I have been doing vocal and guitar work for a good while now, and had not long ago decided to learn the simple system/Irish flute. Naturally I had started on the whistle for scales and theory; learning a few slow airs and pseudo-jigs, but shortly thereafter decided I wanted to start on something reasonably priced flute-wise. I purchased Erik the Flute Maker’s concert tuned low D (bamboo) which had a nice tone to it, but was extremely flat in the second octave, requiring me to blow harder. I had, at that point, assumed this to be a case of my poor embouchure, but when I happened upon Doug’s page, or decided to purchase one of his flutes rather, I’d no idea how wrong I was. I received his 3 piece D w/ the wedge and lip plate. I superglued the wedge in place, and began experimenting. Though I have yet to take the second octave to a tuner, my ears cannot detect any flatness, and the flute sounds absolutely wonderful. Naturally I am not a tenured player by any means, but it has a reedy and woody sound, which is magnificent with it being made of PVC, and costing me a total of 116.50 after shipping, the lip plate, and the wedge. This thing is one of my best friends now, and will likely always go with me. I played it on the beach by the fire the other evening with absolutely no fear of it being warped or ruined by the combination of hot and cool air. Whether you be a beginner, a novice like myself, or a tenured player that wants a good travel flute that can withstand anything, a Tipple is the way to go. Like I told Doug: for the price one would pay, this is more a gift than a purchase. Thanks again Doug! This flute has solidified my desire to implement an Irish touch to my musical experiments!
-Ray from Seattle, WA USA
Anywho, thanks for the welcome. I’m sure I’ll be coming in here from time-to-time to educate myself further. This seems to be a great place to immerse oneself in knowledge and the experiences of others prior to making a purchase, rather than making any fast, uneducated decisions. I’ve spent a bit of time just going over various threads and posts, trying to gain a little insight before spending any hard earned cash. Some of the bits I’ve read from James, Jem, Doug himself and all of you have helped me out a great deal. Knowledge is power. Thanks everyone!