Another Dixon review

Irish Flute
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Just got my new Dixon 3-piece polymer keyless yesterday, from Whistle and Drum (great service and great price, by the way; I’ll do business with them again).

First impressions:

Solidly constructed – heavy, too!. Fine attention to finish, especially considering the price. Cork-wrapped tenons, thread-wrapped stopper in the headpiece (adjustable). No tuning slide, but the tenons and stopper allow for tuning. Brass (or something like it) rings at the joints, for looks. Doesn’t look like wood, but isn’t ugly, either.

Bore, embouchure, and toneholes all well-finished and smooth. Toneholes a bit sharp-edged, which is fine with me.

Sounds very nice; easy to fill, requires a fairly focussed embouchure, but isn’t totally unforgiving; probably good lip training, as it’s not quite as forgiving as the bamboo I have, especially as I get tired. Takes some experimentation to get that reedy sound, but it does it. In tune through two octaves (haven’t taken it up into the third, really), and capable of good dynamic range. The sound is pretty damned close to wood, and better than that of the wooden flutes I played recently at Lark in the Morning (C. Burns, some other makes). Loud enough for a moderately noisy session, I’d say.

I’m guessing this is Tony’s own design? It’s not a Pratten, for sure, and isn’t quite like the R&R flutes I’ve seen (thought the couple I’ve seen were fairly different from each other, too). The tone gets quite fuzzy as condensation builds up in the bore, but a quick shake and you’re back in business. Delrin really accumulates moisture quickly, though, in comparison to bamboo. . .

This conical flute is much easier on the fingers than the bamboo D I have, and it took a few minutes to get used to the fact that there was less adjusting necessary to get some notes in tune.

I’m very happy with the thing, and would recommend it (and Whistle and Drum’s service) to anyone else looking for an entry level or knock-around instrument.

Now to get on a waiting list. Hammy? Copley? Olwell? Lehart? Noy? Ah, choices. . .

–Aaron

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I’m so jealous, but I appreciate another positive review for the Dixon 3 piece. I’m waiting for mine to come in at The Whistle Shop. It’s only been 3 weeks, but it feels like 3 years…

I have yet to hear a bad review for the Dixon, and based upon your review I’ll be getting exactly what I hoped for in my 1st conical bore flute!

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Yes, a very good place to start.

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On 2003-01-29 13:51, Jayhawk wrote:
I’m so jealous, but I appreciate another positive review for the Dixon 3 piece. I’m waiting for mine to come in at The Whistle Shop. It’s only been 3 weeks, but it feels like 3 years…

I have yet to hear a bad review for the Dixon, and based upon your review I’ll be getting exactly what I hoped for in my 1st conical bore flute!

I think I may have beat you out for the last one Thom had Jay, Sorry. (sorry I got the last one, not sorry I got it) I got mine from him a little over 3 weeks ago. I brought it to my tin whistle class last week and I have to tell you, it sounds great when Bill Ochs plays it! I can make rythmic noises at this point and can do some simple ballads :slight_smile: I’ll probably be starting flute classes with Bill in 2 more months or so, after this whistle class is over, but he said it is very acceptable to learn on. He still is pushing me to get a Olwell though.
-Jim

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Jim - Actually, I know you didn’t beat me to the last one. I called Thom last week, and he said I was number 2 {now that I think of it…that’s a bad thing to call someone, isn’t it :wink: } on the Dixon waiting list. So whoever is #1 is the one you beat to the last one.

He also told me he didn’t know how many flutes were coming in the expected Dixon order, so if only 1 came in I’d have to wait longer.

I hate to be a pest, but I’m dying to call Thom again this week to see if I should expect another 2-3 weeks more for another shipment or not.

Anyone who knows Thom care to provide any advice here? Should I call or just wait? How do you folks wait on lists for a flute that’s several years long?

Thanks!

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On 2003-01-29 14:43, Jim_B1 wrote:

I think I may have beat you out for the last one Thom had Jay, Sorry. (sorry I got the last one, not sorry I got it) I got mine from him a little over 3 weeks ago. I brought it to my tin whistle class last week and I have to tell you, it sounds great when Bill Ochs plays it! I can make rythmic noises at this point and can do some simple ballads > :slight_smile: > I’ll probably be starting flute classes with Bill in 2 more months or so, after this whistle class is over, but he said it is very acceptable to learn on. He still is pushing me to get a Olwell though.
-Jim

I’m also one of Bill’s students, and I’m using the Dixon. Bill can get great noises out of a Dixon - but man, wait till you get a private lesson, and you get to hear his Olwell side by side with your Dixon.

I’m on the list for one of those Olwells, and especially after getting to listen to Bill play his, I’m just dying of anticipation.

I really love my Dixon, and when I’m playing it by myself, I really think it sounds great. But when you hear it side by side with a truly great flute, you realize just what you’re missing. That’s not a criticism of the Dixon by any means - it’s a <$200 flute, and for that, it’s a downright spectacular instrument.

But wait’ll you hear Bill’s Olwell. It’ll sell you on waiting for Patrick.

-Mark

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Hi Mark,
Nice to hear from you. Man, I almost don’t want to hear the Olwell now, I really can’t afford it at this point (trying to save for a house) Darn FLoa and WHoa, glad I like cheap whistles at any rate :slight_smile:

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I’ve been reading this board for a good while now and thought it was time to chip in. I rediscovered my flute (old and English, that’s all I know), some months ago and have been playing alot since then. I was never overly friendly with that flute since it exhibited all the usual attributes of its type - flat low D, when you can get it, sharp B etc. Added to this, however, a previously repaired crack in the headjoint has opened up in a big way.

I saw a second hand Dixon 3 piece polymer for sale and just got it for the princly sum of £100. It arrived yesterday and I spent a good 2 hours beating it into submission (far longer than I would ever have lasted with my current flute).

I know that initial impressions are often misleading and that a 6-month review is often a better judge of a flute’s charecter, but I am very impressed with the Dixon on a first play.

The first thing that struck me was the solid nature of the low F,E and D. Rolls on E and Cranns on D pop out of the flute. The higher register above G takes a bit more work but that may just be a slight alteration
to my lips required (no, not cosmetic surgery!)

It’s not a wooden flute and shouldn’t be mistaken as an alternative, but it will certainly maintain my enthusiasm for playing and serve me until I get a new wooden one (I fear my old one is destined for ebay and Mr Ormiston, who stays about 10 miles from me, will be benefitting from a good chunk of my salary)

I hope the above is of some use to any potential Dixon customers.

Cheers

Graham