The Malahide Flute

Seanduine · Post by **Seanduine** » Tue Sep 03, 2002 11:26 am

A chairde,

Does anyone have experience of playing the Malahide flute? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
Thanks,

Seanduine

whamlyn · Post by **whamlyn** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 5:05 pm

Hi,

I realize this reply is a bit late coming but I haven't heard much about the Arie De Keyzer's instruments on the message board and thought I'd add a little to the collective knowledge.

I met a fellow last night from Ireland, he's been travelling around Canada since August and is apparently having a grand old time doing so, learning tunes, making friends, pints... you get the picture. Anyway...

He was playing one of these Malahide flutes and what a great sounding instrument! It has a bit of a smoother tone than say a large-bore Pratten style flute and was quite easy to play, at least as easy as my M & E. Apparently this fellow was playing a Wilkes for ten years or so and prefers the de Keyzer. I'm sure that once more people hear these flutes they're going to become quite popular. It was a bit dark at the pub so I can't comment on the fit and finish but everything seemed pretty solid when I gave it a whirl so no complaints in that department either. I've got a Hamilton in the works but otherwise...

All the best,
Wes

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 5:50 pm

What's a Malahide flute? Or THE Malahide flute?

Stuart

planxtydt · Post by **planxtydt** » Sun Jan 12, 2003 6:03 pm

http://www.shannaquay.com/item.jhtml?UC ... ID=1174039

Blayloch · Post by **Blayloch** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:59 am

thats a darned good price..

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 11:06 am

These flutes are for sale in music shops all over Ireland for a range of prices. I've tried a few and they weren't too bad, but they didn't seem so good either - definately not Wilkes good. I don't know, I only had a short go on the ones I tried, so I could be wrong. What I do know, however, is that they ARE for sale in shops all over the country, they ARE inexpensive, and I've never seen anyone play one in a session. When an instrument is in such high supply at so low a price and no serious flute players in the country are playing them then I have to wonder if maybe there's a reason why.
It would be great to hear from Harry or Conal or someone with access to these flutes. Harry, I think a couple of the music shops in Dublin sell these (along with their rice paper bodhrans).

Best,
Chris

[ This Message was edited by: ChrisLaughlin on 2003-01-13 12:08 ]

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 11:16 am

I'm not going to spend much time on this now: but a quick search of the woodenflute.com mailing list came up with this:

"I worked on my bottom D yesterday again; for I got a new flute,(Gilles LeHart instead of my old Arie de Keyzer.... what a
difference!!"

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Mon Jan 13, 2003 11:18 am

Chris, it sounds like variation within a design. In general, one would say that the recognized high end flutes are always better than a Sweet flute. I have a Sweet flute (that I got for $100, complete with filled-in cracks)that plays better than several high end flutes that I have played. I think the guy in question probably has a gem of a De Keyzer and one of Chris Wilkes's not very easy to play flutes.

~J

[ This Message was edited by: JessieK on 2003-01-13 13:10 ]

piperben · Post by **piperben** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 6:08 am

I have a De Keyser flute. I have played a number of flutes and this one is the best all round.
It has improved a lot with age and playing. Certainly better then some more expensive flutes I have played.

ChrisLaughlin · Post by **ChrisLaughlin** » Tue Jan 14, 2003 9:22 am

Very interesting indeed....

Seanduine · Post by **Seanduine** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 5:02 am

Thanks for all the replies to my request for information. I went ahead and got a de Keyzer three months ago and I'm enjoying playing it very much. It stands up favourably to the Olwell's, Hamilton's and Ormiston's that I have played although it is not as well finished as any of the above. I managed to get a fair bit off the price because one of the rings was loose but that problem disappeared after playing it for a while. It's possible to get one here for about £250 and I think that's pretty good value for a decent sounding flute.

Doirlinn · Post by **Doirlinn** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 6:06 am

My first flute was a de Keyzer, purchased for all the beginners' reasons - not too expensive, available, etc. It was rosewood and has since developed a crack (my fault entirely). It was ok - the intonation wasn't great, and I took it as a starter flute that I imagined I would replace later on. I since have, and have heard a proper low end! But mine may have been one of the weak ones produced.

Gordon · Post by **Gordon** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 9:26 am

I've not played a DeKeyser, so my comment is more about inexpensive flutes in general..
Sometimes a gem can turn up among them -- I often hear that from defenders of Sweet flutes, and have played one or two very good ones myself; what usually makes the big difference between the more respected makers and the fast-turnover ones (besides often because they simply make better sounding/playing flutes) is their predictability of quality, flute to flute. It's not so much a crap-shoot (no pun intended). If you get a chance to play a DeKeyser, or Sweet, etc., you might find a very good one among them, as both makers seem quite capable of making good instruments (the latter, on my part, from hearsay). The fast turnover (and therefore the lower price), though, often means there are some flutes making their way out of the shops that are not as good, so the danger in these flutes, especially for a beginner, is the lure of the lower price and the inability to distinguish whether their playing difficulties stem from themselves or the flute.
On the other hand, if you can try any of these flutes beforehand, and it's a good one, you can't beat the prices, and you won't have a heart-attack when/if they crack, fall or break.

vudelf · Post by **vudelf** » Tue Feb 04, 2003 3:21 pm

Hi all,

I play a De Keyser flute as well,I'm not really excited about it,but it is an average flute as I would say...I am waiting for a keyed Copley so...

if you want to hear some sound samples of the De Keyser flute, they are here at our band web pages http://home.tiscali.cz/marwmusic , just click at the mp3 banner and choose one tune (the last two aren't working though)
These tunes are from our demo CD

Michael

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[ This Message was edited by: vudelf on 2003-02-04 16:23 ]

[ This Message was edited by: vudelf on 2003-02-05 12:03 ]

vudelf · Post by **vudelf** » Wed Feb 05, 2003 11:26 am

The link is fixed,it should be working now,sorry
Michael