Firstly, apologies for the delay in writing about this. Anyway, here I go ...
Jem provided an excellent write-up at the start of this thread, with his usual very high standard of photos to go with it. But I do find myself disagreeing with a lot of his conclusions. I was ever so tempted to take them point by point, but we’d never get done if I did that.
Usual caveat at the start – I’ve been playing flute only since I bought one from Jem on 30 December 2008, so somewhat under 3 years. I think I’m progressing reasonably well and, in particular, my control is good enough to be able to play in tune on the several flutes which I own, which differ widely in playing characteristics. So take the following with however large a pinch of salt you deem appropriate.
I don’t agree that this is “a tolerably playable instrument”. I thought from Jem’s own clips that the intonation alone put it outside what I understand by that description. But Jem manages to get it closer in tune than I can. Jem and I have discussed this flute a bit off-forum, and I have pointed out that I don’t believe there is any variety of C on this instrument. By which I mean that it’s impossible (for me at least, and going by Jem’s clips, for him too) to get either a C natural or a C sharp in either octave (except as described below) that’s close to being in tune.
Jem referred me back to his clip with the tuner. There does seem to be an anomaly there – doesn’t look too bad. But I think I have the explanation. Jem tuned the flute to G. But, on this flute, G is horribly flat. Note that just about every other note shows as being very sharp on Jem’s tuner clip, whereas the C# in the first octave shows as ‘in tune’. This only proves that it’s as badly flat as the G, since that’s the note Jem tuned to. I’ll come back to second octave C#, because I think that’s a separate issue.
The second point about the tuning is this: compared with any other flute I’ve tried, it is possible on this flute to get – deliberately or otherwise – a huge range of pitch out of many of the notes. The problem with that for any but the best players is, in my opinion, that you can’t actually control it. Again, I think that is shown in Jem’s clip where he tries to play tunes on this flute. Jem is clearly a way better player than me, with decades of experience (about 6 isn’t it Jem?
) behind him, but even he can’t control the intonation on this flute.
For the C# in the second octave, Jem probably (confirm?
) used a fingering which many players on this forum probably don’t use: OXX XOO. That fingering is very useful, but does tend to give quite a sharp C# on a lot of flutes. It’s this that I think is correcting the pitch of the C# in the second octave.
I can’t quite account for Jem’s apparently in tune (compared with the rest of the flute) C nat. All I can say is that I can’t do it. Mind you, although there aren’t too many C nats in Jem’s tunes as played on this flute, if you listen carefully, the tuning on them ain’t too great.
Now, what sort of instrument is this? Well, I can say for sure that there is absolutely no doubt in my mind. None whatsoever.
Here is a link to a certain flute:
http://www.vellumhead.com/wind_products ... -0-0-103-1
Please, if you would, compare the pictures of the flute as posted by Jem with the picture of the flute with the product code VIF-005. Then, if you would, compare Jem’s picture of the case with the case pictured with VIF-003.
Now note that I can buy that flute, brand new and complete with case, for $25. There are discounts on top of that if I buy multiple quantities. Annoyingly, I can’t now find the exact flute posted on the net alongside that quoted price – you have to either ask at the Vellum Head site for the price (which I’m not going to do) or find another site, like AliBaba.com which has had this same flute at some point but which I can’t find now. Still, seriously, the price is $25, and AliBaba.com still has very similar, though not identical at the moment, flutes at that price. I would suggest not paying more.
One thing I absolutely must point out, not least from a safety point of view, is the case construction. The dividers inside seem to be plywood, or possibly balsa. Anyway, they are held in place by a line of very sharp tacks. But, when you take the flute out, one or more of these dividers tends to collapse and sort of fall sideways. If, at that point, you put your fingers in the case, you will immediately get a row of puncture holes in your fingers from the tacks. You can’t see them poking through the velour.
Lastly, thank you very much to voggy_dog for sending this flute on its world tour. I hope you don’t think I’ve been too mean, Mr Dog – just calling it as I see it. I thank you sincerely for your service to flutedom and to enquiring minds in doing this for us.
The flute is going to Mr Guru Sir in the post tomorrow.
The worst issue is the C and C#. The C is flat and the C# is simply a very slightly sharp C. So much so that flutini didn't recognise that I was playing any C#s at all. (I was.)
I like the use of the word "horse" as a verb, to horse something..."horse that thang". 
