Tipple C# with thumb-hole, speckled bore and Ott-Tipple-Fijaro Wedge (It’s a wedge cut from a piece for synthetic cork). The C# is the same as a Baroque D at A=415 Hz. $50 postage included within U.S.
Chris McNeilly Pratten (Matt Molloy model), what can I say – “It’s the Best Pratten I’ve ever played!” It has a sweet high range and booming low, its air consumption is modest, but it plays best when pushed. The only flaw would be a repaired crack in the barrel (nearly invisible and stable). Here’s a link to this flute playing the Congress Reel: http://www.box.net/shared/vtykhq6ty2 I’ld like $525 for this excellent flute, postage and insurance included within the U.S.
John McDonagh Regimental Model 7-hole fife, this is an improved model fife made about 25 years ago by Wilson Woods. It is in excellent shape with a glass smooth bore. The 7th. Hole is for the RH pinky Eb (or actually B). This fife has a very sweet tone and a robust bottom register, making it ideal for Irish tunes, like Danny Boy (with the Eb hole). I’ld like $180 postage included within the U.S.
New model Sweetheart WD Pro-Fife (piccolo) in high D, made of Delrin. This is an excellent playing piccolo with great intonation and power. The bore is a bit smaller than the old Sweet Pro-Fifes and the tone much sweeter and the finger spacing is a bit more luxurious (my fat fingers were crammed together on the old Pro-Fifes). I’ve sanctified this piccolo (played the heck out of it), but it is still as new. I’ld like $100 postage included with the U.S.
Old Sweetheart Piccolo in Eb made of maple, has a thumbhole on the back. The Sweet’s haven’t made these in years (such a pity). It is Sweet by name and tone. This even earned the much coveted “Oh That’s Nice! What are you playing?” from the Mrs. I like this piccolo so much I bought two! I filled in the thumb-hole on mine and rewrapped the tennon with thread. This was my spare and is as NEW (never used). I’ld like $50 postage included within the U.S.
That’s some nice playing on that pratten…good price for a wonderful sounding flute!
I’d jump at that Sweet piccolo except my wife is adamant that there should only be one piccolo per house (and personally I think she would prefer that one to be at someone else’s house).
The McNeilly Pratten has found a home with a few alternates available if the first doesn’t work out. (Thank You to all who inquired!)
The Tipple, fife and piccolos are still available. Feel free to make offers and trades. Worst I can do is say no!
The Tipple has a manageable finger stretch due to the ergo/offset holes. I can comfortably play it even with my short squat fingers.
The McDonagh fife has the best tone of any fife I’ve ever tried (all the way down to bottom D actually Bb). But I can’t play it with the clarity of a Healy fife.
The Sweetheart WD piccolo has a sweeter tone than my Healy piccolo, but once again I like the clarity of the Healy.
The Tipple Db/C# flute must be one that I made for the Disney musical “Tarzan”. I made several seven-flute sets of flutes in different keys for the NYC show, and all of the larger flutes had thumb holes. I also sold three sets of flutes directly to Disney for the same production in Holland.
I am really surprised that the John McDonagh fife hasn’t sold. I have never played one, but the 11 hole version is what the Old Guard use to play before switching to Healy’s fifes, I think that qualifies it as a professional instrument. Cooperman bought out the rights to the fife, and I wonder how the fit and finish compare, even so, Cooperman does not make a 7 hole version. If I recall correctly, the McDonagh fife has a double tapper (reversing and expanding near the tail end) to help bring the octaves in tune and is built like a small flute, not like a cylindrical narrow bore American style “fife”. It should be really fun to play.
I’ll add that I have purchased instruments from Sillydill in the past, and he is a great person to work with.
Darn. McDonagh gone.
If only I checked here sooner.
I have a 6- and an 11- McD already. Woulda loved the 7- to complete the collection.
My 11- is actually a former OG fife. Number 30. LOVE that one.
