what flute you like the most

[Herbert Labrador]

Certain of you do probably have more than one flute.
Please tell, what are the most positive experiences you have made.
Just tell which instrument- makers you preferred in what point of your vita as flutist.
I have just starting playing Irish Flute, not even making music.
And I do know, an adequate instrument is best for beginners.
The best instrument can sometimes be not adequate to someones skills.
Tell, what you did by this way.
Herbert Labrador
(the dogs sing as I play)

[Feadoggie]

The flute I like the most is the one in my hands making the music at the moment. Doesn't really matter what it is or who made it.

I own and have owned a lot of flutes. My favorite happens to be a Copeland. It suits me well. Your mileage will surely vary from mine. We all drive differently.

Feadoggie

[tin tin]

That's a very subjective question. Certainly, there are quite a few very good flutes being made in various materials and at various prices. For me, the Copley & Boegli pictured to the left has been 'the flute' for about nine years now. (Of course, that's the key phrase--"for me.")

Like all flutists, I love swapping instruments with other players. While there's almost always something to like about another flute, I've yet to come across one I like better overall. (Although the two Grinters I've played have been among my favorites. I also got to try one of Rod Cameron's Chris Norman models, and it was spectacular. And an Ormiston also made an impression. Now, if I could afford two keyed flutes, I might consider a Grinter, but I haven't met a flute to make me want to switch wholesale.)

[Akiba]

I've played/owned a lot of flutes and here's what I'm still playing as my #1 flute: Terry McGee Grey Larsen Preferred (GLP) in Cooktown Ironwood, no slide, keyless. I also play Boehm flute in Irish music; my #1 flute there is an unmarked 1920's German flute with a metal headjoint, ebonite lip-plate, blackwood body with silver keys. I have the sense that I won't be changing either of these flutes for a long, long time (famous last words....).

[crookedtune]

I was fortunate enough to attend the fantastic Cruinniú na bhFliúit flute meeting in Ballyvourney over the weekend. (Thank you Hammy and company!).
http://www.flutemeet.org/Flutemeet/Welcome.html

There I had a chance to test-drive flutes by most of the great makers. There were some great, great flutes. But the truth is, I sounded pretty much just like myself on all of them. In any case, what I'm well settled into is the Terry McGee (large-hole) Rudall Perfected. I've got a 6-key in D and a keyless in Eb, both blackwood. I like them as well as anything else I've played.

[Cathy Wilde]

Any flute that works and plays in tune! It's all personal preference from there. And your opinion will most likely change at least once or twice, or daily.

[Aanvil]

The one that I don't have.... oh, what's that over there? Shiny!

Actually the one I like the most is the one I play the most.... being that the more I play just one particular flute the more love it gives me back.

[jim stone]

My favorite flute is the Bryan Byrne medium hole rudall, but it's very finicky and I'm not sure I'd recommend it
for beginners. But it's more alive and sweet than any other flute I've played, IMO.

[Latticino]

Can't say I'm any great shakes as a flute player, so take this for what it is worth.

I've auditioned a bunch of great flutes over the years including Seery, McGee Rudall, M&E, Ward, Somers, Copeland 6-key, Wood & Ivy 8-key, Burns FF, Metzler 6-key, anon. German boxwood 6-key and Wm Hall and Son's 6-key. Each had it's strong points as regarded tone, balance, efficiency... I still find myself gravitating towards the Hall flute for most of my playing. As others have stated, the more you play a certain flute, the better you sound on it as you get used to it's particularities and adjust your playing style to suit. I personally like the Hall flute (which is very similar to a McGee GLP) because the small toneholes and bore allow my playing to be a bit more efficient and let me make a bit crisper ornaments. Extremely tough to half hole notes, but hey I've got keys... I think if you like to bend or do a lot of slurring of notes you might prefer something with larger toneholes, or if you need a real session cannon you might gravitate towards something with a larger bore, but this one works for me.

[chas]

As a beginner, I thrived on a flute by Phil Bleazey. It's so easy to play and so easy to hold, I still take it out for a spin now and then.

Now I'm pretty much an Olwell guy. His flutes are also really easy to play (for me). I'm not sure whether or not I would have thrived on one of Pat's flutes at the beginning of my playing days.

I still play one-key flutes by Peter Noy and Rod Cameron, both chromatic within reason. The Noy requires a bit of effort for me to play in-tune toward the upper end of the second octave. The Cameron Grenser is a rococo flute that has a wonderful dulcet tone and is pretty easy for me to get a decent sound from.

[skyspirit]

For me it is a Doyle. Personal preference. Fits me for everything.

[Kirk B]

And there you go. That ought to make for an easy decision.

Cheers,

Kirk

[Hup]

Until recently I would have said that my keyless Olwell is the best I've tried.

But I tried out a newly made small holed 6 key Grinter at the Natl Folk
Festival (Australia) and it was awfully good. It had a consistent edgy
sound through the whole range with little effort. The embouchure was smaller
than the Olwell but a similar shape. In order to get any sound at all you have
to hit the right spot. But once you do, the sound is effortless - almost like playing a whistle.

[jim stone]

Mike Rafferty, who played an Olwell Pratten, told me that he also liked the keyed Grinter.

[Aanvil]

For me it is a Doyle. Personal preference. Fits me for everything.

I've got one of those too. Cracker of a flute. Martin makes a fine tooter.