Hi all. I now have two delrin flutes, a Cochran Rudall and a Seery small-hole.
The Cochran has become my “play at home” flute, and the Seery is my “take everywhere and play at red-lights” flute.
Jon’s is definitely the more comfortable of the two. One of the reasons for this is that the edges of the finger holes are rounded off and my fingers just seem to fall into the holes. (The embouchure hole is not rounded, of course.) By comparison, the edges of the holes on the Seery are almost sharp, including the embouchure which bites into my lip.
Would I alter the tuning of the Seery if I were to rub the edges of the holes gently with emory paper or some such ultra-fine grit material?
I would use 400 grit or higher sandpaper to round the sharp edges of the finger holes and the edge of the embouchure hole touching the lip. I don’t think that this would make any significant change in the tuning. Some people like sharp edges on the finger holes because they feel that they are easier to cover. Rounded finger hole edges feel more comfortable to me.
you will be cool-but remember the more you sand ( it would take alot) the harder you need to hold the holes-all you need to sand is enough that splinters are not available---- simulated constant playing is what your looking for
This subject begs another question. I’ve played a Blackwood flute made by the late Dave Williams daily for 15 years, and the three left-hand holes now have definite impressions of my finger tips. My right hand utilises the piper’s grip, so those holes don’t get the “grip” that the left hand does, and therefore show very little “wear”. Anyone else notice this on a flute they’ve played for a long time? I’ve seen many a stone stoop or step worn by centuries of traffic, but never thought the soft flesh of fingertips could wear grenadilla.
Some hardwoods are not as ‘hard’ as the name would suggest. I played an ebony Uilleann chanter for 20 years, after five years a thumb imprint started to appear which over time grew into a definite little hollow. Things wear.