are they still based in Boston?
Thanks eilam, but now I have one more problem: what’s “tick-tack-to queen”? And I still don’t know what XO contains.
Something they didn’t teach us at school. 
Bart
XOXO is hugs and kisses, typical use is at the end of a letter or, in modern times, email or BB message.
Tick-tack-toe is the little game played on a 3-by-3 grid with x’s and o’s.
Thanks chas, the game is called “Boter-Kaas en Eieren” (butter-cheese and egs) overhere.
And thanks Cathy 
Bart
Yes, they are still based here in Boston. Well, I haven’t been to the shop to confirm, since they don’t seem to be hiring, but, I’ll take their word for it on the website 
Apparently Haynes was bought in 2004, it’ll be interesting to see what happens with the company in coming years. I’ll be surprised if Eastman doesn’t use Haynes as launching point, in some way or another, for a mass produced, far less expensive line of flutes. Which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, as the other inexpensive instruments they turn out seem to be good instruments for the money. Seriously though, Haynes would appear to be a bit of a loss-leader at this point, I can’t imagine it’s particularly profitable, considering what their payroll and other expenses must be.
Loren
Whoops, seems they’re way ahead of me:
http://www.eastmanstrings.com/amadeusflutes/amadeus.html
"Wm.S.Haynes Company presents Amadeus by Haynes: an artist quality flute in an accessible price range.
Designed by Haynes, Amadeus is handcrafted of sterling silver in the Haynes Beijing workshop, and handadjusted by Haynes flutemakers in the United States."
No doubt this was the main reason for Eastman to purchase Haynes - not for the designing (they could have hired someone to do that) but to be able to lend the name of Haynes to the Chinese flute line.
Loren
that explains a lot. I saw some of those at a conference type thingy a while ago and tried playing one and was not particularly impressed (though for top end student flutes, they’d be fine, that’s just not what Haynes is known for).
anyways… I gave up classical for a reason. I’ll stop getting OT now 
cheers,
Sara
Amen!
Wow, Haynes becoming a leverage or “essence” brand. Well, I suppose it was going to happen sooner or later, sort of like Daimler-Chrysler.
Sad, though. I mean, it’s good the pundits think there’s going to be sufficient market for all these gazillions of flutes – i.e., more flute players on the planet 
– but I hate seeing a long-time hallmark of excellence in the position where it needs to be rescued.
Sorry, Bart, for making you blush. If it helps, it was a general XO to everyone, 'cos I so love you all!
So does anyone out there have a Mateki? I …
Oh, wait, never mind. I gave that nonsense up, right?
Quite allright Cathy, that makes you an even nicer person.
Allthough I love my M&E far more than my Muramatsu (and play the first one a lot more) I don’t think it’s about nonsense, allthough you’re free to give up anything you want. Isn’t that nice of me?
Some students of mine have a Mateki, it maybe hard for you all overthere to read but here in the Europe swamps we’re quite satisfied with Japanese flutes (resembles more the French way of doing things and reminds us of the old days when French flautists ruled the world )
Some weeks ago I tried three Japs with a student, we both sat backwards as one or the other played. The Sankyo was the glorious winner, Mura was fine and Mateki had no chance. Sankyo was the only silverplated flute, the other two had more ore less silver in them (headjoint versus completely silver).
Now Loren, before you get mad at me again (I always shiver when entering this forum 
) I do want to state that there was only one specimen of those three flutes.
Not really a scientific test I suppose?
Bart
Please forgive this, because i know you mean no harm. Americans
of my generation sometimes cringe at ‘Japs,’ because during
WWII it was a not nice way of referring to Japanese, as in
the slogan “Kill Japs!” People of Japanese descent also
tend to cringe. Might you humor an old man about this please?
At my university we took ‘Jap’ out of our curriculum as
a code for courses in the Japanese language and substituted
‘Japn,’ for this reason. Another word, si vous plait…
You needn’t worry Bart, I’d have to actually care about you, before I could get mad at you.
Hope that makes you feel better.
Loren
P.S. “Japs” only refers to Jalepeno peppers over here. Surprising that we might be more culturally sensitive…but then, if you prefer French flutes…well, what can I say
Hey, thanks for the insight. I was given a Mateki (long story involving my sweetheart’s mild addiction to pawn shops) last year, and while I don’t play it much – the occasional wedding or piece with local mandolin orchestra, etc. – it’s nonetheless quite an improvement over my old 80-B warhorse in most areas. But it doesn’t seem like Matekis are played much over here, so I’m curious about them.
Of course, this is TOTALLY dating myself, but I remember when Muramatsus first came out and how everybody was leery of THEM …
I’m very, truly sorry.
As you said, I meant no harm, but that’s not good enough since I should have been aware of this, allthough the term ‘Japs’ isn’t that loaded in Dutch.
But we’re not writing in Dutch, thank you for reminding me.
Bart
Oh dear, we are of the same age, aren’t we?
I was one of those to buy the first Muramatsu in the Netherlands (1975), you could get them everywhere, recordshop, greengrocer, you name it. They where all of the same standard and that made a lot of the older flute-players (old at that time I mean) suspicious, because the flutes they bought were very unpredictable and thus they had a ‘soul’ of their own.
What I like about my worn-out Mura is that I’m the boss, not he (or is it she?).
Bart
Please don’t be sorry. Nothing could be more plain than
that you meant no harm.
‘JAP’ in the USA also sometimes means ‘Jewish American Princess.’
That’s meant to be humorous but probably the word is
best avoided, I feel.
It does Loren, since I know you’ll never care about me.
So let’s get back to boxwood then.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… 
Bart
True, thanks again.