I recently ordered one of Patrick Ollwell’s superb keyless flutes, and would like to have a decent case for it when it arives. I have used a case designed for a Bohem flute (with the interior ripped out) for my ancient German FSO(flute shaped object), but it provides little protection as the flute bounces around inside quite a bit. Does anyone know of a good place to find wooden flute cases? thanks, Jack Devereux
Cavallero flute bags provide a good deal of
protection for keyless flutes.
Doskocil pistol cases work wonderfully - you could stand on the darn things and not hurt the flute. Check out sporting good stores.
Eric
I second the Gun Case.
third gun case…many members use them as they are easy to get and work well.
berti
And a lot cheaper than a real Flute case I got mine for $15 holds my Flute and a few whistles or Flutes in Higher keys and has a compartment under the foam which I use for other stuff (like tuners and Tunebooks provided I need either one).
I was looking more for a “real” flute case (sorry to be a snob). I had planed on falling back on the pistol case option if I failed to find a normal case. Sorry, I should have said this the first time
Jack Devereux
For a real, beautiful, expensive, snobbish flute case, you can go here for example:
http://www.fine-boxes.com/pages/nsfset_fc.html
Looks great
Hammy Hamilton sells Northwind flute cases which ought to satisfy almost any snob, 230 Euro when ordered separately
http://homepage.tinet.ie/~hammie/price.htm
This page was mentioned a while back. He has done some costume whistle and flute boxes.
Jon C. makes lovely wooden boxes/cases.
This thread inspired me to go snorking around on eBay for pistol cases to put to a higher purpose.
I’ve thought variously about briefcases (using one now for combined flute and whistle portage) and even toolboxes (pretty good for whistles, if you find the one with the right ambience).
Recently I’ve had my heart set on aircraft aluminum, like the high-end camera cases. Some of the pistol cases are also being offered as equipment cases. I’ve got my eye on a couple and will probably swoop down on one in the next day or two.
Then I’ll order the Chiff & Fipple bumper stickers to put on it. 
So, folks, thanks for the suggestion!
M
PS–check out the cases that used to hold City of Chicago voting machines! Here’s one of them and this one, with the foam insert.
I have both pistol cases, Cavallero bags, and various other
baggie things I’ve accumulated.
I find the Cavallero cases rather elegant and easy
to use–but they’re said not to be sufficient protection for
keyed flutes. Also they’re considerably more
expensive than pistol cases.
Generally I have my flutes at home out of
the cases, in a humidor or a flute basket–a
poor person’s flute stand, though I expect
it works as well. I don’t typically keep flutes
at home in cases. When I’m transporting
to a gig or whatever, I generally use the
Cavallero case. One advantage for me,
the complete klutz, is that the Cavallero case
has these nice compartments, but with
the pistol case I have to put the flute in
so that the pieces don’t bang together,
etc. I use the Cavllero case for the
keyed flute too, gigwise, no problems.
Probably I would use the pistol case
for real travelling. Best
I recently purchased a low bansuri bamboo flute that came with what looked to be a custom hard shell case with chrome steel fittings. Then I started thinking about the case and I looked inside. I could see where the divider had been removed and that it actually was a pool cue case. The bamboo flute, at 31 inches just fits in the case. You would have had me fooled!
ditto on Jon’s cases, they are very nice…
I am getting delivery on a Johnny Gallagher 8 key cocobolo on Feg 16. He is going to drop it off on his way to the pipers shindig in San Francisco then. He did not tell me more than that. If he drops it from the airplane window, I don’t care. I sent him a pistola case to put it in. The pistola case has egg crate foam inside and is not fitting for a fancy flute. So this is what I am going to do. Turn the egg crate foam upside down and then get a 1 inch thick piece of foam and cut holes in it the size of the flute perces. Wrap the added piece of foam to one of the upside down egg crate foam like a christmas present and glue it to the bottom. Dido for the other piece for the top. Use quality blue velvet. I’ll get a specialty outfit to make a little brass plack for the inside (or mabe outside).
Confuses says: He who chooses a nice looking flute case instead of a protecting one probably would vote for George W. Bush.
Nelson
Checking many sites and flutemakers as well, it seems that the wooden box type flute case is very popular. Is there any advantage to wood over, say, cloth or plastic? Or is it that the wooden boxes are more aesthetic for a wooden flute?
BillG
From a practical point of view, there is nothing better than the $15 pistol case, absolutely nothing. It is about 30 cm by 20 cm by 6 cm. It has a handle and you can put a carrying strap on it. It weighs almost nothing. It has a convenient place for a pad lock. It is almost unbelievably rugged, and has enough room inside for extra things. The inside is egg-crate foam and you put your flute parts any where and you do not have to worry about the keys being under stress. It looks like a plan black case, however. I am sure Rudell and Rose would have thought it gorgous.
Nelson
drop a wood case with your flute inside and drop the pistol case with your flute inside and you should have your answer.
Aesthetics entirely, IMO.
I’ve never had such a case, so have never
been charmed by one.
I find the flute charming enough.
For me, after the flute itself,
the rest is practical, principally–
a relatively
inexpensive and practical
way to transport, chiefly.
I find the Cavallero bags
aesthetically pleasing, but there
is no question that a pistol case
provides more protection (and it’s cheaper).
But I usually don’t need
more protection. I confess I find
the pistol cases a bit unaesthetic,
still I have two of them.
I continue to find the bag more
convenient to use. But I’m
a mechanical moron.
Can hardly work a can opener.