McGee Larsen-preferred Vs Noy...help wanted.

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:16 pm

Ok, I need accidentals. I've been fighting it for a long time. It's not working.

So, I'm in the market for a keyed flute. I've been wracking my brain forever, it seems, on which one to get. The problem is that I live in the boondocks of Idaho and I think I'm the only Irish flute flute player in the whole stinking state. :roll:

It is not possible for me to go to a session and try various models.

So I get to get on a list and cross my fingers.

I'm looking pretty seriously at a Grey Larsen-preferred by McGee. I'm also thinking about a Noy as he is really close to me (only a 13 hour drive...see what I mean? :roll: )

Any thoughts?

Doc

PS: Anyone have either of these flutes (or any other) anywhere near Idaho? Anyone ever heard of Idaho?

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:29 pm

Contact them both. Peter Noy will send you a keyed body (specify how many keys) along with a variety of headjoints to try for a couple of weeks so you can decide. Don't know if McGee will do that, but it won't hurt to ask!

Peter can be contacted via his website (I just keyword "noy flutes" to get to the site's location; too lazy to do it the easy way, if that makes any sense at all).

Does McGee have a website? Haven't checked.

phcook · Post by **phcook** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:40 pm

Always use Brad's work when you have such a question:
http://www.firescribble.net/flute/makers.html

Best

Philippe

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:52 pm

Patrick...

Without question, Noy.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 12:54 pm

Nanohedron wrote:Contact them both. Peter Noy will send you a keyed body (specify how many keys) along with a variety of headjoints to try for a couple of weeks so you can decide. Don't know if McGee will do that, but it won't hurt to ask!

This alone would be a great reason to go Noy. And Terry is my friend!

I say, unless you're a complete beginner, don't buy a flute without trying it first (unless there's really no other way). Can you have 2 unlesses in one sentence?

Does McGee have a website? Haven't checked.

http://www.mcgee-flutes.com
Great site, by the way, lots of good info there.

g

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:01 pm

Nanohedron wrote:Contact them both. Peter Noy will send you a keyed body (specify how many keys) along with a variety of headjoints to try for a couple of weeks so you can decide. Don't know if McGee will do that, but it won't hurt to ask!

Does McGee have a website? Haven't checked.

You know Nano after reading your review I had the impression that Peter did that sort of thing and was quite excited about the posibility. When I called to ask him about it he didn't seem enthused. Maybe I wasn't communicating well or misunderstood. Did you give him a security deposit or something or does he just know you?

Doc

Oh yeah, and McGee does have a website...best I've seen.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:15 pm

Peter not seeming enthused doesn't surprise me, although I wonder at the details. Was he out-and-out unwilling? To call him laid-back is handling it with tongs; I often get the impression that either he's paying attention to something else at the same time or has just woken up, and his email correspondence is, shall we say, "relaxed".

I had to pay shipping and insurance for the units. He's a canny one; none the pieces will match aesthetically, so the unscrupulous among us would be branded with an obviously nicked flute.

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:26 pm

Doc,

Call me crazy, but I swear I just saw that Terry had a bunch of "sale" keyed flutes on his website, possibly including a Larsen Preferred. (www.mcgeeflutes.com or something like that, I think?) I suspect they come with return options .... and I think he also has a "Roving Ambassador" flute somewhere you can play ....

Don't know anything about his flutes -- I know eilam had one for a bit -- but if you want to play one it might be worth a look.

Good luck!

cat.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:29 pm

Patrick, you seem to have similar taste in flute embouchure to me. Go with a Noy. Seriously. Even if you can't try it first. I have on order a Noy 8-key boxwood Rudall with modern-cut embouchure on unthinned head.

Peter is not an enthusiastic person, but his design and craftsmanship are superb.

Terry is a wonderfully friendly guy and I like him a great deal.

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:45 pm

He didn't seem entirely opposed to the idea, just sort of apathetic and fuzzy.

OK, I guess I'll have to call him again. Maybe I can be enthusiastic enough for the both of us.

eilam · Post by **eilam** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:48 pm

I have a keyed flute by McGee and one on order from Noy.
The McGee blows me away every time I play it, so easy, and huge tone.
By far, my best player, but not necessary the one I like playing the best.
The McGee has a huge embouchure hole, and if I get another flute by him, I would have him make me a smaller embouchure, and a deeper chimney. But that's tricky, he makes them that way because that what works for him.
Noy makes a few deferent heads for his flutes, in fact, I think McGee's and Noy are almost 180 degrees from each other but on the same place as far as professional work, one makes many bodies for the same type head, and one makes one type body basically, but many type's of heads.
easier to try the Noy, then all the models that McGee offers.
Terry did get me a Larsen flute to try (which worked really nice), And with peter the ice broke and we now talk on the phone as friends, so just be persistent.
Peter is shy, And Terry sooner or later could have a Larsen flute for you to try (man - that kind of rhymes!

)

Post by **Nanohedron** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 1:58 pm

Doc Jones wrote:He didn't seem entirely opposed to the idea, just sort of apathetic and fuzzy.

That's it entirely. "Fuzzy" works.

OK, I guess I'll have to call him again. Maybe I can be enthusiastic enough for the both of us.

He's friendly enough, if a bit unfocused-seeming. Just hash out with him what you're going for. He'll work with you just fine.

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 2:14 pm

Nanohedron wrote: He's friendly enough, if a bit unfocused-seeming. Just hash out with him what you're going for. He'll work with you just fine.

Oh yeah, he's been very pleasent to talk with and more than willing to answer my other questions.

Doc

Has anyone out there played a Larsen by McGee?

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 4:59 pm

Doc,

Mind if I ask why you've narrowed it down to just these two makers? Just curious.

Loren

Doc Jones · Post by **Doc Jones** » Wed Mar 31, 2004 5:23 pm

Loren,

Three reasons:

1. The Larsen flute has some attributes I think would be apealing to me
- economy of air
- crispness of ornamentation
- strong low end

2. I'd like the thing yesterday and Noy and McGee both have about an 18 mo wait as opposed to 7 years for Pat Olwell.

I'd like to spend less than $2000 for 4 keys.

If you know of anybody else that can crank out a good 4-key quickly for that kind of money or less I'm all ears.

Doc