10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
- Trip-
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10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
http://wilkesflutes.co.uk/Site/Contact.html
10 years waiting list???
In such a long time, I can decide to quit playing the flute and then get back to it, and maybe quit playing it again. And the price? World economy is changing over such a long time!
This is an insanely long time to wait, does anyone actually place and order?
What thoughts do you folks have on long waiting lists...? This must one of the worst things in playing an Irish flute.
sorry for the rant.
10 years waiting list???
In such a long time, I can decide to quit playing the flute and then get back to it, and maybe quit playing it again. And the price? World economy is changing over such a long time!
This is an insanely long time to wait, does anyone actually place and order?
What thoughts do you folks have on long waiting lists...? This must one of the worst things in playing an Irish flute.
sorry for the rant.
- Henke
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
This is not news. Chris Wilkes has had that kind of waitlist for years. And yes, go figure; People acctually do place an order from time to time, that's sort of why he has that waitlist, I don't think he writes that stuff for fun
Considering he could charge 3 times as much for his flutes and enough people would still buy them to keep him well occupied I think his prices are very low, and it's a huge display of unselfishness from his part not to raise the prices to the levels he could. He's also very adamant that no one gets special treatment, if Michael Flatley or Matt Molloy placed an order tomorrow and offered £30 000 he'd still have to wait 10 years for his turn like everyone else, and pay the same price as everyone else.
Chris makes what is very probably the best and prettiest looking flutes in the world. That's why the waitlist is the way it is. You have a choice- eighter you get on it or you don't, as simple as that.
Personally I choose to stick with my old F&P and spend my money on other passions, one of them being exclusive bottles of
whisky
Considering he could charge 3 times as much for his flutes and enough people would still buy them to keep him well occupied I think his prices are very low, and it's a huge display of unselfishness from his part not to raise the prices to the levels he could. He's also very adamant that no one gets special treatment, if Michael Flatley or Matt Molloy placed an order tomorrow and offered £30 000 he'd still have to wait 10 years for his turn like everyone else, and pay the same price as everyone else.
Chris makes what is very probably the best and prettiest looking flutes in the world. That's why the waitlist is the way it is. You have a choice- eighter you get on it or you don't, as simple as that.
Personally I choose to stick with my old F&P and spend my money on other passions, one of them being exclusive bottles of
whisky
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
10 years isn't such a long time. Just place your order, save yer money and learn/play on some other flute in the meantime. What's the problem? You could also get lucky and find a secondhand Wilkes, they do surface occasionally. Dave Williams & Allain Froment also had 10 year waiting lists. Geoff Wooff has a 12 year waiting list. Pat Olwell has a 6 year waiting list I think for a keyed flute. There are plenty of nice flutes out there to play on while you're waiting for your order to come through. Patience dude
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
Well, it's only a £50 non refundable deposit - I'd guess a good few people might throw that at it and even if they give up or have an accident or whatever - they won't have lost much and could even still purchase and sell on at an unethical profit etc. You should look at concertinas - some makers like Suttner have 3&4 year waiting lists and charge 10% non refundable deposits (typical end price Euro4000). I don't particularly care for the 'non refundable' aspect of these arrangements - there are probably many people 'clogging up' makers lists who don't really need the instrument by the time their turn comes around but who feel obliged as otherwise they'll lose their money. Of course, the maker has a different perspective, though I doubt they really care for the idea of making an instrument for someone who doesn't particularly want it anymore.
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
Yes, a friend of mine told me a few weeks ago that he placed an order for one and I have even considered it myself.Trip- wrote:http://wilkesflutes.co.uk/Site/Contact.html
This is an insanely long time to wait, does anyone actually place and order?
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
I wonder if anyone has recent information about what Chris charges for a standard 8-key Rudall these days? And what's the premium for the eye candy?*
* I'm not intending to order a Wilkes, that's why I ask here and not himself, since he should be making flutes and not answering emails of curious people with no intention of buying!
* I'm not intending to order a Wilkes, that's why I ask here and not himself, since he should be making flutes and not answering emails of curious people with no intention of buying!
- Trip-
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
I just strikes me and makes me sad too... 10 years is a long time to wait... I thought 3 years would be almost too long for me, just for a comparison
Thank you for the posts.
PS:
I wonder, if there're coinsidences when a person who doesn't pick up his flute by the time it's ready, be it because he's short of money or just quit playing the flute or any other reason. What happens to that flute then? This means there's a ready new flute that can be bought and received instantly! (look at me, already planning shortcuts.... ;/ )
Thank you for the posts.
PS:
I wonder, if there're coinsidences when a person who doesn't pick up his flute by the time it's ready, be it because he's short of money or just quit playing the flute or any other reason. What happens to that flute then? This means there's a ready new flute that can be bought and received instantly! (look at me, already planning shortcuts.... ;/ )
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
"I wonder, if there're coinsidences when a person who doesn't pick up his flute by the time it's ready, be it because he's short of money or just quit playing the flute or any other reason. What happens to that flute then?" Trip.
