How do you judge the quality of workmanship on a flute?

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:32 am

Let me first state, for the record: My intention here is NOT, I repeat NOT intended to point specifically at any particular flutes or flute makers, there are simply things that come up from time to time that remind me I've been meaning to ask this question for some time.

Okay, disclaimer up then.......

I'm just curious what sort of general or specific criteria folks have in mind when judging how well a flute is made, that is to say the overall "Workmanship" or "Craftsmanship"?

The reason I ask, is that I often see postings where people state: "The craftsmanship of this instrument is excellent" or something to that effect. Sometimes this is being said of a flute from a really fine maker, other times these same words are spoken about flutes from makers which are, frankly, on a completely different level, that is to say, not nearly as well made.

So, I'm just curious to find out, what exactly do you mean when you say the workmanship is excellent? And what specifically are you looking at/evaluating, to determine which instruments seem well made to you, and which one's do not?

Loren

Post by **Nanohedron** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:05 pm

"Fine workmanship" to me means attention to detail beyond sound and playability, including a smooth finish with no rough spots, good physical balance, and an appealing visual balance (ferrule design and placement taken together as a whole, keywork gracing the overall flute by its design as opposed to just functioning well, little touches like endcap and foot terminus designs), and evident precision in the cutting of block mounts, or in the case of pin mountings, care in placement so that there's no compromising of key action or mount alignments. Some of this, like visual appeal, is subjective; for instance, what appeals to me is subtlety over flashy treatments.

I.D.10-t · Post by **I.D.10-t** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:13 pm

When the eyes are closed, you should not be able to feel a jump on the findings/hardware on the flute while running your finger across the joining. Any metal on wood should be flush, not a molecule of air should be able to pass. Any screws used in key work should run parallel to the flute and be flush with the part being joined. To the extent possible, wood grain should flow gracefully from joint to joint (Opinion: and perpendicular to the embouchure). The bore should never be off center (thick on one side thin on the other). All moving parts (key work) should be smooth in action yet free of all side to side play. All holes should be sharp enough to shave with on the top and bottom. The joints should slide easily and not leak.

If the thing plays well all the other things are secondary.

I.D.10-t · Post by **I.D.10-t** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:19 pm

Nanohedron wrote:"Fine workmanship" to me means attention to detail beyond sound and playability

Dang, that is a very short (and precise) way of stating what I was thinking.

Dana · Post by **Dana** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:22 pm

I.D.10-t wrote:All holes should be sharp enough to shave with on the top and bottom.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:31 pm

Oh, and the overall interior dynamics should, when the toneholes are covered, allow a peanut to be shot out of the flute to a good distance when you blow hard into the embouchure hole. This, especially, is the real test of a fully-keyed flute.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:49 pm

Nanohedron wrote:Oh, and the overall interior dynamics should, when the toneholes are covered, allow a peanut to be shot out of the flute to a good distance when you blow hard into the embouchure hole.

The sign of a good flautist is being able to drop an attacking tiger
from 20 ft using a tranqilizer blowdart.

dfernandez77 · Post by **dfernandez77** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:54 pm

Nanohedron wrote:Oh, and the overall interior dynamics should... allow a peanut to be shot out of the flute to a good distance when you blow hard into the embouchure hole.

Yeah! http://www.worldchampionshippunkinchunkin.com/

Oh wait...

You said "peanut," not "pumpkin."

*ducking, covering, and slinking back to the whistle forum where a post like this is more betterer appreciated*

AaronMalcomb · Post by **AaronMalcomb** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:55 pm

Nano summed it up well. The devil is in the details. And being able to fire a peanut is a crucial factor, especially when you're trying to nail that bodhran or spoon player in the eye.

I think I.D.10-t's comment about not feeling any flaws if you close your eyes and run your hands over all the parts is a good measure too.

It's the details that separate quality work/craftsmanship from the average work. What separates good quality from exceptional quality are the details that go beyond flawlessness.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:04 pm

fearfaoin wrote:
Nanohedron wrote:Oh, and the overall interior dynamics should, when the toneholes are covered, allow a peanut to be shot out of the flute to a good distance when you blow hard into the embouchure hole.
The sign of a good flautist is being able to drop an attacking tiger
from 20 ft using a tranqilizer blowdart.

At first I read, "...an aggravating piper...", and thought, Yeah, baby!

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:12 pm

The preceeding comments are well-intended, no doubt. But on Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs, survival ranks at the top of the pyramid, with esthetics being of lesser importance. The real test of a quality flute, then, is how well it could also be used as a weapon. If you had to use it to fend off an attacker, would it easily break and be rendered useless. Yes, those are the kinds of qualities that I would look for in an exceptionally well-made flute.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:13 pm

Nanohedron wrote:
fearfaoin wrote:
Nanohedron wrote:Oh, and the overall interior dynamics should, when the toneholes are covered, allow a peanut to be shot out of the flute to a good distance when you blow hard into the embouchure hole.
The sign of a good flautist is being able to drop an attacking tiger
from 20 ft using a tranqilizer blowdart.
At first I read, "...an aggravating piper...", and thought, Yeah, baby!

It's all the same!

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:15 pm

Doug_Tipple wrote:The preceeding comments are well-intended, no doubt. But on Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs, survival ranks at the top of the pyramid, with esthetics being of lesser importance. The real test of a quality flute, then, is how well it could also be used as a weapon. If you had to use it to fend off an attacker, would it easily break and be rendered useless. Yes, those are the kinds of qualities that I would look for in an exceptionally well-made flute.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:17 pm

Doug_Tipple wrote:The preceeding comments are well-intended, no doubt. But on Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs, survival ranks at the top of the pyramid, with esthetics being of lesser importance. The real test of a quality flute, then, is how well it could also be used as a weapon. If you had to use it to fend off an attacker, would it easily break and we rendered useless. Yes, those are the kinds of qualities that I would look for in an exceptionally well-made flute.

Refinement, Doug, refinement. I say one must learn to play baddies into submission and/or flight.

Sometimes this means playing badly. I'm not proud when it comes to my hide.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:33 pm

Nanohedron wrote:
fearfaoin wrote:The sign of a good flautist is being able to drop an attacking tiger
from 20 ft using a tranqilizer blowdart.
At first I read, "...an aggravating piper...", and thought, Yeah, baby!

The problem is that a fully loaded set of drones could be used
as a sort of shotgun against the rifle that is the flute... at least this
increases the chances of a bodhran being caught in the crossfire!