I’ve been a musician all my life (mainly bass guitar and upright bass) and played flute “on the side” – it was my first instrument. I’ve begun playing Irish tunes on my Yamaha concert flute and a Dixon whistle. Now I’m looking at getting one of Doug Tipples’ PVC flutes. I once owned a Seery Irish flute, keyless, but found I didn’t stick with it. Tipples’ flutes are cylindrical, which I think might make the transition easier, but I’m wondering which of the many options offered is most appropriate for someone used to playing a concert flute. Any suggestions?
lip plate & wedge (I’d say that anyhow…)
ya might want an offset G
Hello Hot Lips Hooligan, welcome to the flute forum, where, if you stay around long enough, you will learn more than you need to know about flutes and many other things. I am sorry to inform you that the fact that my flutes are cylindrical will not make the transition from the concert Boehm flute to to simple system flute any easier, at least, I don’t think so. I play both concert flutes and Irish flutes, and I don’t find the transition between the two that difficult, but I have been doing it for awhile. I think that’s it; it takes time to get the feel for a new instrument, especially if the fingering is different. So I will let others recommend what they think is best for you at this point. Regarding my flutes, of course I recommend my best and most expensive model. Denny is right. Get the lip plate and the wedge. I also recommend the oval embouchure.
if ya keep reminding me that you’ve more than one embouchure long enough…
I might remember some day 
If you can spend enough, Terry McGee can make flutes with a rounded rectangle emb. hole, and also cylindrical (bohem) body…
Thanks for the advice. I had a Seery delrin model, and I found it tough (although I regret selling it, now that I’m caught up in playing trad again). Wedge, offset G and oval embrouchure all sound good to me – I was thinking along those lines. I am planning to get one of Mr. tipple’s flutes, as I’m on a budget, and I need to get my chops up before I plunge in further. Thanks to all!
The seery is a very good flute, in my opinion, and it did take some doing to get used to the embouchure.
It may not be the best way to get up and running. So you may have an easier time with another flute.
I like the chimney height on my Tipple, so the lip plate is essential. The wedge eliminates a whole host of tuning/intonation problems right out of the box that you won’t want to have to deal with.
Doug’s flutes are easy to ‘fill’ and ‘drive’. I prefer a more modern style embouchure than the oval, but that’s just me. My prejudice is that when you’ve hammered your chops into proper shape you should be able to get almost any tonal color you want regardless of embouchure shape (provided it’s not a total loser!). The rant could go on. . .
I think Denny’s right about the offset 'G
Just my tu’pence worth from playing Boehm,Tipple,Dixon Delrin and a fine copy of a Prowse six key flute by Serov.
Cheers,
Bob
Another option which is a natural for Boehm flute players is to get a thumb hole added for C Natural. It is important that it is in the correct radial position, i.e. not 180° opposite the main row of holes, but about 120° round from them on the side of the flute facing you. (Works for me…) Alternatively, get the flute first, and see where your thumb sits, then get the hole added. With the hole, Csharp and CNat work as on the Boehm flute, giving you one less thing to worry about when getting started.
Acoustically it is the same as a keyed hole for the same note, which is standard on most keyed flutes. And it is cheaper. And when it is shut, the flute behaves just like a standard flute.
Disadvantages (and these are all problems for later…) are:
a. Piper’s grip on the left hand is pretty much impossible with it. But if you are a long time Boehm player then you would probably never even think of trying piper’s grip anyway…
b. Pressing a bflat thumb key while holding a hole shut doesn’t really work, so you would need a flute with a right hand bflat touch - this limits your choice in second hand flutes quite drastically.
c. Although modifying any modern flute is ethically ok, should you ever want to play an antique flute then you really shouldn’t drill extra holes in it. So at the latest, at that point you would have to learn to use the cross fingerings/right hand CNat key.
d. Picking up other people’s flutes will require that you can play CNat in the normal ways without the thumb hole.
And, there are times where the cross fingered CNats are better anyway, e.g. the B-CNat-D triplet which keeps cropping up.
Also, I personally would not want a rounded rectangle embouchure - When I play my wooden flutes I am looking for something different to my Boehm flute. So I have traditionalish embouchure holes (improved elliptical from Terry McGee and whatever Forbes Christie cut on my Windward - which is so far from a simple geometrical chimney that I can’t even begin to describe it.)
And otherwise, I would agree that if you are getting a Tipple then get Doug’s best model, i.e. with lip plate and wedge. Some kind of offsetting on the finger holes (esp G) might be useful, but I wouldn’t make a big issue of that unless I had problems holding the flute otherwise. It’s not as if they’re expensive, even with all the bells and whistles!
I know it’s not orthodox but there are several very good Boehm Irish flute players (Madden, Rice, etc). You don’t necessarily need to leave the silver flute to play in an Irish style. Brian McCoy has an instructional CD on the subject.
<put’s on flame retardant suit>
But if you really want that sound, conical is the way to go. I found that only having played silver before, the Forbes Pratten played effortlessly in the lower registers for me. It took a while for me to get a sweeter upper register, though, and it still can sound airy if I’m not careful. YMMV.
“Hotlips hooligan” is a great login. Bravo!
Yes, I have lousy login names most places, but here I came up with something not so lame. The Forbes looks great, but do you know if it has an oval embrouchure? I can’t tell from the pics…
there is a wee straight (or real close to straight) spot in the center
like two 3/8" circles 1/8" apart
The generic term oval can take in a lot of territory. The embouchure that Denny has described (two semicircles oval) is the same oval embouchure that I am cutting. I use a 3/8" end mill in my drill press, and I control the small lateral cut (~ 2 mm) with an X-Y vise table. It makes for a nice looking and a nice playing embouchure. Of course, what we are talking about here is only the outside shape of the embouchure hole.
I tried gettin’ inside to measure from there…
need a much bigger flute 
Dave Copley offers a rounded rectange embouchure on his delrin flutes.
Jay
I believe elliptical and squared ellipse can be had for both wood and delrin, specify if you want one or the other.
Just received my delrin from Dave today - I got an elliptical embouchure and a C-nat thumbhole. He offers both at no additional charge. I like the elliptical better than the squared, actually. I used to have another Copley delrin (with a squared embouchure) a short time ago but sold it to fund another flute - long story. Both embouchures are great, but I personally like the elliptical better. Dave is super to deal with, BTW (yes, Dave, I know you’re probably reading this - don’t get a big head!).
“squared” = “rounded rectangle”