I’m one of those annoying people that can’t ask a question without giving my entire life’s story. I tried to paraphrase but it didn’t work.
I was an oboe player for seven years. I guess that means I was either talented or easily intimidated?
I learn in rapid “spurts”, followed by "plateau"s of not really accomplishing anything for a while. I guess some psycologists call that ADD or something, I dunno. Anyway this lead to some really weird relationships between me and my teachers, (or some black all-consuming hatred from both sides, how ever you want to look at it) along with them assuming for a while that I was a genius, then a month later convinced that I was a lazy worthless distraction of a musician.
So specifically, I was sold a resin (plastic) intermediate oboe (fox renard) by my teacher (of 6 years) a month before I got a full oboe scholarship to college. Maybe that was one of those times she thought I was a lazy worthless distraction of a musician or maybe she just needed some cash… the world may never know. After going to college I got to try out a wooden professional quality instrument (Loree) and really immediately felt that I had made the biggest mistake of my musical career by buying an intermediate plastic instrument when I was trying to play in college. I mean, that Loree could sing but my renard could play notes correctly and I was the only one in that part of the school not playing a decent instrument. It was such a striking difference to me that I clearly recall every note I played on the Loree.
By the end of my first semester I had anxiety issues, didn’t want to play particularly in front of ANYONE, had no idea what to do about it but keep trying because it was free school. I had an anxiety attack about playing for my juries (midterm audition kind of thing) so I just kind of got up from my warm up room and walked off (or fled as fast as possible, once again its all perspective) and never touched oboes with an intent to play afterwards. After all that mess I feel comfortable pronouncing my interest in orchestral music to be completely dead. I kind of want to throw up thinking about it, actually.
Anywho after a year of wanting nothing and then some to do with music I started contra dancing, a year of contra dancing and I just now found folk instruments soooo now I’m really wanting to jump into the musicans’ side. It seems so “free” compared to my sad “career” as an oboeist. I made a pvc flute from doug’s site and I LOVE it, the fingerings are so similar to oboe that I have felt like I already know how to play it. I’m also interested in a low whistle, cause they’re just cool looking/sounding but haven’t wanted to spend any amount of money over $10 until I’m sure of how to approach the whole situation.
So I’m now thinking of looking for a good flute but as following my sob story from above I am looking for an instrument that can accomodate my annoying way of learning and growing- playing like a newbie one day then with no warning able to play everything in sight easily and becoming bored. Naturally I’m selling my oboes (which haven’t been touched in 2 years) to finance this and I estimate after I’m done selling that stuff I’ll have a budget of 2k. I aspire to play with my contra group as well as at home with my husband (who is learning guitar) and anyone else I could afford to drive to that would take me because I just miss playing music that bad 
Soooo- expert people, my question is basically after reading all this what would you do if you were me? 
Buy a fiddle..
Slan,
D. 
I have one, strangely enough, but that wasn’t really the reply that I expected.
Reading over my post I find that it doesn’t make as much sense as I thought it did. Apologies 
Just wanted to know where to start and how much to spend while mentioning that I am still irked about being handed a relatively low quality instrument when I had outgrown it years before and thus lead to me walking away from that type of music.
Hey, I guess I could have paraphrased!
Sorry if I came across as flippant, it was not my intention.
Seems to me that you are looking for something that will help you achieve your desire to let what you hear in your heart find it’s way into your fingers. Whistles are cheap and after an hour or two you should be able to knock out a few simple melodies…then you spend the rest of your life trying to master it.
You just gotta let the music find it’s way out of you..forget about what others have achieved in their field..go with the flow.
Not a great answer I know but it’s all I have now..
Slan,
D. 
