Sweetheart keyless or Casey Burns Folk Flute

Sunnybear · Post by **Sunnybear** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:10 pm

Which one would you pick and why?

I currently have an 8 keyed old German flute that I just can't play. I have replaced the thread at the tenons, but there is some other issue somewhere, like a crack or something or leaky pads and I'm just frustrated with the darned thing.

I see both of these flutes look like good ones to start.

Thanks

monkey587 · Post by **monkey587** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:29 pm

I used to play a sweetheart. I sold it to a friend a while back, and recently had a chance to play it again. Now that I'm a better player, I think it's a better flute

I think you'd be happy with it. I haven't played a CB folk flute, but the photos I've seen are gorgeous and I played and liked his low A once.

DCrom · Post by **DCrom** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 5:33 pm

I'll leave the comparisons up to the more experienced board members, but I've had my Casey Burns Folk Flute for a couple of weeks now and am very happy that I chose it: simple design, good workmanship, and easy to play.

Still working on my upper register (it comes and goes) but I've improved noticably in the time that I've had it. And my wife and daughter sometimes come into the room to listen - something that's a lot less frequent when I'm playing whistle.

I still think of myself as a "whistler who's learning flute", but at the rate things are going I expect that will change to "flute player" in a few months - and I'm having a ball along the way. And - unlike my old cylindrical Dixon 2-piece - I've never once felt that the Burns was holding me back; it's a far better flute than I am a player.

From what I've heard, the Sweets are decent instruments. But the board concensus here seems to favor the Burns, and I don't think you'd regret buying one.

Jumbuk · Post by **Jumbuk** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 6:25 pm

I have a Sweetheart keyless, and have been playing since about May. I am making progress, and any deficiencies are almost certainly me and not the flute.

I have seen the Burns flute mentioned, and it may well be marginally better - I have no way of knowing. Either one of these would be a good place to start learning.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 8:21 pm

I've played both, and I'd say the sweetheart rosewood keyless flute (the standard Irish/pratten derived - I've never played the new resonance model) are on par with the Casey Burns folk flute. The other fruit wood ones don't seem quite as good to me when compared to the Casey Burns flute - I'm not saying they're bad in anyway, but the rosewood seems to produce a better tone to my ear.

FWIW, there are some Sweetheart flutes that are really quite good - that seem to leap above the others and are more on par with much more expensive flutes. If you find one, it's a keeper.

Eric

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 8:35 pm

I have played a couple of instruments made by the Sweets and seen the workshop I would say that the craftmanship is excellent and you will be happy with one. I have never tried a Burns but I have emailed Casey on and off about various topics and he is very nice and I am sure it would be no trouble to work with him.

chas · Post by **chas** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 9:22 pm

My wife had a Burns small-holed blackwood for several years. We've had a Sweet walking-stick flute for some time, and I have a padouk Sweet that I've had for a couple of months. I like the Sweets a whole bunch more. The sound is just so much more open, and I find it easier to get a bigger sound out of them.

Wormdiet · Post by **Wormdiet** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:24 pm

Heya SunnyB,

I had a chance to play both within hours of each other. If you get a decent one, you probably could not go wrong with either. Both obliterate the two-piece Dixon, for instance. The Burns looks a bit less like a "traditional" flute, but who really cares?

THe big advantage of either over polymer (The next rung up in the $$ hierarchy,) is that plastic flutes feel much heavier and bulkier.

And a favor:
Next time we both show up at the Fiddle club - could you bring yer 8-key? I'd love to see it.

-John from W-S

Sunnybear · Post by **Sunnybear** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:00 am

thanks for all the suggestions...

wormyd...we are gonna try and go this coming Sunday (Nov 13th) at Debbies

seisflutes · Post by **seisflutes** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 10:29 pm

The sweetheart I am accquainted with has a very rough bore. This may be due to improper care on the part of its owner. I don't know. It isn't rosewood, but I don't know what wood it is. Something light in weight and color. I don't really care for the way it plays, but it seems like it would do much better with regular playing and oiling. It was so dry last time I tootled it, I felt sorry for the poor thing.
My awesome little Burns, on the other hand, is practically perfect in every way. It's not the folk flute, it's the standard. But I would tend to choose the folk flute over the sweetheart if it were me deciding.