Flute Question - Muramatsu

[Aanvil]

My pictures do not do the flute justice. The ones you posted have the exact same keys as the one I have - just a lot less shiny.

I thought of a knockoff but I can't find any reference to fake Muramatsus or knockoffs.

the mystery continues . . .

Well there seems to be a dearth of Muramatsu info and history at least on the English speaking side of the net.

At least you know there is another like yours out there. The serial number placement is different that yours though.

The case, crown and names look right but the rest doesn't. If you are have the means to make a flute faking the markings and crown are nothing.

Doesn't mean that its a fake though.

Muramatsu would have to know something.

I'll keep digging.

[peeplj]

I don't see a reason yet to assume it's a fake...although I'm no expert on Muramatsu flutes. I've gotten to try one a couple of different times, and I liked them, and that's about the limit of what I personally can say about them.

Sir James plays them and, in the world of the Boehm-system flute, that's a strong recommendation.

--James

[Aanvil]

I don't see a reason yet to assume it's a fake...although I'm no expert on Muramatsu flutes.
--James

No, but it IS very odd.

I didn't say you need to assume its a fake BTW.

I just said you could do something like this rather simply if you had the means of flute production already.

The fact that Muramatsu flutes are so well regarded and expensive is the prime motive to forge a name stamp a crown and a case.


Its very possible that Muramatsu broke into the 1975 US market with some really economical flutes.

I dunno.

But I'm cynical.

At any rate 25 bucks for a flute (assuming its not plated silver) and if it plays well you can't beat that deal.

I'd give him 55 bucks just to beat out Doug.



If it turns out to be real it may be very rare.

It might be Muramatsu's red headed stepchild

My apologies in advance to our ginger headed Chiffers.

[peeplj]

Take a good look at the posts coming up from the ribbing on the Muramatsu reference photograph.

The post has a unique shape.

Now take a good look at the rib and post on the unknown flute.

Seems like it would be awfully expensive to fake one to that level of detail.

--James

Edited to fix two typos.

[Aanvil]

I can guess how would describe this image.

[BigDavy]

Hi Seand

Had a trawl through ebay etc looking at Muramatsu flutes and found this, note the lack of serial number



According to the listing it is an EX III model flute.

David

[peeplj]

I can guess how would describe this image.

In front of softly focused tan curtains, with sunlight behind, a tall water-glass, with a heavy base showing a marked internal concavity, fluted for approximately half its height, then unadorned; the whole somewhat sharply flared, with very dark shadows, sitting on a reflective surface.

The photograph is particularly engaging because of the sharp contrast between the light, softly focused curtains, and the sharp-edged dark shadows of the glass in the foreground.
Also of interest is that you cannot tell if the glass actually contains any water, though I feel it does not.

--James

[Seand]

OK - it's late in the evening now and I've had a chance to set the camera up on the tripod for a few flashless shots of the flute.

Bear in mind that I bought this flute because I thought it looked pretty good - not because I thought it was a relatively high end instrument. So it's all gravy for me either way!! I dropped by the thriftstore to look at sunglasses not flutes

If it is a fake, I just find it funny that the maker would go out of the way to even replicate the "swabbing" stick with the Muramatsu logo on it.

Hope these are a bit better (some are still a bit dark). Also bear in mind it still needs some TLC although it is quite playable as is:

[Seand]

Hi Seand

Had a trawl through ebay etc looking at Muramatsu flutes and found this, note the lack of serial number



According to the listing it is an EX III model flute.

David

Very interesting - I wonder where the SN is on the EX III model?

[Seand]

Update:

Judging by the amount of black tarnish coming off the keys and body, there is lot in silver is this instrument. A little hand polishing by cloth is making a world of difference on how this flute looks and feels.

[kkrell]

No serial #s like that for any on the Stolen Flute List at Flute-L

[Cork]

If it's OK to make outright guesses, then I'd say it's not a fake, it's old, and possibly it was brought into North America before Muramatsu exported them.

Does it have a modern, Cooper-type scale, or does it have a traditional scale? That knowledge could help to date it.

Anyway, for what you paid for it, you got a real bargain, congratulations!

The last time I looked, Muramatsu flutes were in the megadollar range, even their least expensive model.

[Seand]

No serial #s like that for any on the Stolen Flute List at Flute-L

I bought it a ValueVillage store - where people donate their old stuff to raise money for diabetes research. I'm guessing it was an old flute that was lying around the house (or left to someone by their Uncle who used to play the flute) - or something like that. It came in with a Yamaha Clarinet and a ukelele!!! I don't think it would be stolen. I'd say it's much more likely that someone let it go because they had sense of its (hopeful) value and they had no use for it!! If I bought it at a pawn shop - where people bring things in for money - then I would certainly be suspiscios.

Thanks for checking!

[Seand]

If it's OK to make outright guesses, then I'd say it's not a fake, it's old, and possibly it was brought into North America before Muramatsu exported them.

Does it have a modern, Cooper-type scale, or does it have a traditional scale? That knowledge could help to date it.

Anyway, for what you paid for it, you got a real bargain, congratulations!

The last time I looked, Muramatsu flutes were in the megadollar range, even their least expensive model.

Sorry - I am not familiar with the distinction between the tradtional and Cooper scale to know which this instrument has.

Hopefully I will hear something today from Muramatsu.

[Cork]

...Sorry - I am not familiar with the distinction between the tradtional and Cooper scale to know which this instrument has.

Hopefully I will hear something today from Muramatsu.

First, your flute doesn't appear to be more than a few decades old or thereabouts, so it appears to be an A=440 flute, good.

Frankly, and moreover, I'm not qualified to describe the technical specifications of the Cooper-type flutes, but I could offer a suggestion. For instance, in either the bottom or the middle register of the flute, if you can play a chromatic sequence from the bottom of a register to the top of that register, 1) while remaining in near perfect tune, AND, 2) with virtually zero embouchure adjustment, then the odds are that you have a Cooper-type scale. A traditional scale would require some slight embouchure adjustments in order to maintain the tuning.

By the mid-1980s or so, most of the world's most prestigious flute makers had adopted a Cooper-type scale.

BTW, don't worry about whichever you might have, as there are those of us who prefer the traditional scale.

That you haven't yet heard from Muramatsu probably means that they are still looking into your question.