Key of E - plays OK. Needs some cork or waxed string in the joints. This flute sounds pretty good. I’m not a sideblower. I’m still seeing stars.
Who knows who made this. The Japanese (?) marks seem to be scratched in. We talked about this in another forum topic..who knows why.
First offer more than $75 gets the mystery flute.
I’ve no idea about the Japanese grafitti, but the instrument looks almost certainly English mid C19th. It cannot be “in E” at the length your tape-measure shows. An overall length c15"/33cm says instantly “Bb Band Flute (“fife”)”, very probably High Pitch cA=445-450Hz. If it is playable, I’d bet the 6-finger (all holes closed) note is approximately a B at modern pitch (A=440). If it plays at A=440 (bottom note a true Bb) and with decent intonation, it’s a bargain at the price you suggest. If it’s High Pitch and/or poorly tempered, well…
It is quite unusual for these types of flute to have a two-part body. It looks a nicely made example, only lacking its crown. I hope it finds a good home!
I’ll have to get a real flute player to come toot the thing. I believe you’re probably right about the pitch -
As far as I can tell the intonation isn’t bad. Huh
A bit more elegant than my London Improved Bb band flute - nice! I haven’t seen too many 3-part ones.
I tooted on the flute and it plays B or Bb on the lowest note. It’s somewhere inbetween - it seems fairly well in tune -but I can hardly make a toot -
Still - somebody buy the thing!!
It probably won’t sound properly for you due to leaking badly! Wrap some PTFE (plumbers’) tape around the dead cork tenon lappings (not too much to jam or force the joints!) and, if the pad in the key is missing or dried out, put a dob of blutack in the keyed tonehole. Also check whether there is a stopper cork in the head and whether that is in the right place - one bore-width back from the centre of the embouchure hole - use a pencil or some such as a probe to check. After all that, it should speak much more easily even for a non-fluter - you should be able to sound it without hyperventilating, and get a better test tone from it.
Good luck!
Applied the plummer’s tape. The seal was better of course. The lowest note is definately B. The little key has an excellent seal.
I don’t know flutey fingering, but it seems to play OK. Still seeing stars though. I’m hopeless with sideblown.
Basic flute fingering is same as whistle - straight off in order up to “B” 1 finger note in 2nd octave, starting back with oxx xxx at “D” in 2nd octave.
Well done, BTW. I think we can be fairly confident that what seemed likely is so - it is a High Pitch instrument.
I like its looks, but it really isn’t worth the cost to me, especially when transatlantic P&P is reckoned in and currency exchange. If it was at modern pitch or if you were in Britain, I’d relieve you of it! Sorry! Best of luck finding it a home.