I’m usually mostly a lurker on this board, but felt that I had share my two cents about this… ends up my longest post ever, being not so verbose -
I’ve been looking for a really good bamboo flute for a few years now, ever since my lapse of getting rid of an Olwell bamboo in hard times. There’s something about the tone of bamboo flutes that I find really appealing – not necessarily better than wood, just different – conjures up visions of like dancing forest nymphs …enough said - but anyway, I think I’ve tried pretty much all the talked about bamboo makers I’ve heard from the board - and had just about given up hope of finding another excellent bamboo flute – until now!!
Got an F flute last week from this guy, Barna Gabos in Hungary, and I’m blown away – this plays easily on par with the Olwell that I had, if not better…. great clean response in at least two full octaves, with spot on tuning of all notes. Beautiful intonation, and a very elegant looking flute, with quite dark brown staining, interesting color patterns at the ends. Evidently he’s been making flutes for years, only selling locally… uses similar technique as the bamboo Olwells with the body being cylindrical and having a conical head to achieve clean notes in both octaves.
So I’ve linked a few pictures and a tune played on this F flute – no effects, just recorded with a crappy computer microphone. I asked Barna about starting the very first BRAF flute for Chiffers – a bamboo roving ambassador flute, for all interested to toot on for a few weeks - we’ll see … Tod
wow tod ! you got one, i checked the site and the flutes sound and look great ! was shipping a big factor? got to admit that there is something very appealing in the simplicity of a bamboo flute.
Yea, Eilam … really nicely made flute - shipping from Hungary to Los Angeles wasn’t cheap, like $45 for priority, but for the best bamboo that I’ve played it was well worth it! You know how good bamboo sounds played in a jazzier, more percussive style, ala Brian Finnegan - I can only imagine how awesome Barna’s D key model must be - Tod
As a domestic alternative, I do think Billy Miller’s bamboo flutes are very good. FWIW.
I own (and have owned) some Olwell’s and Miller’s flutes are
in that league. Of the two I think Pat’s are perhaps slightly better,
but Miller’s are first rate. I believe Pat O recommends Miller’s bamboo flutes.
Thanks Jim… I agree Billy Miller makes a good one and probably more economical… but personally don’t find them in the same class as Olwell or now Barna Gabos - and by the way I enjoyed your playing of Bobby Casey’s jig.
They are certainly beautiful flutes and look to be made with exceptionally fine bamboo. I used to make bamboo flutes back in the late 90s and sold them to my local folk music shop for resale…they were not nearly as nice as this. Back then, I had toyed with the idea of adding a copper slide, but worried about it cracking due to the differential rate of expansion/contraction of the metal in bamboo.
Any issues with that? If not, that removes the one complaint many folks about bamboo flutes now that you’ve made one tunable.
Is there a metal socket for the slide to fit into? Just curious…I’m very impressed with your flutes!
I have just received a D flute with tuning slide from Barna and am very happy with it. The dark stained bamboo looks a treat and it plays just as good as it looks. I found the intonation and response of it over both octaves very impressive. Barna is great to deal with and for the price ($280 plus postage) this tunable D flute is really good value. On his his facebook site you can hear this and his other models demonstrated http://www.facebook.com/MarroncitoBambooFlutes
John
I have a new D-flat flute from Barna and I just love it. I’m still getting used to the wider hole-spacing necessary for a D-flat flute, but after two weeks it has become much easier. It sounds great when played at all volume levels, and intonation over two octaves is very good.
Workmanship is gorgeous. It has a brass tuning sleeve. To avoid nodes in the bamboo he attached the foot with a similar sleeve to maintain a smooth, slightly conical bore of around 24 inches.
When you order from Barna he asks for your hole sizing and placement preferences, and he sends you an audio clip of your flute for approval before mailing it out. It took him only a few days to make my flute from blanks he had already prepared, and shipping was swift.
…enough said - but anyway, I think I’ve tried pretty much all the talked about bamboo makers I’ve heard from the board - and had just about given up hope of finding another excellent bamboo flute – until now!!
- Tod