Please see e-bay listing and e-mail questions through e-bay. Thanks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=300307440794
As I recall, I paid more than twice $49 for a new Tipple Bb flute, and it’s easily worth all of what I paid for it.
Considering that Doug Tipple no longer makes the Bb flute, perhaps this sale could represent a worthwhile investment.
I’d bet that the $49 price tag doesn’t last long, as this flute simply is worth more than that, considerably more.
did anybody buy this yet -------------the bidding is over and no one bid
The ebay auction ended with no buyer, but, as fate would have it, after two owners the 2007 flute is now back it my possession in like-new condition. The ebay seller asked me if I would agree to trade down for a smaller flute, and I said OK.
The problem with these large flutes is that people with average-size hands have difficulty playing them. However, my belief is that it is all in knowing how to do it. My hands measure 200 mm (7 7/8") from the tip of my thumbs to the tip of my pinkies, which makes them on the small size for male hands. Even though this flute in question has inline finger holes, I finger the left hand holes with a conventional grip, as the left hand needs to be extended too far to the right across the body for it to be comfortable for me to use a left-hand piper’s grip. I finger the right hand finger holes with piper’s grip, using the middle joints of my index and middle fingers and my pinky. The bottom line, though, is not whether I can play the flute comfortably but whether the average semi-experienced buyer can do it. As I mentioned before, to avoid having these flutes continually being returned to me, I have decided not to mention them as being available for sale. I am currently working on a few changes to finger hole sizes to compress the fingering somewhat. I’m not sure how successful this will be.
From the tip of my thumb to the tip of my pinky I can comfortably span 9 inches, yet even I prefer the R1-R2-R4 technique.
But, that’s a worthwhile trade-off, for in every other sense the Tipple Bb flute is a delight to play.
And, a wood Bb flute could begin at about 10X the price.
I mentioned in a previous post that I was working on a redesign of the low Bb flute. I find that it is very easy for me to get stuck in my way of doing things. Then, one day I may get an idea to try something different, or someone may say to me, “Why don’t you try this?”. It is somewhat embarassing to think that I often need to be prompted, but that seems to be the case.
Anyway, by changing the size of the finger holes on a flute you can shift the postion of the holes. With the new design I think that my low Bb flute is very playable with the average adult size hands. As I mentioned before, my hands spans 200 mm (7 7/8") from the tip of my thumbs to the tip of my pinkies, and I can play the low Bb flute comfortably without having to use my pinky for the 6th finger hole. I simply didn’t realize that a cylindrical-bore low Bb flute could be made this playable.
The finger hole diameters and distance between the finger holes are measured in millimeters, and the distance between the finger holes is measured from center to center. For reference: 7/16" = 11.1 mm, 3/8" = 9.5 mm, 5/16" = 7.9 mm, and 1/4" = 6.4 mm.
(11.1)-41-(7.9)-34-(6.4) joint (9.5)-34-(11.1)-48-(6.4)
Sold!
Send me a PM, so that we could discuss the details, please.