Peter Noy makes flutes with any optional blow edge insert that is harder material than the wood itself. Here’s a pic of an edge in ivory:
Does anyone have a Noy flute with a blow edge insert? How does it affect the sound? Do you find the blow hole less affected by moisture?
Jessie posted some impressions of a Noy with an amber blow-edge, and I asked this question. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the title of the thread, but I bet if you search on amber and boxwood and Noy, you’ll find it before too long.
I played a Noy with a thinned blackwood head and amber blow edge for a week a month or two ago, but I couldn’t comment on any differences, since the other head I had was a Rudall (I believe the alternate blowedge materials are only offered on the Modern cuts since the oval embouchures don’t have enough flat surface to warrant it). One thing I will say is that the thinned heads make a wonderfully blanced flute.
Can’t say that I found any difference in tone between the Noy and T. McGee’s RAF when it was here…but my Noy has a very sharp edge on the insert. I believe this is the reason for the “frequency agility” of this particular flute. The only thing I can think of as an analogy is the degree of oversteer on an automobile. This is definitley very quick to shift. (not just my opinion)…and takes a bit of restraint to control.
Jack, which model McGee was that? His Pratten, Rudall or other?
Do you own a Noy? What options did you have it built with?
It was the US RAF…I believe Pratten…but I’d have to dig into the archives (or Terry’s site) to be sure.
Bought mine on EBay…has the head as shown in the above photo. My daily player…
I worry less about the blow edge with the insert. Wood grain can chip fairly easily, but these materials are less likely to get damaged.
Jack, how many keys does your Noy have? Does the thin head give the flute better balance?
I wonder if McGee does blow hole inserts. He does not say so on his site. For that matter, I wonder if he does lip-plates. I don’t have an allergy to mopane, but who know re: other woods.
Keyless
With the short foot…yes, I think it balances a bit better
I think Terry would do those, if asked..sure
Well, I did email Terry about lip plates, blow edges and bushings. He is not in favor of any of these. His reply is that
a new wood flute with an all-wood embouchure hole should have a sharp edge to start with, so that a blow edge insert would not be beneficial - at least at the start
the airstream keeps the blow edge clear of moisture anyway
wood has a tendency to shift/shrink and adding a metal lip plate, bushing or blow edge insert could cause the wood to crack over time.
If the wood does shift, a protective metal bushing (or ring) for the embouchure hole could cause a “step” to appear in the hole and result in a rough sound quality.
I am not entirely convinced by argument #2. My all-wood CB flute, which is not an antique, benefits from my applying a lip balm to the blow edge regularly to repel moisture. The other points though seem reasonable. Then, the only reason for a lip plate is to avoid a wood allergy/sensitivity? And a blow edge insert/bushing is not a good idea?
Did Terry say why he thinks a new flute should have a sharp edge to the blow hole ? It comes as a shock to me.
Most old fine old flutes I see have, if they work well, have blowholes with the edge relieved. Not new, I know, but aimed at doing the same job, and when the odd one has had a sharp edge softened it has worked better.
But far be it for me to doubt Terry’s expertise ! I would just like to understand a bit better.
I assume because the blow hole is newly cut and has not been used (except by the flutemaker during testing). I think Terry means that a blow edge insert is meant to provide a highly durable sharp edge.
That relates to how the hole can have a sharp edge, not who it should.
Hey, I got to play a Noy for the first time several weeks ago. It was Eilam’s. It’s actually an R&R with a Noy head. I wondered what the white thing on the blow hole was!
BTW – what’s an RAF?
Max
I wonder how Mr Noy’s new head for Eilam’s Rudall & Rose flute compares with the repaired original ?
RAF = Roving Ambassador Flute
I (or this damn computer ) put “who” instead of “why” in the last post, & I can’t seem to edit posts half the time !
You should credit Archbishop Camara with your quotation, David, before the Irish poor come round for your free dinners !
the original head was 27mm and the embouchure 11.7x11, and it plays great and bright, but my personal preference is darker with a more narrow and focused tone, so the head that Peter made for me is 29mm and the embouchure 11.7 x 10.3 mm, which I think is the best embouchure cut for my playing and the tone that I’m looking for, my M&E which I love playing has a very similar head and embouchure cut.
It’s funny because I got the M&E from a C&F member that hated it, I agree that there could be a better cut for a loud session environment ( maybe that the environment that he play in?), but in my case, I like to play expressively and in an environment that the tone on the flute is really heard.
for a loud bright and quick response, I have never played a better Pratten then my ex-McGee.
Regarding #3 : Never mind that metal liner going straight down the length of the headjoint 
As to #4: Indeed, but then the same is true for (once again) fully lined headjoints - I’ve seen quite a few where the wood has shrunk back from the liner, leaving a step where the wood and liner meet 
So what the heck, I say throw a busing on every hole and add a few extra just for kicks 
Honestly, we do Ivory bushings (mostly for recorder thumbholes) all the time, and even when these same instruments come back years later, steps and cracks are…well, I haven’t seen one yet - which is to say I haven’t seen a problem with properly bushed holes after looking over several hundred such treated instruments yet. That’s Ivory bushings though, I have no data for metal bushed instruments or partially inlaid embouchure holes.
Loren