McCarty Low D Flute Review

[an seanduine]

Hmmm. We seem to have moved on beyond toasting Mr. McCarty's posties. I'm in the States, and am more or less familiar with with the sub $500 list as given, but have no knowledge of some other makers I occasionally hear of such as Dominic Allan, and Fred Rose. Do they fit into this tier?

Bob

[hans]

Dominic Allan offers two piece student flutes for £165 ($268):

These flutes are made from pear wood. They have a two piece construction that includes a tuning slide. The head is fully lined with nickel silver and the conical bored body is treated with a cellulose based wood hardener. After turning the flute is soaked in linseed oil to further seal and protect the wood. These flutes can be used in part exchange for one of my advanced models and are now available "off the peg" (up to 70% of original purchase price, subject to condition). - Price £165+ postage.

I have not read a review on these, but I have no hesitation recommending his flutes, which are of excellent workmanship. I play an eight key blackwood flute made by Dominic (last pic on the page showing his incredible keywork is from my flute). I think this is an incredible good offer for a beginner.

Fred Rose offers two piece flutes for £200 ($325), made from Honduran Rosewood, tapered construction, unlined head, corked tenon.

Ralph Sweet offers two piece flutes for less than $500, made from various types of wood and tapered. These are aimed for students and are well regarded.

I don't understand why David (Julia D.) wants to exclude bamboo flutes. I think if you include cylindrical flutes like Doug's and Hammy's student flute, you should also include quality bamboo flutes. Otherwise say that a student flute should have a tapered bore, full stop.

Re. the OP topic: I don't understand why so many here were so quick to say that they cannot recommend McCarty flutes, without having handled one. I have questions and doubts about these flutes, like many. But that is not sufficient to make a negative endorsement. Give the guy at least the benefit of your doubts, instead of dismissing him outright. That he is not answering back is no reason to assume he is not interested, but all the more reason to hold back with outright condemnation.

[voggy_dog]

Wow.. this is a long-running thread.

I am another purchaser of a McCarty Flute, purported to be made of "American Hickory". I payed a little better than $100 for it, if I remember correctly.

I am NOT an experienced flute player, but I will testify to this: the McCarty flute I have sounds pretty decent to my ears. I've checked it for air leaks, and it holds pretty well. The low "D" comes off as a little weak, but everything else through the second and into the third octave sounds pretty convincing. Compared to my Dixon Duo (Low D), I think it has a much more pleasing "traditional" sound to it. I will agree that the flute looks suspiciously like a number of Mid-East flutes (http://www.mid-east.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=IRFL&eq=&Tp=), but I have not been able to hold them up side-to-side to compare.

The fact that he has virtually no negative feedback on ebay suggests that his instruments are not entirely odious.

Within the next week, I expect to receive shipment of my Casey Burns Standard Flute in mopane, after which I am not expecting that I will miss the McCarty flute very much.

Are there any experienced players who would be interested in getting a "hands-on" with the instrument and hopefully settling the matter? I would be willing to loan it out, or send it on a "tour" for a couple of months to let my senior bretheren weigh in on it.

[Aanvil]

Are there any experienced players who would be interested in getting a "hands-on" with the instrument and hopefully settling the matter? I would be willing to loan it out, or send it on a "tour" for a couple of months to let my senior bretheren weigh in on it.

Yes there are.

Do it.

:}

[jemtheflute]

Aye. Do it. And thanks for offering. I don't know if transatlantic will come into it, but I'd be glad to check it out.

[benhall.1]

And I'd coat-tail on Jem, if it came over here. Just don't send it to me first. I have bad luck with Customs.

[an seanduine]

benhall.1 wrote:

Just don't send it to me first. I have bad luck with Customs.

Is that Customs, as in Customs and Mores? Or Customs as in Excise?
Just checking, since I speak 'Murican and English is a second language to me.

Bob

[benhall.1]

benhall.1 wrote:

Just don't send it to me first. I have bad luck with Customs.

Is that Customs, as in Customs and Mores? Or Customs as in Excise?
Just checking, since I speak 'Murican and English is a second language to me.

Bob

This sort of Customs:

[jemtheflute]

It's 'cos he's a tricky Customer....... and he should be excised from this thread!

[Kirk B]

This sort of Customs:

That's a just a terrible visual representation of the Boston Tea Party. I mean that's just awful. Look at it... the artist's use of shading is rough and patchy at best, the details are practically non-existent, I mean, solid blocks of color to represent the tea pouring out of the boxes. Really?

Kirk

[voggy_dog]

Are there any experienced players who would be interested in getting a "hands-on" with the instrument and hopefully settling the matter? I would be willing to loan it out, or send it on a "tour" for a couple of months to let my senior bretheren weigh in on it.

The requests have started to roll in. Looks like the McCarty is going on tour. I am going to honor jemtheflute's request first, as he seems to be a well-respected "cornerstone" member of this forum (not that none of the rest of you are not well respected...but I think Jem has posted a reply of some sort on nearly every thread I've read in this forum, so I suspect everyone knows who he is).

[Denny]

Jem, how many mirrors for that trick?

[jemtheflute]

Jem, how many mirrors for that trick?

"Borrowed" a few of yours, Denny, didn't I?

[Denny]

I's gettin' too old fer 'em

[MTGuru]

This sort of Customs

Tar, feathers, rope ... sure. But forcing your victim to play a big red ocarina, now that's just cruel.