It’s not a bad answer. I apprechiate your help
$2K will buy you a pretty nice anything: flute whistles, fiddle, beginner’s set of uilleann pipes. You would have to be more specific what you are asking for and then ask on the appropriate forum (whistles, flute, pipes, etc.).
djm
$2,000 would buy you 100 damned fine 10-hole harmonicas. Just think, you could have myriad duplicate keys, low tunings, everything. I have to buy mine by stealing money slowly from my wife’s purse. She counts the notes so it always has to be small change. A low D takes six weeks of this penurious gleaning. Take my advice and buy a hundred harps immediately. PM me and I’ll advise you as to makes and keys. If you choose to ignore this advice, act quickly anyway. Someone will find something “better” to do with your two grand otherwise. 
I could buy a really nice electric guitar for 2 grand. Or a just nice electric guitar and a nice amp.
More appropriate for this forum I suppose you could also buy a really nice acoustic guitar for 2 grand.
You never stop learning with a guitar.
Don’t blow the oboe stash till youre sure what you want.
Spend <10 dollars on a soprano tin whistle, or at most buy a Dixon Delrin low whistle (don’t know what his prices currently range at) until you’re ready to decide.
In folk music there won’t be the same sense of being inferior because you haven’t got an expensive instrument. Review the position after about two years.
One of the things that I really enjoy about ITM music, and I guess about folk music in general, is that you can play some really great music on basic instruments.
It’s about the music, not the instrument.
Beware: I’m only a beginner in this field, but the attitude where the music and the enjoyment are the primary concerns, is refreshing. Grab and whistle/flute/whatever and enjoy yourself.
All the best.
I second the advice for fiddle. I think it, more than any other instrument is a “plateau” instrument. It seems to match your learning style.
If you are asking for specific flute or whistle advice, you should post in the appropriate section. You’ll no doubt get better answers.
Being a flute player and a whistle dabbler, I would recommend a Casey Burns Folk Flute to begin with ($400). Since you have oboe technique, you’ll get up to speed on the fingerings (as you noted) quickly. The embouchure can take awhile, but you may have the talent/the knack to pick up soon. Great thing about a Casey Burns Folk Flute is you’ll be able to sell it for practically the same amount if you decide to go a different route. Also, a real “Irish” flute is based on the great English flute makers designs of the 19th century and are conical, not cylindrical (though in the opposite direction as the oboe, i.e. the headjoint is cylindrical and then tapers conically to the end of the flute). As such, they are much easier, in my opinion, to play compared to a cylindrical PVC flute which has usually very large holes that are spaced far apart. Conical flutes are much more comfortable spacing and are easier to fill.
Check out the Flute Forum here on C&F and do a search for “beginner flute” or something like that and you’ll find lots of advice on a great first instrument.
Another thing about Irish flute is that it’s hard–you won’t get bored and the tone and technique are so interesting. I come from the classical world a long time ago, as well, and had a similar toxic experience; ITM is a great antidote for that poisoning.
Best of luck. Cheers.
Jason
Listen to a whole lot of the music for a few months and figure out which instrument grabs you.
$2000 is more money than you need. I understand from such an emotional experience that your fear is that without a top-quality instrument you’ll be at a disadvantage. In this genre you won’t. You can play top-quality music on a $10 tin whistle no matter how much people will argue to the contrary – don’t listen to them. They’re caught up in trying to use technology to replace the hard work of practice.
The CB Folk Flute is a great idea. I have one of his older models made of mopane. I’ve heard others who are more skilled than I am play the mopane Folk flute side-by-side with an Olwell (which is supposed to be one of the best of the best) and I couldn’t hear a difference.
The new Folk Flutes are made of boxwood. I have one of Casey’s regular boxwood rudall flutes. Boxwood has such a sweet sound. I really love it.
If you are concerned that a beginner flute might be too limiting, you have enough money to buy a more professional model. You can get them for under $2000 and have more than enough instrument to carry you for a long long time. And you have a large choice of makers to choose from.
Now you have too many choices. So get the $10 whistle, learn some tunes, go to sessions and festivals so you can meet people, some of them might let you try out their flutes or at least look at them, you’ll get a better sense what you like and don’t, keep reading online here and soon you’ll know what you want to purchase for real.