Sweetheart F fife in rosewood with faux ivory rings, excellent condition, no case. Cost $185 new, now $125 plus s&i.
Peeler fife in Bb ironwood, no case, was $110 new, now $75 plus s&i. Condition excellent.
Bob Loomis
Concord CA
miltloomis @ yahoo . com (remove spaces)
By way of a bump, anybody know what the bottom
octave of the peeler Bb is like?
Most fifers wouldn’t care, since they’re played mostly in 2nd and 3rd registers. My guess is that it’s passable, but has a flattish low bell note. Peelers are considered great military fifes.
As far as the Sweetheart, I’ll recommend their F, (which is more flutish than fifish). Of the 6 or 7 Sweethearts I have played or owned, my blackwood F is the best, and it’s the only one I have held on to.
I’m definitely not a great fifer, but the low register works well for me. I have never had much luck with the upper registers on these, for whatever reason. The same is true on other fifes and flutes. Even when I can hit the third register on any of the flutes/fifes (in the past) it’s been shrillish. But AFAIK this is a good fife made for those who engage in fifing.
All the Sweetheart F flutes are indeed wonderful. I have owned four or five. I am selling the last one, the rosewood, because I am giving up flute/fife to concentrate on stringed instruments. This one is VERY nice. I think Ralph’s F’s are his best instruments. YMMV, of course.