Some discussiion has involved Bryan Byrne recently. Bryan is an old friend of mine. He lives in a 19th C. manner in a small town in Vermont, not just in an old house. His small, modest house is on one floor, and rather bare. He doesn’t want much furniture or many rugs on the floor because he wants to hear the flutes better. He is a perfectionist to the extreme. That is why his flutes take so long to finish and deliver. His work is exquisite, which should come as no surprise: he learned a lot about making flutes from his friend Chris Wilkes (n.b., AK).
Bryan is an accomplished potter and a sculptor in clay. He also repairs fiddles and plays them, in addition to making and playing the flute. It is no surprise that it might take a while to get a flute from Bryan. He works alone and has neither apprentice nor co-worker. They are wonderful instruments.
As most of you know, my main flute is an Olwell. This comes in part because of my friendship with Patrick. Bryan’s flutes are more Rudall-like and Patrick’s more Prattenesque. I couldn’t say that one is better than the other. I play either flute when the mood takes me to play one or the other. As Aaron Malcom pointed out, one should have as many flutes as one can afford to have.
Learning to play one of Bryan’s flutes is like learning to play an exceptional fiddle or to drive a sensitive sports car. The technique acquired in mastering the instrument might be longer in coming but you will emerge a very good player at the end of the learning process. And in the meantime, in the process of becoming a good player, you will have a great deal of enjoyment playing the flute and learning how much you can get from the flute in terms of volume, sliding into notes, controlling the pitch, and getting a clear tone.
Good post about good flutes, David.
And may I add that only on the Flute Forum would we be most likely to see the use of the word “anent”. 
Yes, thank you, David, well written, as usual, and an interesting read.
Well, anent was why I wanted to read the post-still had to look it up though to be sure!
I, too, was so happy to see someone using good old “anent.”
me too ! and I have no clue what it means 
but I will in a few minutes 
Anent Eilam: it’s so good to know a fellow who’s willing to look things up.
BTW (& OT) E, the Hoss is ROCKIN’!!! It’s gone all reedy and cool on me lately; I guess it’s the humidity, or else I’ve found an even sweeter sweet spot than I thought it had. Wonders never cease.
Anent Bryan and his flutes . . .
David’s story just confirms the impression I got when I dealt with Bryan back in 2001, when he made a keyless Eb for me (pics on the flute porn thread). I felt like I was dealing with a meticulous, obsessive craftsman. I had a good experience.
Anent his flutes specifically, I think they play quite a bit like the couple of R&R originals I’ve played. Different feel from something like an Olwell Pratten.
Stuart