casey burns

chandl · Post by **chandl** » Thu Nov 07, 2002 9:53 pm

Anyone have some input on casey burnes flutes? I'm thinking of getting one of his keyed products. Thoughts on its suitability for an intermediate player with eclectic musical tastes?

carrie · Post by **carrie** » Thu Nov 07, 2002 10:06 pm

I have a keyless Casey Burns in mopane that I love. It has a rich warm tone with a good honk and was an easy flute to learn on, easy to fill. It was my very first flute and I never want to part with it.

Carol

chandl · Post by **chandl** » Thu Nov 07, 2002 10:13 pm

thanks carol.
I've been lusting after one of his five-keyed blackwoods that I've seen and sample-played in a shop here in Seattle, but I've not heard from any actual players yet.

(Those mopane flutes he makes are lovely!)

JamieHamilton · Post by **JamieHamilton** » Thu Nov 07, 2002 10:15 pm

On 2002-11-07 22:53, chandl wrote:
Anyone have some input on casey burnes flutes? I'm thinking of getting one of his keyed products. Thoughts on its suitability for an intermediate player with eclectic musical tastes?

I've spent quite a bit of time around Mr. Burns and his flutes at various camps and events in Northern California, and even as an intermediate player, you can do better.

He makes very quite, intimate, almost timid sounding instruments, very Grey Larsen-ish in sound and pitch, but without the same woody roundess - imagine if you took the sound of Mr. Larsen's playing and "flattened" the tone - not pitch wise, but narrow and strip down the body of the tone, if you get me. I think he also makes exclusively unlined headjoints, which you may or may not like.

If you're looking very a very adaptable flute for "eclectic" applications, may I highly suggest Gilles Lehart - he makes fantastic and very affordable instruments, and is wonderful to work with. He'll get you a six keyed flute in about a year.

Regards,
jamey.

chandl · Post by **chandl** » Thu Nov 07, 2002 10:26 pm

Much obliged, Jamey.
I gather you've played a Lehart. Any comparisons you could make to other flutes? Where is he located? I don't think I've seen a web site.

thanks

Chandl

JamieHamilton · Post by **JamieHamilton** » Thu Nov 07, 2002 11:53 pm

Actually I happen to own one!

I've been playing a three-keyed Lehart for a bit over a year now. And considering what I paid for it (around 750 USD), how long I waited (about 9 months), and how much you can get out of it (a whole heckuva lot), I can't praise it enough.

Leharts are definitely not your average session instruments. They're strong but not overly loud, and have a very sultry but still crisp and sharply defined tone - very controlled and finely condensed rather than loud, blasting and "reedy". The usual analogy I use is a bit weird, but works: if flutes were weapons, an Olwell would be a medieval broadsword, a Hamilton a baseball bat, and Leharts swept-hilt rapiers. IE, they're a tad more delicate, but if you handle them right and they're just as effective.

I'm a fan, can you tell?

I don't know if this helps at all, but if I were to make a direct flute-to-flute comparison, I'd say that Leharts are just a touch fuller-bodied than Murrays and just a shade less brash than a Byrne.

Anyway, the guy's actually out of Brittany. If you want any contact info, let me know and I'll send it along.

Regards,
Jamey

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 1:59 am

On 2002-11-07 23:26, chandl wrote:
Much obliged, Jamey.
I gather you've played a Lehart. Any comparisons you could make to other flutes? Where is he located? I don't think I've seen a web site.

His website is http://membres.lycos.fr/Lehart/
and includes a price list.

Michael McGoldrick plays a Gilles Lehart flute on his CD "FUSED"

Kevin Krell

kkrell · Post by **kkrell** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 2:08 am

On 2002-11-08 02:59, kkrell wrote:
His website is http://membres.lycos.fr/Lehart/
and includes a price list.

Michael McGoldrick plays a Gilles Lehart flute on his CD "FUSED"

Sorry, the website's internal links are working.

