Bamboo headjoints

Irish Flute
1

Does anybody know of the following bamboo headjoints for Boehm flutes? Like, how much they cost, and how they play? I don’t think the eMail I sent to the man who makes them went through.

www.sideblown.com/joint1.html

If there are any other bamboo headjoint makers out there, a link to them would be nice. :laughing:

Thanks

Collin

2

I like the shakuhachi head better. :slight_smile:

How much do one of these cost?
If it is over $50 is there any reason not to buy a Tall grass or other bamboo flute?

Sorry I have questions rather than answers. Good luck.

PS I think the one with the carved lip plate looks nice.[/img]

3

The shakuhachi headjoints do seem pretty cool, but I’ve never played a shakuhachi, and I think it would be kind of awkward to play a flute vertically.

4

This woman doesn’t think so:

Sorry, I’m not adding anything to the discussion with that, I know.

5

Those look pretty cool both of the headjoints.

6

I agree. They’re very pretty. :slight_smile:

7

I wonder if that would be ergonomically better than a normal headjoint.

8

I owned one of those vertical heads. Actually, I found it to be unpleasant. There were so many accessories that putting the thing together and taking it apart took more time than I wanted to spend playing! It made the flute seem heavy, rather than alleviating any strain from regular playing position.

As for the bamboo Boehm heads, I have wondered about them myself. I bet they are great. I’m sure they cost considerably more than simple system bamboo flutes, as they are tapered (for use on a Boehm flute) and require far more precision than a bamboo 6-hole flute.

9

I wonder how he tapers the bore of the headjoint

10

Perhaps he uses some sort of sanding method?

11

Probably the same as on a wooden Boehm head: tapered reamers.

12

It just doesn’t seem like the wall would be thick enough to remove much material. I’ve never really looked at a boehm headjoint…I guess the amount of taper in the bore is very minimal??

13

I just found out that the bamboo headjoints (the horizontal ones) cost at least $1,100. :astonished: :astonished: :astonished: Doesn’t look like I’ll have one anytime soon :laughing: .

14

There’s some more information on Drelinger’s website, with his own design:

http://www.drelinger.com/brochure/uprite_brochure4.htm#brochureTop

Click on the “Parabolic waveguide” link for a better picture. It’s still hard to see what is going on taper-wise. And it certainly looks cumbersome to put together. Another flutist I know owns one, though I typically see her using the transverse module that comes with it rather then the uprite.