Hammy's and Terry McGee's Piccolos?

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:33 am

Has anyone seen or, more importantly, played one of Hammy's piccolos? If so, is the bore large (12.5mm or so)? Opinions? Comments (about the piccolo, please)?

I am eagerly awaiting a small (11mm) bore piccolo from Terry McGee. When my embouchure is up to par (soon, soon, soon), I like the smaller sound of the narrow bore. Terry has a larger bore piccolo, too. I know Tommy Kochel had one (in pink ivory wood) and sold it. I just have a feeling I'd find the sound a bit too big for that octave.

I'm just curious about Hammy's, if anyone knows about it. Yes, I could write to Hammy and ask. But if anyone has anything to say, please do.

Father Emmet · Post by **Father Emmet** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:07 pm

I remember someone on the board posting that they had a Hammy piccolo, and that it was a miniturized version of a Hammy flute.

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:10 pm

JessieK wrote:Has anyone seen or, more importantly, played one of Hammy's piccolos? If so, is the bore large (12.5mm or so)? Opinions? Comments (about the piccolo, please)?

I am eagerly awaiting a small (11mm) bore piccolo from Terry McGee. When my embouchure is up to par (soon, soon, soon), I like the smaller sound of the narrow bore. Terry has a larger bore piccolo, too. I know Tommy Kochel had one (in pink ivory wood) and sold it. I just have a feeling I'd find the sound a bit too big for that octave.

I'm just curious about Hammy's, if anyone knows about it. Yes, I could write to Hammy and ask. But if anyone has anything to say, please do.

I've seen Hammy play it, and I almost thought "why get a whistle?" It's nice, but perhaps not quite the coming thing in session that Hammy hoped it would be. I can't address your other questions, though, and suggest that you email or call Hammy.

Kevin Krell

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:49 pm

Thanks. I have e-mailed Hammy to ask about it. I agree with you, Kevin, that it isn't going to take over sessions, but I think they're cool anyway.

tommyk · Post by **tommyk** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:52 am

I have some tinnitus anyway.
The only whistles these days which seem not to hurt my ears while I'm playing them directly are wooden ones; of those I find Abells to be the whistles I like best.

The Terry McGee piccolo went for reasons of tinnitus prevention (non-acceleration); however, eventhough it WAS session loud (with that larger bore 12.5 mm), it was not truly a shrill loud.
Everyone who heard and commented about it thought it sounded much more like a miniature wooden flute than an actual "piccolo".

Totally a cool instrument.
With increased control, it could easily have been a session instrument.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:39 am

I think, when people talk about what "an actual piccolo" sounds like, they are referring to piccolos played by people who should stick to the flute.

Piccolos can be played very sweetly, without shrillness, and a smaller bore, combined with a tight embouchure, can help that along.

Check out this clip:

http://www.flutes4sale.com/23179Haynesp ... cslow2.mp3

When people say the wide-bore piccolo sounded like a miniature flute, did they mean a miniature honking Irish flute?

tommyk · Post by **tommyk** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 7:56 am

Point well given and accepted!

I'm not sure what kind of flute they meant, but they were pleasantly surprised by the mellow tone.

Though I personally think it was more "honkin'" than not.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:06 am

Thanks, Tommy.

I heard back from Hammy. Here's what he said:

"The piccolos I've been doing I would think have a relatively large bore and finger holes, but I'd also think it's up to you to make it play sweetly or otherwise! They have the potential to be loud, but I don't think that means that they have to be played that way."

bepoq · Post by **bepoq** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:32 am

Hi, I've got a pink ironwood McGee piccolo with his larger bore that I picked up off ebay, would that be the same one?

Anyway, I find it to be a really great little instrument. I made a case for it and keep it in my pocket the odd time when I don't want to carry the big flute out.

