I was messing around yesterday with this plastic wounder and decided to reset the cork to match my antique Eb. Of course when I went to move it it turned out to be a disk of cork. So to the wine shelf for a new cork. I slapped it in and set it up the same as my other Eb and holy smokes. I now have a 35 dollar 8key plastic flute that plays like a dream. Isn`t that weird. It realy sounds great. And yes it is in tune both with itself and according to my tuning program. So now I have an outside Eb. Just like that.
The man’s icon drives me crazy. That propeller is really distracting. Dizzying and pointless.
Aside from that you have to wonder about somebody who thinks a $35 plastic flute plays great. Has he ever played a really great flute?
I admit Tom you do sound a bit masochistic trying to make these thing work (let alone getting stepped on by draft horses whe not playing flutes), but hey - more power to ya!
Tom, did I read you correctly? An EIGHT keyed poly from the subcontinent? Bloody hell. All for $35…and how did you pull that off? I can’t imagine that that would be an original price, no matter the provenance.
Jeez Cocus didnt mean to offend. I realy like the thing myself. Its a Ryan ST made for me by the zoob man. We were talking airplanes one time and I flew an old Ryan ST. WW 2 basic trainer. Total dog but fun to fly. Ya nano they use to sell them on ebay. If you played your cards right you could get one for 35 bucks. I see them now every once in a while on the british ebay going for 40 pounds. I think they are a real shot in the dark as far as working right but I lucked out and mine played pretty good from the start. They smell like an old inertube and taste about the same but the keys work and dont leak and the darn thing looks just like my old German 8 key.
I have been unfair to my Lehart, but that old Eb German cridder is just so fine. I love playing it. The Lehart does get at least an hour a day now though. Jeez what an animal. That thing is more flute than I ever hoped for.
Take care
Tom
PS Thank you all for your kind words. Very warming, like a down quilt. In fact I am snuggling in those word right now.
Those Indian flutes are back on American eBay these days, for $45, plus another $35 for shipping. Still a heck of a deal if you get a good one, like Tom seems to have, but I gotta wonder what the chances of that are. The part about smelling like an inner tube also worries me a bit – what the heck are these things made of?
Has anyone else ever come across one of these beasts in person, so we have a sample size greater than one?
My pipe band had one of the many Highland/military regalia merchants from Pakistan embroider ties and hat badges for our uniforms. Everything had a diesel smell to it but it went away within a day. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation as to why.
Cheers,
Aaron
I have one which I like a lot. The bottom notes are a bit off, extending the foot by 1/4"
seems to put it right in tune. I think there made of ebonite which is a hard rubber.
When I got the flute, it did not play great, till’ I replaced the stopper, and cleaned the bore. I dropped mine, and the tenon to the barrel broke right off, super glue fixed it right back. I think there worth the money.
cocusflute, your avatar is funny, are you squeezing a fart? to much cheese
hey, we can all be obnoxious.
eilam.
Hey, I went and looked at the pictures… So, tell me…Where is the foot at? I see the case, the head joint/barrell, the mid section with the threading on both ends but no foot.
???
By the way. How hard is it to remove the keys and post on these anyone?
The keys are really easy to take off, but the posts are done really crudely, and they go right into the bore, so if you take those out, you’ll end up with a bunch of holes. The keys are not in the way, and it’s a great way to get into the simple system flute. The foot and the right hand joint are left assembled, but there is a foot joint.
You could try inserting tape (adhesive facing out) with a dowel into the bore, press tight with the dowel, and fill the holes with epoxy, then peel the tape off and use the dowel with some sandpaper on a drill to clean up the bore?
I knew there were more people around here that had these things. I didnt think about cleaning up the bore. Ill have to look and see how it looks. Mine has been together since I got it. Never have taken it apart except to replace the cork. I never have used the bottom keys in fact I was thinking about removing them. Anyway I`m happy as a clam with mine and of course my next flute will have keys…
I think the value of this flute is in the keys, otherwise one could get an Ed bamboo
for less. I think its a pretty accurate copy of some early flute, too bad the workmanship and material are so poor. The embouchure works really nice as well.
Holy smokes eilam; that flute is one of the most beautiful flutes I`ve ever seen. The one on your web site I mean. My god this is a humbling place. To be in the presants of such talented and gifted people (and people that can spell to) is such a pleasure. Anyway, beautiful work, realy beautiful.
Take care
If anyone is dying to have one of these Eb flutes I’ll pass on my nicely in tune tweaked one for any comparable in value whistle trade, i.e. $75 or so. Or if you want to buy it flat out, let me know. PM me if interested.
Given the other recent thread, Tom, I think you now need to start oiling the Subcontinental Polymer. Yes. Actually, with some kind of exotic oil or something.
Ooooh! Flavored oil! Or maybe you could just use Crisco so it won’t drip out of the flute . . . I know! Butter-flavor Crisco!
