Wilkes flutes, then and now

[jim stone]

if you have no flute, then there will be no quirks and limitations.

this is a brilliant sentence.
and certainly not untrue.

Brilliant, perhaps, but probably false, IMO.
Life is full of quirks and limitations--even if one has no flute.
If the sentence were true I would stick to the kazoo and be
done with limitations in my life.

This is a job for First Order Predicate Logic.
Jem wrote:

'No simple system flute, however well designed and made and suited to the player is not still going to have some quirks and limitations.'

This can be expressed as follows:

For every x, if x is a flooter, it is not the case that [there exists a y such that y is a simple system flute well designed to be suited to x's way of playing flute and y has no playing quirks and limitations for x].

There, that buggers things up nicely. (See my 'Critique of Pure Drool,' forthcoming, for a good deal more of this.)
As to whether it's true, I don't know, but it seems true--given my experience, anyhow.

[Loren]

serious long shot, that

Indeed, but you know, stranger things have happened. I have, in fact, just missed out on Boxwood Wilkes flutes not once but twice in the past. Once I was perhaps too honest for my own good regarding my need, so I suggested the owner keep the flute lest he regret selling it to me. The other time I was offered a Wilkes unexpectedly and it was just the worst possible timing for me financially, just impossible as I didn't even have another flute I could sell to get the money for the Wilkes. Perhaps 3rd time will be the charm

Loren

[Denny]

I am familiar with many stranger things

[popsnorkle]

I just got back a Rudall repaired by Chris with a new headjoint, since the old one wasn't the original, but a crap German one. I'm really happy with it, but still getting used to it. I started off feeling like it was hard to play well but suddenly I'm getting a better sound more consistently, although I still have a ways to go. What I've been wondering is how a new Wilkes would compare with the one he just fixed for me. I'm thinking I'll ask him, since he should have the best idea of that.

Cindy

[jemtheflute]

Good luck, Loren - if you succeed you won't be disappointed. Nor will the OP be, provided his rightly high expectations are not fantastically so.

Oooh, Ben! The apex of moderation, how politic, suggesting to an Etruscan that "When in Rome......."

[Etruscan]

It wasn't my intention to ban levity: if I gave you such impression, I apologize. Even my reply was levity in fact (otherwise, no emoticon... better: no reply at all!).

To Lorenzo: it's true, my flute is almost ready and nothing would change... but this is a forum, and I'm interested in the opinions of you all. I posted a topic on Wilkes flutes, because I'm intersted in understanding what we would expect from different flutes (from different makers or made by the same maker in different periods). I think that everybody is searching the "perfect flute" (for him): maybe it doesn't exist, maybe the perfect flute is simply the flute you never met... But I'm not a philosopher: maybe listen to various opinions would help...

[jemtheflute]

I am familiar with many stranger things

I already had in mind to say this after your earlier interventions, Denny:

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!

More seriously (well, I can.....), I have had brief tries on quite a few of Chris's flutes over at least 25 years - I'm not sure I recall any of them in sufficient detail to make worthwhile comparisons of how they may (or not) have changed over time, but I know they have always consistently wowed me. I too have played J-M V's Wilkes (and the Eb he used to have when it was brand new) and it is wonderful. I can also add that when I got my new Wilkes head for my R&R, I found the embouchure demanded some work on my part but that that very swiftly benefitted my embouchure technique generally, when applied out to other flutes - it forced a step-change on me. His standard embouchure cut is probably not best described as "easy blowing" (not that it is in any sense "hard"/difficult/recalcitrant) - it demands focus and good technique - and rewards it.

[RudallRose]

I'm still stuck on the 14-year thing.

Now I don't feel so bad having waited ~9years for my Olwells (10 if you count the ongoing wait for the C flute)

[emmdee]

I already posted a reply to this thread, but it seems to have vanished...

14 years wouldn't be a long wait if you had another flute in the meantime. I'll have waited nearly 7 years by the time my Olwell is ready, but I already have a Cotter and there's no hurry.

Chris does make astonishingly good flutes, I must say. No point in me getting on his waiting list now, as I'm 37

m.d.

[Etruscan]

Concerning the waiting list, bear in mind that in my case I have been simply unlucky: I think that Chris during a period (few years ago) didn't work at his usual pace (it's not his fault: simply he couldn't). At the moment, it seems he's again on his standard, so the waiting list would be shorter (10 years: so he states).

[benhall.1]

Concerning the waiting list, bear in mind that in my case I have been simply unlucky: I think that Chris during a period (few years ago) didn't work at his usual pace (it's not his fault: simply he couldn't). At the moment, it seems he's again on his standard, so the waiting list would be shorter (10 years: so he states).

Where does he state 10 years? If you mean the message that's been on his website for at least the last 10 years, then yes, it does state 10 years. In person, he is saying that the current wait is at least 14 years and maybe longer. It's fine. It's worth it.

Do you know when your flute is arriving? I hope it's soon, so you can tell us all about it, and gloat in the accustomed fashion.

[Etruscan]

If you give a look to Chris' web site, he states ten years: but maybe he didn't refresh the statements there. I don't know exactly when the flute will be ready, I think (hope/beg/pray...) a question of weeks (/months???). For sure as soon as possible I'll post a picture... just to be styled "you lucky b....d!!!"

[LorenzoFlute]

For sure as soon as possible I'll post a picture... just to be styled "you lucky b....d!!!"

Will you get any of his fancy options? And what model?

[benhall.1]

If you give a look to Chris' web site, he states ten years

I know. That's what I mean. That statement hasn't been changed for at least 10 years. But it's way out of date. In person, he's talking about at least 14 years.

[jemtheflute]

A little applied logic here (pace Jim!) - if, as I believe is so, Chris is now back up to full output rate (and no further disasters assail him or other matters slow him down), that should mean the waiting time does not get any longer, but it does nothing to catch up any of the lost time which extended the wait during his problem patch. The only way to do that is to work faster (probably undoable, given how hard he does work and how perfectionist he is) or to close the order book, which I believe he did for a period - dunno if it is now "officially" open again.

On the up-side, if Chris has contacted you to say your flute is nearly done, that will be true.