I’ve decided to take up the flute, and basically I’ve to make a decision between a rosewood and a blackwood flute.(Mind you it’s not African blackwood) Has anyone any opinions on the effect on tone each has. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
So if it’s not African blackwood, what is it?
We usually use blackwood very specifically for Dalbergia melanoxylon, which is African blackwood.
Stuart
It’s just a different type of blackwood I guess. Bear with me…I don’t know a lot about wood. Like, is there gonna be a vast difference in tone between the rosewood and whatever the other wood is. See, I can’t play them, and I don’t know anyone else who can play,so i’m kinda in a bind. I understand it’s practically impossible for you to tell the difference between two flutes you’ve never seen or haerd for that matter. Just a rough guide will do me. Thanx
I’m honestly not trying to be difficult, but without knowing more about the woods, it would be hard to answer. Blackwood isn’t used as a general term, usually, with instrument timbers. Rosewood, however, is REALLY general. Lots and lots of timbers are rosewoods.
What’s the source of the instruments in question? Who made them? We might be able to help more with a little information.
That’s not the royal ‘we’, I just mean I think other folks would want more information too.
Stuart
On 2003-02-19 07:07, Vansen wrote:
It’s just a different type of blackwood I guess. Bear with me…I don’t know a lot about wood. Like, is there gonna be a vast difference in tone between the rosewood and whatever the other wood is. See, I can’t play them, and I don’t know anyone else who can play,so i’m kinda in a bind. I understand it’s practically impossible for you to tell the difference between two flutes you’ve never seen or haerd for that matter. Just a rough guide will do me. Thanx
I’d just like to caution that the only time I see flutes both available in rosewood and blackwood, are those Pakistani horrors sold new on eBay. Stay away. Get a flute player to help in youor selection.
Kevin Krell
My advice would to be to choose the style of flute (ie…Pratten vs Rudall-Rose etc.)first, then choose a maker and, lastly, talk with that maker about the materials.
If your an environmentalist type why not try a polymer flute to tie you over while you wait for your wooden flute to be made. Most of the decent makers have waiting lists.
There are three good makers of polymer flutes Dixon, M&E and Seery. I have owned both The dixon and the M&E (a Rudall Rose model) and would vouch for either. I can’t speak personally for the Seery but many have posted glowingly about them. Do a search if you’re interested.
Another option that would save a blackwood tree until you’ve found a worthy maker is a bamboo flute by famed flute maker Patrick Olwell. They are absolutely astonishingly good (I own three D, Eb and F).
Even if you progress to a blackwood flute later you’ll likely keep the polymer or bamboo tooters for travel flutes or for quickies (nothing worse than having to break down and swab a flute you’ve only been playing for five minutes.)
I have a blackwood flute too and love it. I’ve never tried Rosewood.
Doc
They have a different sound;
blackwood is more popular.
Also I think it’s more
stable. If you have no
preference, then blackwood
is probably the best choice,
other things being equal.
I was recently reading an article by a flute maker about different types of woods. He believes that rosewood is too light to produce a good flute (mine is made of rosewood). He said that a good flute should be made out of Blackwood or English Boxwood. I can’t say that I love my flute and when I buy my new one, it will be blackwood. That being said however, I wouldn’t jump in and buy an expensive flute off the bat. It’s better to buy a less expensive flute and make sure you like playing it before you spend hundreds of dollars. Good Luck!
If you are truly just starting out on the flute, I would seriously advise that you start with one of the polymer flutes by M&E, Seery, or Dixon. Each of these is an excellent flute on which to build your embouchure, fingering, and breath control. By the time that you get proficient with one of these beauties you will be able to appreciate the differences among blackwood, rosewood, or other woods, such as cocus, red lancewood, etc. in addition to many other important subjects re. purchasing a good flute suited to your playing.
With the polymer flutes, you get good to excellent sounding flutes for a relative pittance and avoid an early flute disaster.
I would also agree on the polymer issue. I bought a poor blackwood flute when I didn’t know ant better and frequently struggled to get a good sound - with the result that I didn’t play as often as I should and was robbed of my enthusiasm by the (lack of) playability of the instrument.
I recently picked up a Dixon polymer and have played more in the last 4 weeks than the last 4 years. The result is that I have my enthusiasm back and I feel I am better placed to make an informed decision on a new wooden flute.
