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

[Jon C.]

If it looks and plays like this flute, it is quality!

What is it? Pleeeeze tell me.

hi Jim,
The flute is by a J Moore/Huddersfield circa 1860ish? Just won it on Ebay for $580. Plays at 440 with the tuning slide pulled out 22 mm. It is amazing that it the foot isn't flat but in good tuning. If you push it all the way in it plays at Eb! Too for the price of one...
Still studying the bore contour to figure out what camp it comes from, thought it was a Rudall design but it plays like a Pratten.

[Loren]

Fascinating answers so far.......

Loren

[I.D.10-t]

All holes should be sharp enough to shave with on the top and bottom....

Seriously though, whether tone holes are smooth or sharp is a matter of maker's (or player's) preference rather than a mark of craftmanship.

Right you are, but in general the holes should be round and free from burrs and the inside polished to the same level as the rest of the flute.

[bigpalooka]

All holes should be sharp enough to shave with on the top and bottom....

Seriously though, whether tone holes are smooth or sharp is a matter of maker's (or player's) preference rather than a mark of craftmanship.

Right you are, but in general the holes should be round and free from burrs and the inside polished to the same level as the rest of the flute.

I wouldn't consider sharp tone holes on the bottom (do you mean inside the bore?) to be a sign of quality. Folkers and Powell have a set of fraise files for undercutting the tone holes and have even made wax impressions of the undercutting in baroque flutes for reference. I believe the vH workshop undercuts too?

[Nanohedron]

Good point. Clean cutting would be a standard for finer workmanship in any case. Whether it's an absolute necessity for tone and playability, well, I'm not a flutemaker.

[flutefry]

I look for smooth bore, carefully finished tone holes and embouchure (even undercutting, smooth, regular surfaces (always surprises me to see what look like obvious slips with the tool), round holes (I can live with changes at the top or bottom for the purpose of adjusting tuning, but the hole should still look finished)), fit of the tenons and sockets (I don't like to see tight fits with the cork/thread absolutely flat to begin with, or loose fits with a raised cork/lots of thread), off centre holes/bores, polish of outside surfaces, exact positioning of rings (I have a flute where there is a distinct gap between the body of the flute and the ring, and little hammer marks on the ring where someone tried to tap the ring down to make a tight fit, and there is a little gap in the ring because the original sizing isn't right). I don't play keyed flutes, so can't comment here.

I am in the camp where my enjoyment of the flute as a work of fine craftsmanship is important. Even if it plays well, I don't get the same satisfaction compared to a flute that plays well, and is made to exacting standards of finish. At the same time, I realize that to get a flute without a much wait, and at a realistic price point means that playing has to come first, and artisanship second. But if one is playing top dollar for a flute with a long waiting list, then I think one can reasonably expect a very high level of craft.

Hugh

[Loren]

I believe the vH workshop undercuts too?

Yup, lots of undercutting, which is fairly standard on recorders and many flutes.

Loren

[I.D.10-t]

I wouldn't consider sharp tone holes on the bottom (do you mean inside the bore?) to be a sign of quality. Folkers and Powell have a set of fraise files for undercutting the tone holes and have even made wax impressions of the undercutting in baroque flutes for reference. I believe the vH workshop undercuts too?

Yes, I went overboard with the poet license, I understand that tone holes are undercut for sound purposes and that even in the renaissance flutes there is evidence that scraping tools were used for contouring the inside of the bore. With modern tools, though, I should be possible to leave holes with a nice round undercut without chips as you state. I personally like sharp tops of holes as I can feel where they are better.

Although a sharp edge is a preference of mine, (I would think that rounded edge fans would agree) that using a countersink to round the holes leaves the top and bottom sharp and the sides unsatisfactorily rounded. The roundedness should be consistent.

I would like to add that a good stick (like a pool cue) should not appear to have waves of ripples while looking at the end. Even if it is contoured, the armature wood turner will not show strange ripples if looked at from the end side.

I must qualify all of this by saying that I am a fife player.
And I am not a flute maker. Also, I have spent some time as a gunsmith where metal/wood fittings are important. The difficult thing is that you can strap a gun into a bench rest and see what it can do without ergonomics and prove what it can do. I have yet to se that done with a fife.

If it plays well, to heck with the rest.

[Nanohedron]

If it plays well, to heck with the rest.

Philistine.

[Congratulations]

If it plays well, to heck with the rest.

I agree.

When I'm playing, I cannot see my flute. I can only play it. If I ever catch myself looking at my flute, I know I'm not playing it correctly.

[talasiga]

Fascinating answers so far.......

fascinating question ......

[GaryKelly]

craftsmanship...<snip>... artisanship...<snip>... a very high level of craft.

Indubitably. A well-made flute must have all three, in addition to the following:

Its architecture must also be absolutely impeccable. Note that 'impeccable' on its own is not superlative enough, its quality of impeccabilitude must be, in a word, Absolute. Absolutely absolute at that. The slightest hint of peccability in its architectureship and it's doomed.

It must scream quality. Loud enough to upset the neighbours in the early hours of a Sunday morning when you accidentally leave it assembled on the coffee-table after coming home pissed on a Saturday night.

If you look hard, you should be able to see the grain in the wood! This is a hallmark of a well-made wooden flute which sets it apart from the run-of-the-mill metal and plastic offerings on the market.

It should have superb fit and finish. That is, all the bits should fit, and it should be finished.

It should demand your respect, but you have to earn its respect too. If you accidentally leave it assembled on the coffee-table after coming home pissed on a Saturday night, you should wake to find that it's left a horse's head at the bottom of your bed.

It should kick butt. If you can't say "Wow! This flute kicks butt!!" then it's not well-made. When you emerge from your scratcher on a Sunday morning rubbing your bleary eyes and wondering how drunk you were that you scored with a horse's head after the session last night, it should jump off the coffee-table and kick your butt.

It should practically play itself! The tune should be 'The Home Ruler', or at least the C# from it. Maybe even louder than the sound of the razor scraping across your chin on a Sunday afternoon, definitely louder than the gentle buzzing of the flies around the horse's head, especially if you left the living-room window open.

Keys should not be clunky and should not impede playing (I know this is true 'cos I read it in a review). Especially if they're not fitted.

Oh, and Colin says "It should be free-blowing. Unlike the Paddy McChud embouchure-less model, or those flutes which have an alien proboscis which flies up out of the hole and blocks your lips whenever you try to play".

[cajordan]

Aaargh ... will you please stop posting things like this when I'm having my morning coffee, now I'll have to wipe coffee off the computer screen.

[dow]

lots of stuff

"Wow! That post kicks butt!!"

[michael_coleman]

if it floats its probably a good flute otherwise it should be thrown directly into the the fire....kind of like witches. Or was it if they sink?