Why are "Native American Flutes" so expensive?

[Chuck_Clark]

I was at a fine craft fair this afternoon. Some guy was selling these things. Sure, they sound nice, but 300 BUCKS!?!?!?! The same applies on eBay. The decent ones are a couple hundred bucks or more. Even the best whistles are only a bit more costly and damned good ones are a whole lot less.

And while I could be wrong, it seems to me that the design and effort that goes into a top line whistle is far more than what goes into one of these big ol' tubes.

So WHY are they so costly? Are "Native American Flute" players just suckers?

[Jack]

They're not -- whistles are just inexpensive.

[jim stone]

I beleive there are good ones for half that price.
Also there's a fair amount of decoration in many.

[Walden]

They're expensive because they are popular with the cappuccino set.

[Rod Sprague]

I think part of it is that it “doesn’t seem right” to make high quality ones out of mass production type materials, so there are no Meg equivalents or even Susatos to pull the low end down to the right level. Also, more people play whistles, so the economies of scale may not help the situation for Native American flutes, also.
Rod

[brewerpaul]

There ARE excellent NA flutes, much less expensive than $300. I can give you the name and e-mail of a good friend of mine who makes ( and plays professionally) some wonderful, gorgeous NA flutes for ( last time I asked) about half of that.

[Jack]

What of those see-through acrylic NA flutes that pop up on eBay? Are they crap?

[Wombat]

I think part of it is that it “doesn’t seem right” to make high quality ones out of mass production type materials, so there are no Meg equivalents or even Susatos to pull the low end down to the right level. Also, more people play whistles, so the economies of scale may not help the situation for Native American flutes, also.
Rod

I think this might just be wrong. I recently purchased a plastic NA flute from Herbivore12 which is very playable. Someone, I forget who, mentioned that plastic flutes are used by top players in recordings. Oh, by the way, I got G and F# tubes and the whole package cost me about $50, possibly less. These are not crappy instruments and they are certainly not expensive.

[Walden]

There are several plastic mass produced instruments on the market, such as http://www.bearpawflutes.com/flute.html

There are also cane flutes, which are quite traditional, available inexpensively, such as Tommy Widlcat's.

[Chuck_Clark]

Thanks to all who replied. I guess I just didn't look far enough.

Walden -

Those Bear paw Flute kits look especially interesting. They're seemingly easy to assemble and I'd think they'd also be good for learning the mechanics of the instrument at the same time.

[Easily_Deluded_Fool]

I was at a fine craft fair this afternoon. Some guy was selling these things. Sure, they sound nice, but 300 BUCKS!?!?!?! The same applies on eBay. The decent ones are a couple hundred bucks or more. Even the best whistles are only a bit more costly and damned good ones are a whole lot less.

And while I could be wrong, it seems to me that the design and effort that goes into a top line whistle is far more than what goes into one of these big ol' tubes.

So WHY are they so costly? Are "Native American Flute" players just suckers?

Have a look at these...

http://www.loomisflute.com/11-07-98.htm
http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/naflute.html
http://www.nativeaccess.com/ancestral/flute-adv.html

Using the first URl information I made a flute in 30 minutes using a piece
of overflow pipe (3/4 inch pvc).
Then 'cos I was pleased with the result,
I made another one, this time using six holes,
positions based on % between sound hole and end on flute.
Sound hole = 0%
1st hole = 43%
2nd hole = 50%
3rd hole = 58%
4th hole = 68%
5th hole = 73%
6th hole = 83%
end of flute - 100%.
Hole diameters all 7mm - this was the nearest size available in my tool box.
Brilliant!

In tune G flute. I used 1/2" longer than the 19" instructed on the page because I wanted G not G#.

Quiet whistle, but I think that if all the holes were bigger it would be louder.....
....off to find out

Cost = nothing!

[kevin m.]

So WHY are they so costly? Are "Native American Flute" players just suckers?

It's payback time for 500 years of being dispossessed and downtrodden,and 100 years of being misrepresented in Hollywood films!
Any one have the sheetmusic for 'Dances with Wolves'?

(Kevin heads for the hills-pursued by a lynch mob).

[Redwolf]

My local music store has several ranging from $40-$75. They're made of cedar, I believe. I've tootled on a couple of them, and they have a pleasant sound (never been tempted, however, because I can't think of any use I might have for a pentatonic instrument).

Redwolf

[Walden]

It's payback time for 500 years of being dispossessed and downtrodden,and 100 years of being misrepresented in Hollywood films!

Mm! Heap good spirit wind! Wood of the Holly honor peace treaty with Wampumega tribe. Make good picture with much blinkin'. Come, we will go to medicine lodge and have spirit journey before all men get rich from new tribal casino and post-industrial bingo hall.

[Tyghress]

The instrument (sorry for the orientation..this is the first time I've ever done this myself, and I didn't get around to rotating the image)



This is the underside of the instrument



Here you see, faintly, above the inscription, where the instrument is split lengthwise to be bored out. The inscription states that it was made by Chief Two Crows of the Miami Indians, and is #1 of 1.



Detail of the head



Detail of finger holes:



I consider this to be as much a work of art as a musical instrument, and worth the money I spent on it.