McCarty Unofficial Tour-Flute Review Thread

[plunk111]

OK - the flute got to me today...

I don't understand how a POS like this is even legal to sell. I spent a total of about 10 minutes with it and I'm done. I can't really find ANYthing redeeming for it, except the case is kinda nice. It doesn't even look nice!

First thing I did was try to play a low D - it wouldn't "speak" at all, so I tried the low G. It sounds, but is very airy. I continued doing a few scales - it is very airy throughout the whole range. SOOO, I thought "maybe there's a leak somewhere" - there is! The headjoint leaked, so I repositioned the teflon tape that was already there and got a good seal. Then I checked the left-hand joint and it was OK. Last, I checked the right-hand section and found what is probably one of the main problems with this thing. It is a single joint, with the three RH finger holes and the two "sounding holes" integral to the joint. Well, it leaks! It's a solid piece of wood and it leaks! Since the wood appears to be something non-standard (looks like oak, actually), I assume there is a crack in the actual grain somewhere. I couldn't see any cracks, but the wood must be porous enough to let air through.

Lastly, I played it next to a tuner - well, it has a couple of the notes on-pitch, but that's about it.

I'm glad I finally got to try one of these things out so's I can tell other people that they should not, under NO circumstances, waste their money on these! Heck, the black PVC flutes I make myself play 200% better!!!

Pat

[Rob Sharer]

Oh, snap.




Rob

[jemtheflute]

In response to Pat's comments, whilst by no means intending fundamentally to stick up for the McCarty any further, it is only fair to say that it was not so leaky as not to sound when I had it - viz my video clips. It wasn't great, but it did work - I put the PTFE on the stopper cork and it passed a suck test at that time, as did the other joints. So it would seem that it has degraded in its travels....... which is of course no positive recommendation!

[MTGuru]

Yep, I don't know. I could get 2 octaves out of it, and no one else complained about leaks. But it was visiting SoCal for a few months, so it's possible it dried out a bit.

[Rob Sharer]

Since it's already in West Vergoonya....

Does that mean I'm next in line?


Rob

[plunk111]

Uh - it's back to the original owner, voggy dog. I was told there was no one after me - sorry...

Pat

[Rob Sharer]

Nice work. I quote:

After MTGuru, I have Pat Plunkett and Rob Sharer. No one else has asked yet.

Rob

[Julia Delaney]

Well Rob, Why bother? Aside from being put out by the unintentional slight, you saved some time that you'd have spent playing a sh*t flute. You also saved the price of posting the flute to somebody else to denigrate. I'd say you're well out of it. Yourself said it all on the first page of this thread:

This is clearly a poorly-made, overpriced, semi-Pakistani flute.

[Rob Sharer]

I feel so deprived.....




Rob

[Denny]

shouldn't that "i" be an "a"?

[Aanvil]

I wonder what kind of wonderful flute might have been purchased with all the post money?

Personally I'd like to see a video of it being tossed in a fire. That way it will harm no one else.

Kind of like that ring... although exceedingly less "precious".

[Rob Sharer]

shouldn't that "i" be an "a"?

Have it your way.



A feel so deprived......



Rob

[rama]

rob, be careful what you ask for. my car was broken into last night. rear window was smashed. and i found a maccarty flute in the backseat. why couldn't they have just taken the car radio instead?

[Denny]

shouldn't that "i" be an "a"?

Have it your way.



A feel so deprived......



Rob

yeah...right

[jemtheflute]

Gee, Officer Krupke!