Kevin Krell

Jens_Hoppe · Post by **Jens_Hoppe** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 2:45 am

Sorry, the website's internal links are working.

That's not something to be sorry about!

Oh, you meant "<b>not</b> working"...

Ronbo · Post by **Ronbo** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 2:19 pm

I have been trying to get on the site for several days, now with no luck. Maybe Jamie can inform him that the site is down, or maybe contact Sylvain Barou.

U2 · Post by U2 » Fri Nov 08, 2002 2:41 pm

Casey made me a four-piece, keyless, boxwood, leftie, and he delivered it exactly as promised. Casey's been a pleasure to work with. I sought him out after playing a boxwood standard model of his at Dusty Strings in Seattle. It's likely I'll get him to add keys in the near future. He offset the ring fingers ever so slightly, assisting with relaxed, natural placement. Nothing timid about the sound of the instrument he made for me. It is responsive and easy to play (well, easy as it's gonna be for me with only two hours of practice a day). I'm certain there are many fine flute makers out there, but count Casey among them.

edited for syntax

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: U2 on 2002-11-08 15:44 ]</font>

Gordon · Post by **Gordon** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 3:56 pm

My take on Casey's instruments is that they vary greatly from one to the other. He seems a very nice and serious maker, and several people I know that own a flute of his mentioned that they needed to "work" with him to get it up to their liking -- and this involved sending it back and forth. I respect his (Casey's) willingness to do this, BTW -- he seems to really respect an individual's quirks and works hard to get it right for them.
That said, while all flutes vary a bit, his seem to vary greatly in consistency. You might get a great flute from him, but, then, you might not.
BTW, Lehart makes a very good flute, as described in the previous posts, but I'm not sure of the connection being made between a Lehart and a Burns, unless the implication is to not buy a Burns, buy a Lehart. Personally, I'll stay out of that one.

mjmtex · Post by **mjmtex** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 8:02 pm

On 2002-11-08 00:53, JamieHamilton wrote:

I don't know if this helps at all, but if I were to make a direct flute-to-flute comparison, I'd say that Leharts are just a touch fuller-bodied than Murrays and just a shade less brash than a Byrne.

Hi Jamey,

I am intrigued by this comment. Are the Byrne(s)you've heard or played more reedy than a Lehart? How would the two compare in terms of body and volume? What would the Byrne be considered in your sword analogy. In case your wondering, I am about two months away from expected receipt of a keyless "large holed" Rudall model from Bryan. I considered a Lehart, but in the end decided to stick with an American maker, who I would be able to visit occasionaly. I travel to New England regularly and will get to his Vermont shop before the final voicing is done.

Cheers,
Matt

Jim_B1 · Post by **Jim_B1** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 8:35 pm

Hi Jamey,

I am intrigued by this comment. Are the Byrne(s)you've heard or played more reedy than a Lehart? How would the two compare in terms of body and volume? What would the Byrne be considered in your sword analogy. In case your wondering, I am about two months away from expected receipt of a keyless "large holed" Rudall model from Bryan. I considered a Lehart, but in the end decided to stick with an American maker, who I would be able to visit occasionaly. I travel to New England regularly and will get to his Vermont shop before the final voicing is done.

Cheers,
Matt

Hi Matt,
I'm thinking about Bryan Byrne's flutes as well. Any chance we could get a review out of you when it arrives?
Thanks

mjmtex · Post by **mjmtex** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 10:13 am

On 2002-11-08 21:35, Jim_B1 wrote:

Hi Matt,
I'm thinking about Bryan Byrne's flutes as well. Any chance we could get a review out of you when it arrives?
Thanks

You bet. You should give him a call to discuss what you may be wanting. I have had many conversations with him and have sent him some CDs with examples of the characteristics I prefer. Several other board members turned me on to him with nothing but the highest of praise. I'll post again when I am able to share some first hand experience.

Cheers,
Matt