The flute is usually destroyed. No, not really. Chris Wilkes has a page on his website where he sells flutes that are not wanted at the time of completion. You have to be quick though, they get snapped up. At a Willie Week piping class in 1998 a young lad came with his practice set on the Monday then the next day he turned up with a full set by Geoff Wooff. Turned out the set was ordered, but the person that ordered the set had changed their mind or didn't have the cash upon completion. Anyway the lad said that Geoff went through his order book chronologically and rang people to see if anyone wanted the set, but those who were next in line for a set had ordered a certain key, or certain mounts, or certain extras or this that and the other. So in the end the young lad was offered the set as he had just ordered a few months ago just a flat set of pipes with no other stipulations concerning key or special effects. So his parents took the call and fixed a bank loan. I seem to remember back then the waiting list was only four years
The flute is usually destroyed. No, not really. Chris Wilkes has a page on his website where he sells flutes that are not wanted at the time of completion. You have to be quick though, they get snapped up. At a Willie Week piping class in 1998 a young lad came with his practice set on the Monday then the next day he turned up with a full set by Geoff Wooff. Turned out the set was ordered, but the person that ordered the set had changed their mind or didn't have the cash upon completion. Anyway the lad said that Geoff went through his order book chronologically and rang people to see if anyone wanted the set, but those who were next in line for a set had ordered a certain key, or certain mounts, or certain extras or this that and the other. So in the end the young lad was offered the set as he had just ordered a few months ago just a flat set of pipes with no other stipulations concerning key or special effects. So his parents took the call and fixed a bank loan. I seem to remember back then the waiting list was only four years
- Julia Delaney
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
Last I heard the wait list for a set of pipes from Jeff Wooff was over fifteen years.
There are other good flute-makers besides Chris Wilkes, you know. You don't have to have a Wilke's flute in order to make good music. And how many of us would really sound appreciably better on a Wilke's flute than on a flute that came with a shorter wait?
There are other good flute-makers besides Chris Wilkes, you know. You don't have to have a Wilke's flute in order to make good music. And how many of us would really sound appreciably better on a Wilke's flute than on a flute that came with a shorter wait?
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
that is one big truth david!Julia Delaney wrote:Last I heard the wait list for a set of pipes from Jeff Wooff was over fifteen years.
There are other good flute-makers besides Chris Wilkes, you know. You don't have to have a Wilke's flute in order to make good music. And how many of us would really sound appreciably better on a Wilke's flute than on a flute that came with a shorter wait?
his flute isn't magic stick to transfer bad player in excellent , but someone must warning us ofen to not forget those facts!
and good player usually play one flute for long, long period before he ( she) moves to another flute...
marin
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
The lengths of waiting lists stand in no relation with the instruments quality. The fact that I just have to wait about a year for my new flute doesn't make it a bad one. I consider it, in fact, to be the best flute I ever tried.
- celticmodes
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
Don't worry too much. Your assessment that 10 years is a long time comes from your perception of how long the last 10 years took. Trust me, the next 10 years goes by much quicker. The 10 years following that is even faster.
Ever wonder why old people drive slow? They're not. They're driving normal in their time space continuum.
Ever wonder why old people drive slow? They're not. They're driving normal in their time space continuum.
celticmodes
[Reviol 8 key | Oz Vambrace | Dusty Strings Ravenna | Luna Trinity Parlor]
[Reviol 8 key | Oz Vambrace | Dusty Strings Ravenna | Luna Trinity Parlor]
- Cathy Wilde
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
Heck, it's taken me 10 years to get a semi-rhythmic B roll.
Deja Fu: The sense that somewhere, somehow, you've been kicked in the head exactly like this before.
- hippiechick
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
Trip, what are you really looking for ?Trip- wrote:http://wilkesflutes.co.uk/Site/Contact.html
10 years waiting list???
In such a long time, I can decide to quit playing the flute and then get back to it, and maybe quit playing it again. And the price? World economy is changing over such a long time!
This is an insanely long time to wait, does anyone actually place and order?
What thoughts do you folks have on long waiting lists...? This must one of the worst things in playing an Irish flute.
sorry for the rant.
If you've tried and compared Chris's flutes with others
Then maybe you'd understand the long waiting list isn't insane.
But you're not even sure if you actually keep on playing??!
Be very carefull when you actually stop playing, If i had to stop i'd go insane.
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Re: 10 Years, ladies and gentlemen?
I'd hazard a guess that it won't be too long (if it hasn't happened already) that we'll see EBay auctions for places on waiting lists!! You can jump the queue but at a price - roll up, roll upTrip- wrote:I wonder, if there're coinsidences when a person who doesn't pick up his flute by the time it's ready, be it because he's short of money or just quit playing the flute or any other reason. What happens to that flute then? This means there's a ready new flute that can be bought and received instantly! (look at me, already planning shortcuts.... ;/ )