And the award for World's Ugliest Flute goes to....

[Doug_Tipple]

I'm always (or most times) very careful in remembering to use "I think" when I give an opinion.

I agree that those two simple words can make all the difference.

Even when you leave out "IMO" or "I think", it is always seen as implied to the discerning reader, especially when it comes to esthetics. It's hard to be less or more than opinionated about the subject.

[Nanohedron]

...it is always seen as implied to the discerning reader, especially when it comes to esthetics.

Always? Not in my world. Tell me you haven't encountered people who saw their aesthetic opinions as absolutes. I certainly have, here, and in the 3D as well. And if I have, that means others have come across it as well. So when it comes to forestalling any confusion and ire while writing in message boards, I don't think it's too much to ask that people consider some basic, simple things in how they present their opinions.

[Nanohedron]

I'm always (or most times) very careful in remembering to use "I think" when I give an opinion.

I agree that those two simple words can make all the difference.

I think ...

... and I've wisely deleted the rest.


PS I don't think they'd have helped ...

Oh, I can still read "that that is a load of utter bollocks."

[I.D.10-t]

I'm just wondering where people are finding tables that have legs like this flute.

[benhall.1]

I'm just wondering where people are finding tables that have legs like this flute.

table legs by Azrael-13, on Flickr

[Doug_Tipple]

I.D.10-t made a comment on page one about the thinning of the head at the embouchure hole on the flute in question. That was one of the first things that I thought about when I saw the photo, as well. Function drives design, no matter how much you like turning off wood, so, ideally, I think that you wouldn't want the wood cut away at the embouchure in order to have a deeper, standard size embouchure chimney for a more powerful flute. The thinning of the head, if at all, should be away from the embouchure hole for this reason. Perhaps this is why some of the ebay buyer's feedback of the McCarty flutes have described the tone/volume of the flute as being soft. Although, in all fairness to Mr. McCarty, that didn't stop the reviewers from liking the flutes.

[Nanohedron]

Ah, so McCarty made it! I didn't even catch that for some reason until now.

[Denny]

[an seanduine]

Nanohedron wrote:

Ah, so McCarty made it! I didn't even catch that for some reason until now.

Elementary, My dear Watson. Aesthetics will out!

Bob

[jemtheflute]

I think Sweetheart flutes look good enough and sound better and are a great value. I've played
lots of em, own several (especially in higher keys) and think they have the elegance of
woody simplicity.

Seconded.

Dissented from... (whistles as well as flutes). Whenever I've tried them out (in shops/at festival stalls/other people's), I've always thought them, especially the older ones, unattractive at best, relatively crudely made and of little musical utility - until some significant improvement in some models in very recent years. I certainly would never have bought any of the older ones and haven't been particularly impressed by more recent ones, save for surprise at the marked improvement, which has reached a point where I might not actively advise against some of them if asked for an opinion, though I think there are better things available in the same price ranges.

While dishing out opinions, I too think the McCarty ash flute which is the main subject here is rather ugly - and would be even uglier as a table leg than as a flute!

P.S. I hadn't pegged my old friend Ben as such a leg man! Funny what he turns up! (Hollow laugh??? )

[Feadoggie]

I'm just wondering where people are finding tables that have legs like this flute.

Perhaps McCarty aspires to greatness and just hasn't gotten his technique refined yet.


Feadoggie

[I.D.10-t]

Next you'll be saying the rings use to hold napkins and the keys once were spoons!

[Peter Duggan]

I think Sweetheart flutes look good enough and sound better and are a great value. I've played
lots of em, own several (especially in higher keys) and think they have the elegance of
woody simplicity.

Seconded.

Dissented from... (whistles as well as flutes). Whenever I've tried them out (in shops/at festival stalls/other people's), I've always thought them, especially the older ones, unattractive at best, relatively crudely made and of little musical utility - until some significant improvement in some models in very recent years. I certainly would never have bought any of the older ones and haven't been particularly impressed by more recent ones, save for surprise at the marked improvement, which has reached a point where I might not actively advise against some of them if asked for an opinion, though I think there are better things available in the same price ranges.

Just dissenting from your dissent to say that, while I don't find them especially handsome, mine's always played well (when I'm actually practising flute!) and I honestly don't think there was much else at all (let alone to challenge it) at its price point when I got it (a long time ago)!

[Holmes]

Elementary, My dear Watson. Bob

I think that's my line... -
All key-less flutes are ugly - excepting those very early renaissance or Cloos type fifes, even baroque flutes have the good grace to have one key (Eb). No need to reply, you wont persuade me otherwise...
Holmes Mooney & Wood play; The Laird Of McNabb - http://www.box.net/shared/5tx0jxtd7cbbgjfsjkp0 (Holmes McNaughton D Blackwood eight key).
Save your hot air for blowing down your flute

[James_Alto]

Subjectivity is ....

looking at some of the commentators' avatars....and realising there's not much point in talking about ugly flutes