Chiff and Fipple Forums

I have a folk flute I’m really happy with, but am traveling again soon , so am looking into a plastic (delrin/pvc/carbon/whatever) flute. So, could someone please recommend a flute that plays like a folk flute, but is tougher/maintenance free? Something I can stuff in my backpack, but won’t have to relearn my embouchure , etc? If Casey were already making his plastic ones, I’d just try to grab one, but that appears to be in the indefinite future.

Thanks!

I can't be of much help but I wanted to point out that although Casey did experiment with resins, it looks like he has now shifted his efforts to making glass flutes. (See the blurb on his homepage.) Probably not the kind of flute you can stuff in a backpack...

Why not get a polymer flute that plays better than a Burns folk flute?

But to answer your question: I’ve played the majority of polymer flutes out there, and I don’t think any of them play particularly like a folk flute, aside from, and not to be sarcastic here, the fact that all flutes kind of play the same, if you see what I mean.

Suggest you find a polymer flute that is a good flute, whether or not it sounds like
a FF. It will sound good in a different way and you will probably like it and it will
make you a better musician. Just saying, I busked this morning and managed to
make seventy dollars in an hour and a half, playing Dave Copley's bottom of the line
delrin flute.

I’m not worried about it sounding like an Ff, rather I’d like it to handle like one. Better would be fine, too, the ff is just what I’m used to. If none of the available models plays like the ff, then I’ll survive...But I enjoy mine and am looking for as little effort adjusting as I can find.

I haven't owned a Folk Flute, but have played a couple, and have also owned quite a few of Casey's flutes, including an older D that's quite similar to the FF. To me his flutes' biggest selling point is that they all have very forgiving embouchures (and the breadth of his offerings). To me the polymer flute that most plays like the FF is the Dixon three-piece. The M&E R&R would be a distant second.

That said, I'm with Loren. There are several better options out there that are also really easy to play. You're never going to progress far with the Dixon. I had one for a year or two, and it was great as a fill-in for my Bleazey Rudall The M&E is also a really easy-to-play flute that you can get much more out of than a Dixon. The drawback, at least for me, is that it's really heavy. That might be a shock after the all-wood folk flute, especially if yours is in boxwood.

My personal favorite is the Copley with a traditional embouchure -- still really easy to play, with a little more flexible sound, and much lighter than the M&E. If you really just want a flute to play now and then when you're camping or something, the Dixon would be a decent fill-in. If you want something more, that will help you grow as a player, I'd really recommend something like the M&E or Copley (or Forbes, Somers, Shannon. . . which I haven't played).

My experience is severely limited, but I still think it is relevant. I've played 1 of each of the following: Forbes, Copley (with a traditional embouchure hole), Somers (Rudall&Rose model) delrin flutes and 1 folk flute (made of blackwood and a handsome instrument). _All_ of the delrin flutes were significantly better than the FF. In terms of closeness to the FF, I would say it would be the Copley. The Copley also had the most 'forgiving' embouchure of the 4 flutes. Chet

I’m with Charlie and Chet, my recommendation would be the Copley. Here’s why:

1. Copley flutes play very nicely and have good intonation and volume. I’ve not played another polymer flute that matches the Copley’s ease of play, satisfying tone and excellent intonation.

2. As mentioned in someone else’s prior post, the Copley is shorter than most (all?) other polymer flutes making it relatively light and compact, great for travel, and jam packed sessions

3. Can be had with or without a slide, and with or without rings. I’d skip both and go with the bone stock model for travel, it’ll be lighter and there will be no slide to get damaged during transit. The slideless model is still plenty tunable via the top tenon.

4. The Copley Delrin is a great value - best bang for the buck flute value out there IMO, regardless of the material.

5. Copley flutes are extremely consistent, this is not true of some makers. You won’t get a dud.

6. Generally speaking, the waiting time for a Copley Delrin w/o slide is pretty short, as these things go. Last I looked it was 1-3 months, but you’d have to check with Dave directly to see what the current wait time is.

7. Copley flutes as a business is very professionally run - there will be no shenanigans: no badly missed delivery deadlines, no poorly finished or badly tuned flute showing up at your door, no loooooong silences after attempts to communicate with a maker who seems to be avoiding you after taking your money. And, if you live in the U.S., no long shipping delays.

8. Resale Value: Copley flutes are always in demand on the used market. Should you want or need to sell the flute in the future, it will be easier to sell quickly than nearly any other polymer flute out there.

I could go on, but I’m fairly certain the equine has been well and truly bludgeoned by now.

Enjoy your travels!

Loren wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 5:28 pmI’m fairly certain the equine has been well and truly bludgeoned by now.

"The Bludgeoned Equine" might make a good name for a hornpipe.

Best wishes.

Steve

Steve Bliven wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 6:54 pm

Loren wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 5:28 pmI’m fairly certain the equine has been well and truly bludgeoned by now.

The "Bludgeoned Equine" might make a good name for a hornpipe.

Best wishes.

Steve

Good call, I like it!

Loren wrote: ↑Mon May 24, 2021 5:28 pm 6. Generally speaking, the waiting time for a Copley Delrin w/o slide is pretty short, as these things go. Last I looked it was 1-3 months, but you’d have to check with Dave directly to see what the current wait time is.

Just before christmas I saw they had a C flute available, so I contacted them about it - unfortunately it had been claimed the evening before. However I did go ahead and decided to purchase one anyway, fully expecting the above timeline. Long story short, I had it one week after paying for it. The good thing about delrin is it doesn't require settling times between the various stages of finish like wood, so Alan Copley was able to turn it out in ~3 days (actually I think it was just 2).

M&E flutes are most like C.B flutes in my opinion.