Hello guys, i have few questions for you flute players!
I want to start playing the flute so i want to buy my first one.
Right now i’m reading a lot of reviews and i gathered some info but i can’t find some answers anywhere.
First of all the 3 flutes i had in mind were:
Tipple: i heard his white pvc flute is better than the black so if i buy one it will be that one, also for what i know, his standard flute should have the same finger holes of a wooden one that would be good since the wooden one will be an upgrade in few years
Hamilton aluminium flute: what he calls the “practice flute” sounds good to be and it’s cheap so it’s a win/win for me if it wasn’t that for what i heard the finger holes (i don’t know if space between them or width) are a bit different and i don’t want that to be an issue after playing it for long time
Casey burns Folk Flute: Here we are, this one costs a little bit more and seems to be very good but at the same time for me it has a problem, just like all other wooden flutes. It’s made of wood. Now, i love wooden flutes and i will definitely buy one in some years when i feel i become good enough to not make it cry while i play it.
The main problem is not the flute itself but the fact that i don’t have air conditioning here where i live and temperature in summer goes from 36C° to 40C° and stays there for more than 3 months. Since, for what i know, wooden flutes are extremely delicate i don’t want it to be wasted just for this.
I won’t consider any other flute since these are the only ones i have my doubts on.
The spacing will be a little more stretched on the Tipple.
Hamilton aluminium flute: what he calls the “practice flute” sounds good to be and it’s cheap so it’s a win/win for me if it wasn’t that for what i heard the finger holes (i don’t know if space between them or width) are a bit different and i don’t want that to be an issue after playing it for long time
Probably similar to the Tipple because the body’s also cylindrical?
[Edit: Hamilton’s site says ‘These flutes have finger hole sizes and spacing which very closely approach those of the wooden flute so that if and when the player begins to play the ‘real’ flute there will no need for a period of re-adjustment.’]
Casey burns Folk Flute: Here we are, this one costs a little bit more and seems to be very good but at the same time for me it has a problem, just like all other wooden flutes. It’s made of wood.
You will have to look after it, watch the humidity etc.
I won’t consider any other flute since these are the only ones i have my doubts on.
So, here i am, please give me some advices >
Consider a sensible Delrin flute like Copley, Somers, Walt Sweet Shannon etc.
If cost is an issue, the Walt Sweet Shannon is impossible to beat and is a great starter instrument. Unless you have a physical need, ask for the inline holes not the ergonomic version. If you decide on the Burns…inline again. Most makers and most existent flute don’t have those ergonomic hole placements, and they can make switching flute more difficult.
The M&E flute is in medical/food grade PVC and is a good Irish based option.
The Tipple hole placement and size are NOT on par with a wooden flute because Doug’s flutes are cylindrical, so the holes are larger and farther apart. Good flute, though, but different the other conical instruments.
I actually have a good budget but since i’m not even a beginner it would be a waste to buy something that will not be used at its full potential.
Also a note that i had to include is that i will only play at home, so i don’t know which of these is the quieter one.
About the wooden flute, i’m totally aware i have to take care of it and i will do it. what i am extremely scared of is the high temperature my house reaches on summer and since i have no air conditioning i don’t want to risk buying one. Also in summer i have to leave home for 1 month every year and go to a even hotter place so i think for the moment it’s advisable to not buy a wooden flute.
At the moment the hamilton seems to be the best choice
So, it sounds like you have reached a decision already. OK, but I’ll still chance giving you some information/advice.
The Hamilton was developed as a first flute. . .cheap, indestructible, suitable for group instruction of young learners in a class-room setting. It’s well worth what you pay for it, and will hold it’s value for resale. I’m told that Hammy incorporated some form of Boehm style contraction in the plastic head-joint to bring the octaves closer together, which helps its overall intonation. It will be on par with a Tipple in this regard, since Doug uses a Fajardo type wedge to accomplish the same thing. However the tone holes will be different. Doug’s embouchure cut is smaller. Hammy has said his aim is to make his practice flute’s embouchure similar to his conic flutes. Playing quietly or loudly is more a function of your own development as a flute player than the flute itself. In either case it could take you a while to develop a good strong ‘blow’.
