Bb flutes

gcollins · Post by **gcollins** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 8:16 am

Jim:

what did you mean by "deeper"? Are you saying the Grinter Bb seems to sounds deeper than the Olwell?

Brad, that's a hilarious comment about mastadons and wholly mammoths, but so much truth to the primordial draw to the sound of the lower flutes.

G

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 10:44 am

I want a Bb now! The only one I'll be able to afford any time soon is the Casey Burns Bb. Has anyone tried those? I'm sure their no where near the Olwells, Grinters and Wilkes, but hopefully it shows the same upper middle range quality as his other, more pro model flutes.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:20 pm

I just got a Casey Burns Bb flute (yesterday) with an additional A joint (upper body; it requires pulling out the foot and lipping differently for an in-tune A scale, but it's fun). Yes, Henke, what you'd imagine to be true about it, is. It is similar to Casey's other flutes in playability. I very much enjoy the lowness!! I am having fun with it.

I am on the list for a Bb from Tom Aebi.

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 4:29 pm

That sound great Jessie. I'm intrigued by that A joint thing. Haven't heard about anything like that before.
Which wood(s) is it made of, and is it all wood or with slide and rings?

Edited to say that I'm also interested in the playability of Mopane and therefor had to ask which wood your's is made of. Casey seems to contradict himself abit on the site, cause on the section dedicated to Mopane wood, he say's that it seriously rivals A. Blackwood in tonal quality, and mostly resembles Cocus wood, but his recomended setup for a Bb flute is Blackwood head for best tone and Mopane body for economy. Strange...

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Sat Mar 13, 2004 5:34 pm

Mine is in his recommended configuration (blackwood head and mopane body). I have to mention here that the quality of the wood he uses is extremely high...it might be the cleanest wood I have ever seen, in fact. He must have quite a stash. The mopane is cool...it's similar to cocobolo. I might like to have a flute made entirely of mopane at some point.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 9:36 am

I'm curious about experiences controlling (holding)
Bbs. I find I need to keep my right hand ring finger
down, my pinky isn't enough. How do you
all hold these beasties?

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Fri Mar 26, 2004 1:06 pm

Just wanted to add a postscript:

I bought the first Casey Burns Bb with a
blackwood head--it's actually the very one
in the picture on his site.

When I bought it I was using piper's grip
on my right hand on all my flutes, and had little trouble
playing the larger flute. Then I took
a lesson with a teacher who told me
to abandon piper's grip entirely--this has taken
several months of work. During this time I was
having trouble contolling the Bb. In the
last week or so however this conversion
is coming together and I have control over the Bb flute
again. I'm playing it alot now.

I want to say that this is a good flute.
It's sonorous, it has a good low end,
and it sings nicely in the second octave.
I can take it into the third octave, too.
(I began losing the low end at one point
and found the remedy was rewrapping
the bottom foot tenon.)
I don't know what Olwells, etc. sound like,
but I do think the CB Bb is
fine. Best

Steampacket · Post by **Steampacket** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 7:16 am

Last summer, 2003, I had a go on a Chris Wilkes Bb flat keyless and was very very impressed as it was easy to blow and had a very deep bottom end. It was the first time I'd come across a Bb flute and I didn't expect it to be so easy to play. A pleasant surprise indeed.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Sat Apr 03, 2004 11:27 pm

Tonight at the Tional Concert here in St. Louis
john Skelton performed on a mopane Casey
Burns Bb flute. Very impressive sounding
and in John's hands capable of
playing very fast stuff.
It had lovely silver rings which
he told me he had CB retrofit
for him. Best

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 11:40 am

Those rings must be brand spankin' new because that flute didn't have rings when I took some lessons from John early February.

FWIW, I think the all Mopane flutes look much better than the Blackwood/Mopane combo's.

Loren

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 2:34 pm

Yes, they're new. The mopane on John's
Bb is especially beautiful. Fortunately
for all concerned I left the whipped cream
in the car.

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Sun Apr 04, 2004 7:27 pm

I was just a couple days late of getting to try that flute. I was in Casey Burns' workshop right after he added the rings and shipped it off to Mr. Skelton...

Cheers,
Aaron

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 4:25 pm

Might this be Mr. Skelton's flute? Ofcourse it might aswell be someone elses. It's listed as all-Mopane Bb with sterling silver rings.
Strange colour differance between the foot and the rest of the flute. Looks like the foot is brand new, but could the difference be that big just because of a couple years of age and oiling? Anyway, beautiful flute.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 4:36 pm

Yes, that's John S's flute, alright.
It's lovely looking, isn't it?
The foot is new, he had a longer
vented foot made for reasons
of balance. Also he may think
it improves the low end. Best

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 4:43 pm

Now I know what kind flute to get after I've got the 6 key's for my M&E and a pro model D flute in wood. If all-Mopane CB Bb is good enough for John Skelton it should sertainly do fine for me as well.