Greetings all, seeking advice here as a piper with too much time on his hands 
I’ve been playing around with the idea of a getting going on a flute, but I dont feel like spending a small fortune on one. I’ve been looking at two in the cheaper price range mainly the Casey Burns Folk flute and the Tony Dixon 3 piece conical. I kinda like the idea of the polymer for the sake of the humidity here…any advice? My budget here is going to be around the $300 dollar mark.
Thanks in advance guys ( and gals )
Pol.
Hi pol
Have a tony dixon 3 piece myself and it would keep you busy for a while, if you like the polymer idea because of humidity in japan…it is a very good flute to learn on, very easy to fill and easy to care for, of course.
Tony dixon has a very good customer service also, can vouch for that!
Cannot tell anything on the burns, the folk flute gets good reviews on the forum (do a search, using the search function and choose the flute forum, and type burns or folkflute) nicely finished, also easy to play and good learner but this is a wooden one…
Whatever you choose, would be a good one but personally I think the dixon would suit your needs best for now.
warmest greetings
berti
Casey Burns
I’ve owned both and favor CBs.
It’s a solid flute and will stand up fine.
Definitely the Burns. I’ve played both, and the wooden Burns is much nicer. It has a great sound for the price.
I haven’t played a folk flute, but my regular flute is a Burns, and if the folk flute is anything like it(which I’m sure it is), that’s what I’d recommend too. I tried out a Dixon 3 piece once, and it seemed fairly nice, but I’d still say the Burns.
I recently picked up a Dixon Rosewood 3 piece and certainly have no regrets, I think its superb. However, the one I got was one of his seconds as his Logo on the flute body was messed up so he gave me a very good deal which I’m eternally grateful for. He also told me that he had stopped making the Rosewood flutes and was concentrating on the Polymers. I think he should continue making the Rosewood flutes as they are very good. It might be worth calling him to see if he can do anything for you!
Cheers
Pkev
Help me out ta little here guys…any one point me to some sound files? Thanks.
Pol.
Hey Pol,
You can listen to sound files of various flutes, posted by various players here: http://tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/flute.html .
I recall there are numerous tunes played on CB Folk Flutes and a few on Dixons.
Best of Luck!
Jordan
I’ve played both Tony’s polymer 3 piece and an ebony 3 piece - I much preferred the ebony. I did own a polymer 3 piece several years ago (when I was new to the irish flute), but I know Tony has worked on improving his design since then including adding a vented foot joint (may be a special order).
Eric
Waaaaaaaaa my head is buzzing now…which to choose!!!
Ok I am leaning towards the Dixon now, basically because of the tunability. It gets very hot and humid here in the summers (and freezes in the winter) so…the lack of the tuning slide is pushing me from the Burns. Comments please!
hi the dixon has no tuning slide either but that doesn’t mean you cannot tune it…there is room enough to pull the head out for a bit, I do mine with pulled it out slightly under 1/2 inch.
still find it a good starter flute myself and indeed easy to care for…but would recommend you consider the vented foot type.
greetings
berti
Ok…so what difference does the vented end make?
Patrick Olwell (on his flutes at least) has said the vented foot improves upper octave tuning. I’ve heard other folks say it makes the flute louder or improves the low D (I current have a seery with a vented foot, a sweetheart with the short foot, and the Seery is better in the upper octave but their both equally as loud).
Eric
I don’t think its humidity that cracks wood but dryness.
Yeah, I’ll second what Talasiga said. Humidity=happy flute.
Eric
bouli,
please check your pm’s.
I don’t know that there’s consensus on that – I’ve heard many different versions of why a vented foot is good (as you have, evidently). It seems like each story is a little different from the others, which may mean that there are a lot of subtle differences (not necessarily improvements), or that it’s all bunk. The most believable in my book is that it makes the D more like the other notes, but some of my flutes with long feet have a really delicious difference in the notes, esp. the D and E.
Most keyless flutemakers make a vented foot these days, but some do not. Glenn Schultz didn’t, and Peter Noy’s keyless flutes don’t have the long flute. Neither of these is known as a barker, although the Schultz does pretty well in my book and plays very well up to at least the third-octave A (except for the damn 3rd E, which I can’t get in tune on any flute – any suggestions?). Both are real quality instruments, though, and I wouldn’t dismiss short feet because these flutes without them are so good. Don’t forget that Rudall six-keys had short feet, at least the couple that I’ve tried.