Hello Chiffers,
Am noticing a lot of for sale posts in this forum (Folks, please use the Used Instrument Exchange instead perhaps? Its there for this purpose). Am noticing something unusual with Folk Flute orders. Usually these cluster around the end or beginning of the month paydays. Well this time (last week of October and first week of November) it has been quiet. I have picked up a few other orders. It used to be that the pace of orders coming in matched what was reported about the economy a few months hence. If so, this is kind of an ominous sign. Gas prices are falling so one would think people have more money. But I think they are falling due to the recognition that you can only squeeze so much blood out of the collective turnip…
I am working on some exciting new ideas for 2015 offerings. One of these is what I will call my “Traditional Flute Combo”. This is similar in concept to my Low Combo flutes but will be centered on my D flutes. Basically the core flute will be in D. And then additional middle joints will be provided in Eb and E, as well as C. So one will be able to use the native 6 holed fingering easily in these keys: D/G, Eb/Ab, E/A, C/F. An additional key on one of the bodies and this combo allows one to play in all keys up to four flats and sharps. Currently I am done designing the Eb and E bodies, and am working on the design for the C. The slightly larger bore in my head joints will give a lot of punch to the C.
The other thing I am doing now again are bagpipes! The last few years I’ve been somewhat artistically frustrated making only endless batches of Folk Flutes and the occasional other flute. In the spring I raised my prices in part to slow business down and allow me more flexibility and time in what I make. My friend Ian commissioned a pair of mouth blown French bagpipes using chanters I had made for another set in the 1990s. On these sets the old chanters are mounted in alternative ivory. The new sets feature inlays of French boxwood and one of the sets features boxwood mounts. I want to do some blackwood flutes with boxwood mounts as well. I love how the blackwood looks with the boxwood - and am glad I saved all of my ends and scraps. I just finished these yesterday.
The inlay cutting is done using a graphics program (currently CorelDraw X5) and a superb laser engraver with 600 dpi capacity (the same setup for my maker’s stamp). Its precise work requiring much fuss. My dear friend Cali Hackmann of hurdy gurdy fame (see http://www.hurdygurdy.com) whose equipment I use gave me an all day workshop on how to do this and I am eager to do more. She has a huge library of Celtic knotwork and other designs which she is making available to me and I plan to start incorporating some of these ideas onto the occasional flute. Inlays will be boxwood and other woods, resins with powdered metals, etc. This will be a fun new avenue to explore - even though its purely cosmetic. But why not use the flutes as a canvas for art? They do it with violins and everything else.
I will be also making some smallpipes, a biniou, and developing something in between a biniou and a gaita pitched in F and G later this winter. Making these is more challenging and currently more satisfying and interesting than endless flute production, even if it doesn’t pay as well. On Monday I’ll be back at the flute bench - starting on the Holiday rush - assuming people order flutes in time…
This Saturday my wife Nancy and I are hosting a “Magosto” - this is a traditional Galician Chestnut Harvest Party. We will be playing Galician music on pipes and drums and other instruments in the afternoon, followed by a potluck dinner (including chestnuts from our own trees), followed by an evening session featuring French music on bagpipes and hurdy gurdies, Scottish Smallpiping and more. If there are any local Seattle area Chiffers interested in coming, send me a PM or an email and I’ll send you the details.
Cheers!
Casey