It cracked through the barrel in transit to me. It is otherwise perfect. I put some cork grease in the crack to plug it temporarily so I could play it and it sounds fantastic. Just as good as other top makers. It needs a crack repair (a fill-in). That shouldn’t cost much (Dave Copley said he’d fill it in for about $50). I paid $900. I will sell it for $750. With the crack repaired, it will be (once again) a top-notch flute.
To clarify, that’s $750 plus shipping ($15 within the US). Since you’d have to have the crack repaired for it to play at its best, I will not take it back. So, in other words, final sale.
Edit: There is a tuning slide, but the crack is more than cosmetic. It is through almost the length of the barrel, and it leaks.
Here’s a picture of the crack…
I have a Cotter flute (mine is keyed), It’s a very good flute, and in a good day it sings with an enormous tone. Not so much of a bark as Hammy’s flutes, but a “larger” sound overall, if this makes sense. It’s not a flute for the timid, demands fairly aggressive playing. The finger stretch is large, actually too large for me to play comfortably, but shouldn’t be a problem if you have long fingers. I’ve seen 2 other Cotters since i got mine, and they were both pretty good too, so i think it’s consistent. The only complaint i have about mine is a slightly veiled first octave E, but this also adds “character”. Mine plays nicely on the 3rd octave too.
Just to say this is probably a very good flute. The crack shouldn’t be a big deal to fix (or just close with some wax/lipstick). I think it may have been just bad luck. I have mine in Chicago, i don’t treat it very nicely, and so far no cracks.
g
Thanks, Glauber. Something else I like about this flute is the shape of the body and holes. It has a graceful (not straight) taper starting at the top of the body and turning into a straight taper by the first hole. Also, the holes are sanded beautifully. It has the character of an antique flute in this way.
Jessie, is it possible to have a picture of the whole
flute? perhas there is one elswhere here. Will
look. Jim
I’d like to see it as well.
Here’s mine:
I’m sorry it’s not a very good picture. But you can see the taper Jessie wrote about.
Thanks, Glauber! 
Hi Jessie, I hope things are going well with your little daughter by the way. Pity about the crack, although looking at the photo and judging by the rings it looks as if the wood has indeed shrunk a deal. Shouldn’t be hard to fix though, wouldn’t Cotter turn out a new barrel?
I hadn’t thought if asking him. I didn’t get the flute directly from him.
I was thinking this too. I don’t see why he wouldn’t. Since the flute is in the US, it may be easier to ask someone in the US, like (just a random name) Skip Healy.
I never understood why barrel cracks affect the sound, since there is a metal sleeve there, but they affect it drastically.
g
The metal sleeve doesn’t line the entire barrel, only the top.
Glauber: What a great flute stand! 
The other keyed Cotter of which you speak must be Erin O"Brien’s, right? If so, I remember selling her that flute about 3 years ago. She dotes on it (and frets over it).
Cotter makes very nice flutes. I love their sound.
It’s sad that the barrel cracked on Jessie’s but certainly not lost. Jessie, why is there a chip at the ring (i saw in the photo) just to the right of the crack? I know Eamonn to be very careful with his finish work and that isn’t his normal sweet touch. Doesn’t look like it would hurt the piece, but for a new flute, you’d think it would be perfect. Probably just a wood flaw of fiber.
I trust it will find a good home soon!
Of course, I could be lying! 
Dave Migoya
American-born, Red-blooded and Darn Proud of It! 
Glauber: What a great flute stand!
The other keyed Cotter of which you speak must be Erin O"Brien’s, right? If so, I remember selling her that flute about 3 years ago. She dotes on it (and frets over it).
Cotter makes very nice flutes. I love their sound.
It’s sad that the barrel cracked on Jessie’s but certainly not lost. Jessie, why is there a chip at the ring (i saw in the photo) just to the right of the crack? I know Eamonn to be very careful with his finish work and that isn’t his normal sweet touch. Doesn’t look like it would hurt the piece, but for a new flute, you’d think it would be perfect. Probably just a wood flaw of fiber.
I trust it will find a good home soon!
Of course, I could be lying!
Dave Migoya
American-born, Red-blooded and Darn Proud of It!
Good question!
Doesn’t look like it would hurt the piece, but for a new flute, you’d think it would be perfect.
I got it used, actually. The seller didn’t mention any of its flaws. I cleaned it up a bit and except for the crack and that minor chip, it’s in tip-top condition. I didn’t reglue the rings, though…I put paper in them to make them snug. That would be easy enough for someone to do, though.
I think the thing to do with loose rings is to use a bit of tissue (like a piece of an old handkerchief, for example) to make them snug. That’s what Terry McGee told mee. There might bee something on his Web site about this (or not!).
(just checked, it’s not)
But the idea is to take the ring off, cover the end of the flute piece with the old handkerchief, gently tap the ring in place over the handkerchief (hopefully it’s snug now), then use an “exacto” knife to cut around the ring on both sides, so in the end you won’t see any tissue. The theory is that the ring is there to protect the wood from pressure from within, and it needs to be snug for that. Ask Terry. 
Yeah, i bought it from this guy in Colorado who used to sell flutes.
Anyway, it is a great stand; i think everybody should have at least one. And it costs a lot less than it looks like it should.
http://home.earthlink.net/~migoya/id47.htm
I use it for my flute, whistles, piccolo, etc. It sure beats leaving the flute on a chair to be sat on, or on a table to get beer spilled on it. It’s very sturdy and stable. I wish it had 3 legs instead of 4, but nothing is perfect, right?