Been contacted by a chap in Illinois. He has an early Firth Hall & Pond flute that would benefit from a bit of work if someone fancied a "project". The flute appears to be unstained boxwood, with integral wooden turned rings rather than bone, ivory or metal. It comes in four parts, a head without tuning slide, separate LH, RH sections, and short D foot, and has a single Eb key of the brass flap variety. The overall length of 23.25" would seem to confirm his measurement of it being a D flute. It has smallish holes as was fairly common with these flutes.
The head has a straight crack running up from the socket for a few inches, currently bound with thread to keep it closed. That's probably not a really hard crack to deal with, as the head is unlined, so you have access to it. It is one of the weaknesses of having wooden "rings" rather than metal, ivory or bone. Although it has to be said you find ivory rings that have cracked even though the wood under them is still OK. Ivory shrinks faster than wood.
And the photos he sent me are good and shows the crack well. This looks like a nice old flute that would suit someone with repair skills or wishing to acquire repair skills. I reckon it would come up nicely.
Anyone interested, I can supply his contact details. Shoot me a note at terrymcgeeflutes@gmail.com.
(I'd go for it myself except I have a cupboard full of old flutes that I should be trying to rehome rather than add to!)
A "project flute"....
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Terry McGee
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Re: A "project flute"....
These "folk" flutes were common, and are decent enough players, but a bit soft for a session. Intimate rather than boisterous.
They play OK in the keys of D and G, but are difficult for any other sharp or flat keys. Not a concert flute like Terry's 8-key Greg Larsen style design; those are a different level indeed. Google Michael Lynn Firth Pond Hall for some video examples.
I have boxwood Firth Pond which is quite nice. It needed the Eb key remade and the "ivory" cap replaced, which was perhaps more costly than it was worth, given that thy are occasionally available completely with the key. But it really plays well. Clean tone, sprightly finger action due to small holes.
Speaking of Poor Things (Emma Stone)
In fact I have a couple other pieces-parts that don't quite make up a whole. Anybody have a head missing a body?
They play OK in the keys of D and G, but are difficult for any other sharp or flat keys. Not a concert flute like Terry's 8-key Greg Larsen style design; those are a different level indeed. Google Michael Lynn Firth Pond Hall for some video examples.
I have boxwood Firth Pond which is quite nice. It needed the Eb key remade and the "ivory" cap replaced, which was perhaps more costly than it was worth, given that thy are occasionally available completely with the key. But it really plays well. Clean tone, sprightly finger action due to small holes.
Speaking of Poor Things (Emma Stone)
In fact I have a couple other pieces-parts that don't quite make up a whole. Anybody have a head missing a body?