I think that I like the larger bore size (I've a little French boxwood six keyed job that I got years ago off glinjack too) and would recommend it, the large bore that is, partly because of the sessionable volume, but mainly because of the character of the low octave which you can drive like a flute and make chuff and growl. It took a while to really get comfortable with the upper octave, which, as with most of these sorts of instruments, could be rather shrill, but having had it for a while now, I've got it figured out rather better and am able to back off the high octave and make it sound more like a whistle (not such a shrill one) and then really drive the bottom octave, which is fun. I've never played one of McGee's big flutes that I was all that mad about, though that said I've only played about four, but I really like this little flute and the way it is made which is going to get me keeping out an eye for the big ones to give them more of a go. Except for the thumb hole for the C which I absolutely hate and wish would go away and makes it unplayable for anyone who uses a straight thumb brace hold on a flute (fortunately not me). I keep meaning to fill it but can't decide on the best technique.

tommyk · Post by **tommyk** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:51 am

I suppose that is the same instrument.

It's a shame you cannot also get used to that thumbhole -
it provides such a dead-on Cn in the lower octave and then in the higher it's really the only way to be sure one is getting the high Cn.

I've those holes on all my whistles now and my flutes; I won't go back.
But the nice thing is, during a performance, or even
during one song, I can choose and go back and forth between fingerings for different sounds/effects.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:02 pm

Thanks for the review of the McGee large bore piccolo, bepoq! That is very helpful. I am considering, in addition to the small bore (blackwood) McGee, a large bore in boxwood.

I ordered a C natural hole on my McGee small bore piccolo. I can't stand them on whistles, because my thumb is in a completely different place on whistles, but I am rather looking forward to it in the piccolo, as there is some flexibility for me on thumb location with flutes (especially little ones) and the fingering will be so simple.

bepoq · Post by **bepoq** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:05 am

I don't really agree with you Tommy. I've played a long time with no thumb hole, and in particular with this flute I get an excellent C in the low octave, very loud and strong with standard cross fingering (very little difference if any between it and the thumb hole C and none in volume I reckon - any timbre, volume or intonation changes I'll get with my lips) , and I think that I get a better in tune C in the second octave with one finger cross fingering than I do using the thumb hole. So there you are, it is not the only way. I am not sold on the thumb hole in general, and particularly not on this little flute.

I use mainly keyed flutes (stronger chromatics all round - only time I ever cross finger is occasionally for the BCC#D bubbly triplet) and then when I have to for particular gigs (usually singers) I play whistles, none of which have this sort of hole. the only other keyless flute I play is one of Pat Olwell's bamboos, also with no thumb hole, which I would never have drilled in a million years as it is the best Olwell bamboo I've ever had the pleasure of playing, and I wouldn't take the risk of changing it's sound in any way. There is no way I am going to practice in a hole that seems to give me no benefit on the only flute that I play it exists on. (sorry that is garbled but I reckon you know what i mean).

bepoq · Post by **bepoq** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:19 am

I'd be mad into trying the big bore boxwood Jessie (thumb hole or not) and I reckon it would be a really good bet. I feel that the big bore gives you slightly more flexibility in what you do with your embouchure over the first two octaves - more room to vary the timbre and to honk (I think that is a really rotten word to describe hard toned flute playing to be honest) or not. I also think that in terms of small bore piccolos you are much more likely to find even a really good old one at a fraction of the price if you look about, whereas big bore ones don't really seem to exist much. Put it this way, you could probably pick up a piccolo from a 19thc. London maker for less than you would pay for one of McGee's if you kept your eye out for one, and that would be almost certainly a smaller bore. But where are you going to casually pick up a large bore keyless boxwood piccolo?

Anyway, when you get whatever kind you get, bump the thread and let us know how it is.

By the way, isn't it you that got that magnificent looking Wilkes? How is it? Baby in good form too?

Cheers,

Ben

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 1:43 pm

I would love to love old flutes, but I just don't. The tuning bothers me.

The Wilkes flute is beautiful, but I am in my TENTH month of pregnancy and I can't fill the flute very well at the moment. I have faith, based on past experience, that I'll return to normal soon after the kid makes an appearance.

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 1:29 am

JessieK wrote:I would love to love old flutes, but I just don't. The tuning bothers me.

The Wilkes flute is beautiful, but I am in my TENTH month of pregnancy and I can't fill the flute very well at the moment. I have faith, based on past experience, that I'll return to normal soon after the kid makes an appearance.

Sure it's not twins? 8 more months to go <g>

Kevin Krel

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Hammy's and Terry McGee's Piccolos?

Hammy's and Terry McGee's Piccolos?

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