If I had to advise anyone on a first instrument now, it would definately be polymer. IMHO it’s the only route to go if you’re a beginner and/or on a budget.
Cheers
Graham
Thanks a million to you all for all your suggestions and advice. Will get back to you when I get the new flute. I’ll probably go for the M+E Rudall and Rose model. I’ll get my girlfriend to call up to Michael Cronnolly at the weekend as she only lives down the road.
Thanks again
Vansen
Good thinking Vansen. 
I think you’ll love the M&E R&R.
Doc
I may be wrong (doubt it), but aren’t many plastics and “polymers” made from petroleum products? And isn’t one of the largest dangers to our environmental safety, after SUV’s and biological and chemical weapons, oil fields? And was there not recently a large oil spill in the Alaskan wilderness caused by some yahoo with a rifle shooting the pipeline several times? If so, why would those who are buying the plastic flutes posture or even think that they are doing the environment any good? huh?
On 2003-02-20 14:35, piper7 wrote:
I may be wrong (doubt it), but aren’t many plastics and “polymers” made from petroleum products? And isn’t one of the largest dangers to our environmental safety, after SUV’s and biological and chemical weapons, oil fields? And was there not recently a large oil spill in the Alaskan wilderness caused by some yahoo with a rifle shooting the pipeline several times? If so, why would those who are buying the plastic flutes posture or even think that they are doing the environment any good? huh?
So, you are against blackwood cutting for flutes, now you are against polymer as well. So basically according to everything I’ve read from you, we should only use it for instruments if it falls over naturally, and eat it if it falls off the tree or dies of natural causes?
Or is your main enjoyment in life just being a contrary SOB?
Aodhan
Now Aodhan, calling me names is not going to win me over to your side. You know that. I do not swoon over flattery, but if your cute, maybe… I’m not sure I gave the impression that I am against using blackwood for flutes. Not sure wereha you got that idea. I think blackwood is great for flutes. I say bring on the blackwood, or soft maple. With something similar to the genome project but in botany I think we could certainly engineer the right genertics and conditions to grow backwood. This would be far better than wringing our hands and trying to placate savageing who kill crimates for the dinner table. How hard could it be to figure out a planet. Once again, if we want blackwood we’ll find a way to get it comfortably.
[ This Message was edited by: piper7 on 2003-02-20 15:03 ]
[ This Message was edited by: piper7 on 2003-02-20 18:11 ]
A phiobaire a seacht, mo charaid:
Still a fox in the chicken coop, eh?
N, tsk, tsk
Look at it this way Piper; the more petroleum we use making flutes the less will be available to spill, or burn and cause air pollution.
Also, if we could convince enough others to do their conservationist duty and play a polymer flute then there would be less petroleum to make all the plastic parts used in the construction of those rascally Earth-threatening SUVs. In fact if everybody started playing polymer flutes the cost of making Anything else out of plastic would be prohibitive and we could go back to living in tepees. Then the Earth would be a better and happier place.
Hmmm, I think I’ll go play some tunes on my blackwood flute. 
Doc
It just occurred to me that recycled polymers could possibly play a role here, although I have no experience in the industry…if clothing and deck timbers, for example, can be so readily made from recycled materials, why not instruments? Sustainable delrin, anyone?
N, ???
On 2003-02-20 14:35, piper7 wrote:
I may be wrong (doubt it), but aren’t many plastics and “polymers” made from petroleum products? And isn’t one of the largest dangers to our environmental safety, after SUV’s and biological and chemical weapons, oil fields? And was there not recently a large oil spill in the Alaskan wilderness caused by some yahoo with a rifle shooting the pipeline several times? If so, why would those who are buying the plastic flutes posture or even think that they are doing the environment any good? huh?
While there are a lot of plastics that are based in petroleum, Delrin (The polymer used in Seery and M&E flutes) is an artificial resin developed by Dupont using formaldehyde as a base.
Formaldehyde is a normal byproduct of cellular respiration, and is only dangerous in cases of overexposure over time to improperly sealed substances (Such as old urea-formaldehyde based insulations).
So, while you are correct that petroleum and its byproducts can harm the environment when improperly handled, you are wrong in that Delrin flutes are contributing.
Aodhan
“Look at it this way Piper; the more petroleum we use making flutes the less will be available to spill, or burn and cause air pollution.”
That’s absolutely brilliant Doc. Why did I not think of that? Hmmm. (Shuddering to think that you may be a real doc).