Keyed Baubet Flute…

[JDLeedham]

…any experiences or opinions to share? Especially interested in the delrin keyed and feedback on those made more recently vs those made earlier would be deeply appreciated.

Thanks all,
JD

[Liney Bear]

I played a friend's keyed delrin Baubet and it was a joy. It had low blocks and I could use piper's grip. I got a great bang off it.

[Sirchronique]

I have a delrin Baubet that I got not long after taking up the flute some years ago. I don’t know about his recent ones or if they are different. It’s a really good instrument, though. I found it very easy to play, control, and get a powerful sound out of, even when I was a beginner on the flute. That remained my main flute until I got a Lesouef, but I still play the Baubet when I want to take a flute in an environment where I wouldn’t take a wooden flute.

I’d definitely recommend trying one out. The only downside is that it feels heavy to play for extended periods in comparison to a wooden flute, but I assume that would be a factor with any Delrin flute.

[gorjuswrex]

I brought my Baubet keyed delrin a few years back. At the time Francois was not stamping his name on them.

Love it. I saw a comment recently rating theirs as 'loud' but not "a session conon". Not quite sure what they mean but I would say I've never felt any lack in my experience. More importantly it can be "reigned back' in order to not be too out of balance with other instruments, but has plenty to give when needed.

The tone and colour can be pretty lovely and also nicely flexible. It can be big and juicy. Out of interest I have been experimenting with emulating a player who uses a slightly older style of original Rudal Rose than the later larger holed models. He gets a lovely tone from it. Almost a "softer" more "buttery" tone than is often found, still full though. Kind of "softer" by stint of "softer edged" . For my Baubet this voice is not one of its " home" natural modes. It can be obtained but I find I need to use more "modified", "unusual" embouchure. I.M.E . having found the embouchure it can be fairly easily kept in that mode.

Different again , One "worship" piece of music I play is the Alpha and omega. There is a version on YouTube with sax backing. This sax was my inspiration in my setting. I wondered if I could get the depth of colour , tone , spirit, interest, fluidity as the sax. Fairly different to what I would often be aiming for. I think the answer was yes, others hearing it seem to react in appreciation of those qualities. Kind of surprised me too !
BTW if me signature tunes here still work they are before I got the Baubet.

[GreenWood]

BTW if me signature tunes here still work they are before I got the Baubet.

I'm glad you pointed out those links to your tunes, they still work and I much like the playing, it is very lyrical.

The early Rudall flutes are a favourite sound, but I still have to make one that is near enough to be acceptable, the first one I tried is sort of there in places, enough to have me try to make a better one sometime.

[JDLeedham]

Thanks all.

[JDLeedham]

I played a friend's keyed delrin Baubet and it was a joy. It had low blocks and I could use piper's grip. I got a great bang off it.

Thanks Liney Bear,
I never considered the pipers grip as a way to playing François's keyed flute, but as age and health are starting to interfere with my fingers, my RH ring finger is starting to default to that. This information is appreciated and useful.
Much thanks, Jd

[JDLeedham]

I saw a comment recently rating theirs as 'loud'…

The tone and colour can be pretty lovely and also nicely flexible. It can be big and juicy….

Different again…

Gorjuswrex,
Thank you so much for comprehensively sharing your experiences and observation with your keyed Baubet. You’ve certainly provided vivid imagery with your process of exploring your flute. It’s been valuable to me in understanding the intangible, yet important aspects of your instrument.

Can I trouble you further for your opinion on a more mundane and mechanical aspect of your flute, the keywork?
Best, Jd

[gorjuswrex]

The keys work well for me. They are also nicely made, in the style (shape) of Rudall Rose keys as they were at a certain period,maybe around the 1860's. Silver. I will try using them in a rapid vibrato action and report back.

[JDLeedham]

The keys work well for me. They are also nicely made, in the style (shape) of Rudall Rose keys as they were at a certain period,maybe around the 1860's. Silver. I will try using them in a rapid vibrato action and report back.

Thanks Kevin,
Based on that, I now have a very good idea of the style of the keys. I appreciate and look forward to your impressions of the key action.

~JD

[gorjuswrex]

Today I tried the ' vibrato ' action on the key and they worked well.
The G# pad did come loose from the key. So I re-seated
It. Good that it was at home when it happened. Not a fault of the flute, rather lack of servicing on my part. It is the first time a pad came loose in over ten years since I received it from Francois.
When I removed the key for reseating I could see:-

Spring is brass
There is a steel insert strip between the blocks for the spring to run on. You know what I mean I think
Inside the key cup there is a raised 'nipple'. I assume it is to help prevent any possible movement of the pad it's positional stability. The pads have a brown skin on them. The skin is gathered at the back of the pad in a ring shape forming a neat ring shape hole in the middle. That hole is the same diameter as the projecting 'nipple' in the cup. That nipple may well be reasonably common but I have not come across it before.
As would be expected the undersides of the touches of the keys have nicely cut cork buffers.
When I first got the flute the Fnat key didn't seem to be quite right compared to my previous flute. Probably seemed slightly flat and the pad seemed like it sat a little closer to the hole at one side than might have thought. Maybe a slight shading in pitch , but almost straight away it is easily corrected , if indeed it was shading a tad. Not an issue I would think. If it was for someone they could easily swop to a thinner pad, that is if it is shading at all.
If there are any other aspects of the keys you would like me to check please let me know.
BTW to the key cups are the deep dome type of shape not the flatter cups.