be making flutes for the next few months. Thanks to all for the kindly recommendations but I will not be taking any more orders for now and my website willl be going off-line. I will let people know when I’m back up and running again.
Garry
Lacking access to him, try Damian Thompson or Vincenzo Di Mauro (Ireland). Dave Copley (USA), based on a Hawkes, though.
You will most definitely want to look at the Copley delrin flutes. An excellent flute by any standard.
I’ve not been as active on the forum of late, so I don’t know how often you’ve been doing this, but I’d encourage you to keep posting WTB now and again. You never know.
I purchased a Somers flute through Hobgoblin a few years ago, although I just checked their website and it seems they’re currently out of stock. It might be worth your while giving them a call and asking if they don’t have one squirelled away somewhere?
Hi Bruce,
My new GLP came last week and I was thinking of rehoming my Somers flute. Interested?
I am in the Southern U.S.
Scouter
also Francois Baubet (IRL) makes an excellent delrin flute that could match your checklist.
Played one for many years myself!
It looks like Michael Cronnolly is still making his M&E polymer flutes. They’re inexpensive, patterned after Rudalls, and I find them responsive and easy to play.
https://www.mandeirishflutes.ie/
I have both an M&E and a Somers, they’re both great but given Garry’s situation M&E might be easier to get ahold of at the moment.
Agreed. I play it more than any other flute because I can play throughout the day, which suits my work life, without having to set up and break down the wooden flutes. I find it an absolute joy to play.
Thanks for all the responses so far. Some people, on this forum and others, have recommended Copley. Can anyone comment on the air requirements of a Copley flute?
Great flutes, nothing unusual about the air requirements, pretty middle of the road in that respect.
I’ve owned a bunch of polymer flutes: Seery, M&E, John Gallagher, Aebi, Watson, Baubet, Forbes… you get the idea. I still have some of them, but the Copley is the one I’d recommend first and foremost - plays well, sounds good, in tune, great value for the money, very reasonable delivery times, impeccable customer service, and they are very, very consistently good flutes, which is definitely not true of all the makers…what more can you ask? The Gallagher and Watson flutes are very nice too, but will cost you 3-4 times as much and the wait will be far longer as well.
Second. A friend of mine, a relative newbie,
played for me yesterday my Copley delrin flute (bottom of the line), which I often use
busking. Gee it sounds beautiful, and even better at a distance than under my ear.
Forgot to mention I’ve owned a Somers flute as well. Also nice flutes. I will say I found the embouchure cut rather different on the Somers though: Plays like a lot of Murrays where you have to either roll the headjoint or blow at a different angle than most other flutes. It’s not a bad thing per say, but it’s the one flute I’ve played that made switching between flutes awkward, unless your main flute is a Murray, in which case the Somers might be the best fit.
Also forgot to mention that the Copley is more compact than any of the other polymer flutes I’ve owned or played.
To answer davidbruce’s query about the air requirements of a Copley delrin flute: I would say definitely less than the air required for most makers’ Pratten style flutes and slightly less or nearly the same (I don’t have both at hand to compare them) as a Somers Rudall-Rose model. (I own both a Forbes Pratten-style and a Somers RR-style but have played Copleys at workshops; all three are fine flutes, but the Forbes takes significantly more air to drive.)
David Bruce, you can’t go wrong with any of the delrin flutes discussed. I own a Somers and Forbes currently. Both are very good flutes and I always have one in my car to bust out when I have a moment. I’ve played and owned Copley’s flutes, also very good. I didn’t find any of those three to have noticeable air requirement. As Loren mentioned, the Somers does need a slightly different attack on embouchure, but is rewarding. Forbes is Prattenesque, but easy to play with great tone and growl. Copley, to me, is slightly ever so sweeter in the upper octave. I had intended to have one delrin flute, however, they are both so good, I couldn’t give one up.
Thanks, everyone, for the interesting and informative replies. Based on what has been posted, and with Garry Somers not making flutes at this time, I think the Copley is the best choice for me.