Delrin flute

[Doug_Tipple]

I also have a Martin Doyle as well as a Dave Copley Delrin. Both are excellent instruments. The only complaint I have with the Delrin (and I'm sure this is applies to any Delrin flute) is that I find it gets "slippery" on my lower lip and it's therefore difficult to maintain an accurate embouchure for long periods of time. I find the flute changes position, especially if I'm playing in a warm room. Drives me crazy sometimes. Anyone else have this problem?

I have a Chinese concert flute with a gold-plated lip plate. Over time the gold plating cracked and came off where my lip touches the lip plate. To remedy this I use a piece of masking tape to cover the area where the plating has come off. I actually like the way the textured surface of the masking tape feels against my lip more than I did the smooth plated surface. Of course, it is easy to change the tape whenever you want to, especially when patches of green begin to appear under the tape. Yes, I know that masking tape on the lip plate won't win any prizes for cosmetic appearance, but, functionally, it works just fine.

[Aanvil]

Blue painters masking tape can give that "Patsy Hanley" quality to one's flute playing.

It's true.

[Doug_Tipple]

I wouldn't have to worry about the micro-thin gold plating coming off of the lip plate if I could afford a lip plate made from solid gold. Nina Perlove, a concert flautist and teacher, recently purchased a flute with a 14 carat gold flute body, and she shows off her new flute in a youtube video. She is playing some of the same pieces that I warm up with. Not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKR5BOgd ... ture=share

[Aanvil]

14 karat?

Really now. Perhaps it's the love and care that one puts into the build of such an expensive material that makes more the difference that the material itself that and the enjoyment one gets from playing "a golden flute".

Honestly I think her flute just goes to 11.

Wicked good playing though.

She'd probably sound just as good blowing a garden hose.

[Doug_Tipple]

14 karat?

OK, OK. It's karats for gold and carats for diamonds.
Karat is a measure of purity, and carat is a measure of weight.
It's hard to keep things straight around here.

[benhall.1]

14 karat?

OK, OK. It's karats for gold and carats for diamonds.
Karat is a measure of purity, and carat is a measure of weight.
It's hard to keep things straight around here.

Ah. I wondered why it was 'K' for carat. Now I know.

[benhall.1]

Rats! I've just looked it up. Confusingly, it's not 'karat' in the UK. Here, the measure of purity of gold is in 'carats'. That would explain why I've never used the 'k' spelling, then.

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

I've still got this one for sale:

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=80374&hilit=Cochran

Kevin Krell

I know I probably shouldn't comment but that's under priced by almost half Kevin.

Just out of curiousity.. you mean the flute is worth $860 second hand? How much are they new? I have never seen a new unkeyed Delrin flute cost that much, let alone a second hand one.
(again, no offense or anything, just curious)

[kkrell]

I've still got this one for sale:

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=80374&hilit=Cochran

Kevin Krell

I know I probably shouldn't comment but that's under priced by almost half Kevin.

Just out of curiousity.. you mean the flute is worth $860 second hand? How much are they new? I have never seen a new unkeyed Delrin flute cost that much, let alone a second hand one.
(again, no offense or anything, just curious)

I think Aanvil meant that as an approximate, hyperbolic price for a newly made polymer flute, and perhaps indicative of its perceived value as an instrument.

Note that some flute makers charge as much, or nearly, as wood flutes for a similar construction and ornamentation. For instance, in the whistle world, Chris Abell charges the same for Delrin as for blackwood, as I think does Paul Busman. Some would probably like to charge more, given the wear and tear on tooling, and the different turning characteristics.

Good wood keyless flutes often go for $1100-$1700. However, it's also not unusual for polymer flutes to sell for less, given that there are usually no losses due to material defects, and faster overall completion times because there is no seasoning time required.

Jon's flutes have the full work-up, tuning slide, rings, texturing to a wood-like appearance, etc. Certain other makers utilize designs that often involve no, or simplified slides, no rings, fewer sections, and possibly fewer hours and care in their creation. I'm not sure how all those Delrin flutes measure up against each other, but my Jon C. blackwood keyless is superior to others that are twice the price.

[Aanvil]

^^^ This.

[annaliese]

Thank you for all the great information and help! Does anyone have any thoughts on advantages/disadvantages of delrin v. polymer?

annaliese

[chas]

Delrin is a polymer. All Delrin (acetyl) flutes are polymer flutes; not all polymer flutes are Delrin. I'm not sure the particular polymer makes any difference; I think makers work with whatever they're comfortable machining.

[Juan Pablo Plata]

Delrin flutes can cost the same that wooden ones. Just ask some very well known luthiers, like Mr. Watson or Mr. Hamilton. They told me that these flutes sound exactly as the instruments made of wood.

[Grahnwolf]

I just wanted to throw in another vote for the Copley delrin. I just got one in C and it's absolutely fantastic in tone, feel and look.

[Jon C.]

I want one of Copley's 8 key delrin flutes!