If you want something durable that will keep you playing and learning for a good long while, you would do very well with the Copley delrin or one of Gary Somer’s flutes. They are real, conical bore flutes that are serious instruments, and they may be all you ever need. I have had both and they are wonderful, no-compromise instruments. There are a couple of other makers that are well regarded in this price range, but I have not played their flutes (M&E, Forbes, Sweet, and some I am forgetting). I think the others you mentioned might get you started, but you will likely want to upgrade if you get serious.
Keep an eye on the for sale board here. You may find a good deal on a used one, and it’s a bit safer than EBay, which can be a coin toss.
You won’t have much trouble with a wooden flute in blackwood as long as you don’t do something like leave it in your car on a very hot day, or leave it on a chair where someone sits on it (this and dropping the flute surprisingly have been the primary reasons for cracks in the past few years in my Folk Flute lines. My other flutes simply don’t crack it seems. If this seems like a hazard - think about it. You wouldn’t treat any other instrument this way, would you?). Although I recommend oiling many players skip this and blackwood seems to survive quite well without it. Oiling is not difficult to do, should you decide to do this and I provide simple enough instructions. And if you have any questions you can email or call me.
@maestrosid
Since i am getting started i will go for hamilton, if i see things get serious then i will consider another “beginner” instrument. If i’m still in this situation, a delrin flute is going to be good. If not, folkflute from casey burns is going to be my choice.
@Casey Burns
Temperature of a hot car might be around 40-45 degrees which is what my room reaches during hot summer days.
the folkflute is the intrument i want to develope (improve? i still don’t have one) my skill during these years so i will probably buy one next year when air conditioning god comes to me but until then i need something very indestructible.
About oiling and taking care of the instruments i’m totally aware of what to do and i always take care of them in the best way possible,
except for my generation Bb tin whsitle, that’s pretty much gone because of the experiments..
@Bob this is exactly the info i was looking for, thank you for your reply!
The Hamilton should be fine to start with, but there’s quite a difference in how a cylindrical flute (like the Hamilton) plays, as a opposed to a conical flute (which is what you’ll want to play eventually, anyway). In the end, you’ll end up buying two flutes–why not jump in with a conical flute right away? And wood isn’t all that fragile–as long as the humidity doesn’t drop too much and you don’t bake it, it’ll be fine.
The Folk Flute, or a Delrin flute like Forbes, Copley, Sweet, or Somers (good instruments all) will be good instruments to learn on, and they’ll be something you can play for decades.
Any of them! Perhaps you’ll get a Rudall-inspired model to play quieter than Hawkes- (Copley) or Pratten-inspired (Forbes), but it’s just not going to make that much difference so really just whichever you fancy!
While Pratten’s are generally thought of as louder, R&R flutes varied greatly and can be loud, too. The player is what matters most in flute volume..it’s not like whistle where design is most important. Seriously…get what you like.
You don’t say where you’re living (other than in a house which can get very hot in summer), but another thing to consider is that those makers are all located in America. So if you’re based on the other side of the Atlantic/Pacific, P&P and duties can raise the costs quite a bit.
Haven’t played one myself, but the Dixon three part flute is generally considered a fair flute which plays rather quiet. Also the price is certainly reasonable.
These are all good flutes. Casey makes wonderful instruments, and his flutes are very robust. They would not take much moe care than a delrin instrument. It’s wonderful to have some great options.
Sommers is actually an Irishman who lives in Brazil, and I don’t know how he manages to make such great flutes at this price point. They include tuning slides, which some consider a necessity. I have both a Pratten and a R&R. Both can be played softly or loudly, but the Pratten has a little extra, and definitely goes up to 11. It’s on the upper end of the tone hole size scale, which may matter if you have small fingers.
You are right, i apologize for that.
I currently live in Milan (Italy) and summer with no air conditioning here is really too hot.
I was asking about the loudness just to have an idea. Since houses here don’t have thick walls neighbours can hear you anyway so loud or not it doesn’t really make much difference.
All of these flutes cost around 400 euro (shipping included). Which is good for me.
40-45C inside your house is fine. The difference is that a car will heat up very quickly once the air conditioning is turned off. This is why it is safe to leave your pet dog at home locked up but deadly for the pet dog to leave it in a car on a hot day. Blackwood comes from the eastern part of Africa where the temps frequently get that high.
After playing, swab out the flute (to remove excess moisture) and store it in its case. Put it on a shelf or in a drawer. They’re really not very fragile.
