The issues will prove boring and trite, but can you briefly tell me if there is a good site were serious flute-building info are given and drawing are shown? Second…what is the best blackwood keyless D flute for a serious flutist on a budget? (And a keyless B?)
You might want to tell us your budget.
Dave Copley’s flutes are signifcantly cheaper
than the best flutes, but very good.
Silver slide and lined head,
blackwood.
Do a search on Dave Copley.
If you need to go cheaper,
please tell us.
What do you aim to play?
In sessions or what?
Nice to hear from you, by the way.
Thank you Jim. Nice flute the Copley, but unfortunately I would go ‘lower’.
For lower prices, if you insist on wood and not polymer, you may look into:
Casey Burns: http://www.caseyburnsflutes.com/
Martin Doyle: http://www.kiwicelt.com/theflutes.htm
and http://www.crehans.ie/Flutes/FlutesMain.aspx
or you might check into Jon C.'s flutes (do a search for “Jon C.” on the flute forum here, and you should find some information; I don’t think he has a webpage yet).
There’s a great list of makers on Brad Hurley’s website that may be of use to you, as well. His website is generally excellent, so you should check it out:
Good luck!
How about an M&E wooden Flute they I have tried one of their polymer Flutes and it was quite good. Unfortuanantly they do not have Balckwood in stock they only have Cocobolo and Bloodwood, Cocobolo is very similar to Blackwood in quality in fact they are very closly realated they both have other names which are Grenadilla (Blackwood) and Grenaldillo (Cocobolo). Also you can get a Casey Burns Flute for a pretty good price if you get it without Rings and a Tuning Slide and he also makes B Flutes on request. Also there is Carl Bell you can get one of his with Rings and a Tuning Slide for about the Same price as the Burns without them Carl makes Bbs but not Bs as far as I know. Also there is P.G. Bleazy. Paddy Ward is currently having a sale on Blackwood Flutes. Search any of these names on google to get their website. I recently was looking for a Flute so I have looked around a lot. I have a Geert Lejune Flute which is really nice I notice you live in Italy Geert lives in Belgium search his name on google to finda dealer as he has no website but a keyless Flute in D is on 575 euro.
I’d say “quite good” is a severe understatement.
There is also a Seery Pratten model out there that are nice flutes, unbreakable, and relatively cheap (around $300’s I think). Hamilton makes keyless flutes in B (and D’s) and his prices are lower than most of the other top makers. As for flute sites with detailed instructions, I don’t know. I leave the flute making to people who know what they are about.
I’d be willing to bet that Casey Burns makes a very economical B flute if you ask nicely!
I’d add Phil Bleazey to the list. bleazey.co.uk I’d heard some QC issues with his Pratten flutes, but last I knew he’d stopped making them, but I’m quite fond of my Bleazey Rudall, and I’ve heard good things about his Rudalls from others.
I second the comments on both the M&E and Seery polymers: very good flutes that don’t require much care and are very rewarding instruments that you won’t quickly outgrow.
Also I can’t help but mention the Hamilton keyless blackwood in D. At 700 Euro (about $860 U.S. dollars), these flutes are an extreme value. Hamilton flutes are among the very best made, and are played by many respected traditional flutists.
A keyless Hamilton in low B costs 850 Euro, which is about $1045 U.S. dollars.
–James
Murphystout - While I’d heartily recommend a Seery, they’ve now slipped up to $465 USD unless you can pick one up used for cheaper. I do think they’re around 350 euro with a soft case, though…darned exchange rate is killing us.
Eric
WOW! That is quite an increase. I guess I’m glad I’m not looking for a new flute with the way prices are going.