My new Casey Burns Boxwood flute - traditional ergonomic - arrived a few days ago and blew my mind! Wow! What a flute! It played the first octave like it was by itself without my help - well, not really. it enabled me to play softly or with power - a hummmm or a growellllll.
For me, the size of the head joint fit perfectly under my lip and into the chin groove enabling me to push it comfortably of soften it comfortablly. The fingers were so alligned that I felt very comfortable with my left hand fintertip grip and my right hand piper’s grip.
My wife, who knows next to nothing about what an Irish flue should sound like, commented, “Wow, so mellow - full and rich!” - and that was on the second run only!
Problem: I can only play it a few minutes at a time and only about an hour or so a day during the break in period. What a bummer!
Bill - Congratulations. I’ve had the pleasure of playing a Burns boxwood (ergonomic Rudall model, left handed, http://www.caseyburnsflutes.com/catalog.php ) for about a year. Nice instruments.
Sounds fantasic Bill - congrats! I’ve only spent a couple hours on a Burns Boxwood flute awhile back, and was impressed with the tone as well (and that was at the very early stages of my foray into flutes ), I’m sure with a developed embouchure it would have been very much more impressive.
Bill, could you post pictures?
Last year I heard someone play a boxwood flute made by Tom Aebi and the sound was fantastic, very warm. I would really like to have one myself.
Thats a beautiful looking Flute you have there Bill.I just LOVE the look of Boxwood,and it just gets better with age-I really drool over the colour of antique Boxwood instruments,where they take on that mellow Orangey hue.Can anyone tell me how long it takes instruments to take on this colour?Does it vary a lot,depending upon the source of the wood?
Anyway,you certainly have a ‘keeper’ there-thanks for sharing it with us!
I agree Kevin, Box really does look great, especially with that ‘tiger-striping’ in the grain. Some box flute’s grain is so fine it’s looks like butter.
I’ve heard many makers mention a nitric acid stain for boxwood - I’ve probably seen this before and just didn’t know what I was looking at. Does anyone have a picture of an acid stained boxwood flute?
Ooh, I’m so jealous! chuckle Thanks for posting, Bill! I played a Casey Burns blackwood briefly, and it was sooo lovely I wanted to take it home! sigh You’re right, it almost seems like it plays itself!
-Tried a fine Burns Eb boxwood flute at Dusty Strings last week in Seattle-very nice indeed with wonderful tone & tuning and light weight. -High octave seems easier to produce than on my Burns D blackwood flute, likely the result of smaller bore volume. This one is first on my list if an Eb purchase is made. They also had a nice looking Burns D boxwood flute with rings & slide I didn’t try as my Burns D blackwood flute is doing fine. -Nice to have a local maker making such nice instruments.
