I am the guy who was asking about the Casey Burns folk flute and the Dixon 3 piece polymer. Well the income tax return is bigger than I thought and now I have a little more to spend.
I was looking at a Casey burns keyless D flute in mopane with a tuning slide and rings. Looks like $800.00 on the Casey Burns website.
I was also looking at an M & E keyless D flute in blackwood with a tuning slide and rings. Looks like $525.00 on the M & E website.
Any opinions on the two flutes mentioned would be greatly appreciated.
Which of the two would you choose and why? Is there other brands I should be looking at ? I want a wood keyless D flute with a tuning slide and rings. My max. budget is $800.00. Thanks.
Both flutes are good choices. The M&E R&R is a specially good value and would be a great flute to learn on. Also the Seery Pratten is a tremendous value for the price.
For a little more, about $910, you could get a Hamilton blackwood keyless in D. If you’re a more advanced player, or looking for one of the very finest flutes made, in my opinion this is the way to go. There is about a 8 month waiting period, however, while the other options could get the flute to you more quickly.
The Hamilton is, in my opinion, well worth the wait.
Dave Copley’s flutes are an option too.
At the point that you are getting up to
800 or so, there are various options
for really fine flutes, like the Hammy.
I don’t think Dave is working in
mopane, however.
We’ve coverered this, haven’t we,
but blackwood and boxwood are
alternatives to mopane. Casey
has lovely boxwood.
I have the Burns you’re thinking of, and it’s a fine flute.
I don’t know that I–or probably most of the people here–are likely to be qualified to make the comparison you’re thinking of, however. I’ve owned a Sweetheart, a Monzani, and this Burns, and all three were very different in feel and behaviour and it took a while for my technique to settle in to each of them. I’ve handled/played a few others, but I’m sure I wasn’t experiencing anything like the “real” flutes.
I picked Casey because I’m now in Vancouver, and I could drive down to his shop (in Washington state) and toot it before I bought it, and because the climates here and there are identical so I figured I’d run no risk of cracking.
Check out the flute porn thread, I think page 18. Have a look at the Cocobolo M&E i posted a pic of there. I don’t think Michael has any Blackwood in store right now, but he does have som lovely Cocobolo. Do a search for Cocobolo on this forum to see what people have said about the wood in the past. For 800, you’ll get a couple of keys for it as well, always good to have. This flute is tremendeous value and will serve you very well indeed. You can also ask Michael to do the head partially unlined. This is not what he usually does, but I have an unlined M&E Cocobolo head, and I can say that it is just awsome. There are several more options for $800, most of them will have at least a few months waiting list, maybe up to years. I don’t know how long wait you’d be looking at for the M&E, but not that long. Michael usually keeps ahead of demand and has several polymers ready to ship, so waiting list is very short. I suggest you send him an e-mail, he’s a nice guy, and I’m sure you’ll get along with him.
I would call Casey, jump in my car and get on down there and play a few of his. There is no better way to buy a flute than to try it first. If you don’t like Casey’s then go for one of the others but you won’t be able to try first. That would be my first move. What a golden opportunity you have living close to a maker. Most of us do not and have to go by what others reply. And that is not always the best as each of us has a different embouchure and facial structure. What works for me may be a disaster for you. Go see Casey!!!
Dave Copley does make flutes in mopane–I have a 6-key.
I agree that visiting a maker and trying flutes is about the best thing you can do. I’d also recommend at least researching some of the other flutes available in the $800 range–there are quite a few.
This site may be of help: www.firescribble.net/flute
Check out the directory of makers.
Sorry to thread jack, but what are you’re experiences of Mopane as a flutewood? I’ve heard several different opinions, some people have said it’s pretty similar to Cocus wood, being a tad sweeter and not as piercing as Blackwood. Others have said that it just sounds muffled and unfocused, I suppose, in a way these views are expressing pretty much the same characteristics, but one in a positive way and one in a negative way. Is it as good as Blackwood, Cocus, Cocobolo etc? I’m thinking about ordering an all Mopane Bb (with rings) from Casey at some point and I’d like to know your opinions.
I prefer the look of all Mopane compaired to all Blackwood or a mix. If Mopane is closer to Cocuswood in tonal characteristics than Blackwood I’d probably want all Mopane for that reason too. Plus it’s $50 cheaper.
My impression is that mopane is warmer and a bit less
precise in intonation than blackwood.
John Skelton’s Bb mopane flute from Casey
is one of the most beautiful artifacts
on earth, no doubt about it. It’s on
Casey’s website, as you probably know.
Also note the long foot.
Henke,
I owned a Casey Burns flute in mopane for a number of months before getting my Copley in mopane. While the Burns and the Copley are both made of mopane, they have almost nothing else in common–very different instruments. In fact, the wood even looks rather different. (Don’t know about the Burns, but the Copley is just treated with linseed oil.) I’d love a chance to try a blackwood Copley next to mine; that might be the most revealing.
At any rate, I do think mopane is a bit warmer than blackwood; I think blackwood has a slightly brighter edge. The flute I have is very solid sounding and does have a nice ring to it. My main reason for choosing mopane was aesthetic–it looks really beautiful, mostly a rich dark brown, but it has chestnut highlights that show up in certain light. I’m not sure, but it may be a little heavier than blackwood.
The larvae by the same name are rumored to be a delicacy; I believe I’ll let someone else have my share, however, as I fear I would be prone to bazooka-barfing.
Now i’m really confused. So many choices. I’ve emailed Casey Burns and Michael Cronnolly. I’ve gotten 2 emails back from Casey burns so far. I’m in New Hampshire and Casey is in Washington, that’s too far of a drive for me. I do wish I could try before I buy, but that’s not likely. I will continue to research and hope I will find one that will suit me. I’m really leaning towards the Casey Burns mopane with tuning slide and rings. Remember I am currently playing a Dixon 2 piece plastic tunable flute so whatever I choose should be way better. Thanks for the good feedback. Keep it coming.
Just to add more confusion, you might also get in touch with Phil Bleazey ( bleazey.co.uk ). His Rudall-style flute is inexpensive, has a slide, and is a really easy flute to play. The more I play other flutes, the more I respect this one – it’s not an Olwell, but it’s not that far behind. He often has flutes in stock.
Another possibility would be an all-wood Olwell. You’ll have to wait, but you’ll get a flute you’ll never outgrow.