I’ve put up for sale an 8 keyed Eb Michael Grinter flute. Totally new like condition, less than 2 years old in the new design. Plays sweet, yet powerful. Easy to fill.
New price is around US$ 4,400 plus, of course, lengthy waiting list.
UPDATE:Sorry folks I had to relist the flute. It appears a fraudulent ebayer ended the auction early with the buy it now option and then deregistered his user id. The flute is back up with sale ending now tomorrow.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
So one can play all those cracking D minor reels that need the keys up a semitone in the context of an Eb sesh, of course!
I don’t have an Eb flute myself, nor have I really encountered an Eb sesh, but if I did I’d want to be able to play the sort of stuff I usually play on my normal pitch 8-key - and I’m nowhere near good enough as a keyed flute player to simply (!!!) transpose up the semitone on the D flute! One would need fully trained, very disciplined classical chromatic ability to do that!
An Eb session is a rather different context/proposition from wanting an Eb instrument to play a particular tune in three flats at standard pitch where the key signature is not an issue for say, the guitarist (capo), fiddler, singer etc…e.g. song accompaniment. We may keep a kit of whistles in different keys for such eventualities, but not usually of flutes if we play fully keyed instruments - though we may chose low C and Bb flutes for their different sonority and lower range as well as their easier access to their home keys.
I´m sure it´s a well made flute but what´s the point of an 8 key flute in Eb?
I second what the previous poster said, and maybe just add the following:
The same reason you would want an 8 keyed D flute. You are simply just playing a half step up. You can then play all the tunes you use keys for on a D flute in the key of Eb. Many professional players have keyed Eb flutes for that reason. Kevin Crawford comes to mind.
Matt Molloy is really amazing, isn’t he. The crans he gets out are so incredibly smooth. I wonder if the Eb Boosey (? I’m guessing that’s what he’s playing? Post mounted keys, and the foot looks a little odd for a Boosey…) helps with getting those crans out there with such precision. Maybe the bottom notes pop out more easily on an Eb?
that’s what i thought. i was very surprised to read this on the flute history webpage:
Once his highly individual playing style had become popular in London and his special flute had attracted notice, Nicholson licensed his name for use by several London flute makers, who marked their instruments ‘Nicholson’s Improved’. These flutes were built to favor flat keys such as E flat, A flat, and F and C minor.
UPDATE:Sorry folks I had to relist the flute. It appears a fraudulent ebayer ended the auction early with the buy it now option and then deregistered his user id. The flute is back up with sale ending now tomorrow.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
for educational purposes here’s the email I received from my attempted fraudulent buyer who was registered in Florida, but now seems to sit off of the Nigerian coast:
Dear Seller
Am really happy that i later be the winner of the item
and this has make me to De-activate my account on eBay
because this item was the only what i want on eBay and
once i have got it from you i think i have nothing
else to do there again so i no longer on eBay again
well i agreed to pay the amount you want as buy it now
any additional money for handling. Here will go i am
using this opportunity to inform you that the amount
that i am purchasing this item on behalf of my
client.and ur payment will be made inform of cashier
check also the amount that will be on the check will
more than your item fees because i will be including
the shipping and state tax fees .i don"t really know
the exact amount that will be.b cos it will be issue
by my client who is owning me some money .and the
reason of the over payment is that.the amount on the
check has been signed already,and it is more than your
item fees.so once you receive it.you must deduct your
item fees and western union the balance money to my
client manager in Benin Republic .the item is going
to Benin Republic also the shipping and western union
address will come with the payment.there will be no
problem about the shipment.i want you to responsible
for it.also make sure you deduct ur item fees and
western union any additional money on the m/o once you
receive it.Here will go.i would have end the auction
but i don"t know how to do it.so i want you to go and
end the auction for me asap.to assure you that i am
really interested in ur item.i will add extra $10.00
in ur payment if you end the auction for me asap.and
email me ur phone# asap today.
Bellow are the questions i have for you.
1)is the item in good condition?
2)is any western union location where you to send the
balance money around you?
3)Can you make sure you get the check cash at ur bank
the same day you receive it?
4)Can you allow me to send DH L for the pick up and
complete the transaction the day you receive the
check?
If yes too all my questions.kindly email me back asap
today so that the check can be send asap,
Thanks,
Payment is ready for the eBay item but i need ur full
name and Add and ur mobile# asap
the flat keys are such a trial on a D 