I have never been much into music. At least not until I went to a celtic festival, quite unintentionally, last summer. I bought a Clarke original tin whistle shortly afterwards and have been driving my family crazy with it. I stream “Live Ireland” everyday at work. I whistle irish tunes. I am at the point where I either need to seek therapy or advance in my newly found Irish music passion.
I am certainly not a great player by any stretch, but would like to buy a decent flute. I don’t want to buy twice. If I find I don’t play well, I would like to know it wasn’t the flute’s fault. And selling a higher end flute doesn’t seem too difficult as the better ones on ebay are going for nearly full price.
I am definately more interested in owning a polymer flute over wood. I do a tremendous amount of backpacking (I am a section editor at Backpackinglight.com), and live in the arid southwest. I also don’t want to worry with caring for a wooden flute.
As such I am willing to spend as much as US$500. I am interested in either a Dixon (3-piece polymer), M&E, or Seery. I have read many good things about the M&E and Seery flutes, in context with each other. I have also read fairly decent reviews of the Dixon polymer. What I have not been able to find is a comparison between the M&E/Seery and Dixon flutes. I should mention, from what I have read, that I think I like the M&E so far. However, if the Dixon is as good for less money, I would consider it.
BTW, if anyone knows how much these flutes weigh, I would appreciate knowing that too. I gotta watch my pack weight.
There is a post somewhere in here with the weights involved, so I’d use the search for that. As far as the flutes are concerned, I am loving my M&E, though I’ve only had it for about three weeks now. Like you, I came at it from the whistle, which I played in several different groups for the past four years or so. I actually made the decision to try flute when someone asked me after a concert “you are such a big guy, why do you play such a tiny instrument?” So, no performing with the M&E yet, but we’ll see how that goes.
The Seery is better than the Dixon, IMO, which is itself
pretty good. However the Seery is a bit demanding
for a newbie, embouchure wise. By the way, it will take you a good while
to get at all good at flute, and lots of work. Just
in case you didn’t know.
Maybe the MandE is less demanding. I don’t
know them very well.
I own a Seery, owned a Dixon (although I’ve not played his 3 piece with the vented foot - just the 3 piece with short foot), and am playing a loaner M&E R&R right now.
All are good. The Dixon has small tone holes and is the quieter of the 3 flutes. Very well made and nicely finished. I play in sessions, and I thought it on the quiet side for sessions. For home playing though, it was lovely. It’s probably the lightest of the bunch, and with no tuning slide less likely to get damaged if you and it fall off a cliff.
The M&E R&R is a nice flute, easier to play consistently than the Seery. Good tone, heaviest of the three flutes, and cheap to add keys to if you’d keys later on.
The Seery is the best finished of the bunch and looks exactly like a blackwood flute (you have to tell people it’s not blackwood). Very good tone (in my opinion), but like Jim said demanding with regard to embouchure. If your embouchure isn’t good enough, the Seery won’t sound as good as the M&E. It’ll cost more to add keys to, also. It’s not as heavy as the M&E.
Maybe if I kept the M&E for a year, I’d say it’s tone was equal to or better than the Seery, but I’ve only been playing on it for less than two weeks now. Either the Seery or M&E will last you a lifetime, but if you get the Seery be patient with the tone and your embouchure.
JUst to join the hordes, I have had the M.E.R.R. for about 2.5 months, and can hold my own in a session if I know the tune. It’s my first flute of any variety. Therefore, I;d say it’s very forgiving for newbs like myself. I’ve gotten complements on it from owners of olwells, hammys, and murrays.
If volume is a concern, get the seery. Otherwise, I;d say it;s a tossup between the M.E.R.R. and the seery.
would like to buy a decent flute. I don’t want to buy twice…I am definately more interested in owning a polymer flute over wood…As such I am willing to spend as much as US$500.
I guess depends on what your definition of decent is, but if your budget is $500 i guess you get what you pay for although if you’re buying a polymer flute I’m not sure that this will meet your first requirement of not wanting to buy twice…
Jim, I expect a learning curve. I guess that’s part of the attraction; that, and the flute’s wonderful sound. I started looking for a low whistle, but the more I listened to sound clips of flutes and low whistles the more I fell in love with the flute. So, learning curve or not…
I’m leaning towards the M&E because it sounds like it will sound better with me playing it.
However, I ran accross another possibility. Jon C. also makes a comparitively priced delrin flute. He has offered to make me one thin walled to suit my weight concern. I wonder if a thin walled flute will sound as nice as a thicker one. I will lug the weight on the occasions I carry it to have better sound. Jon’s flutes are beautiful but not having heard of them I wonder how they sound.
Hi Jay,
If we make the Embouchure chimney thick, there shouldn’t be much sound difference.
My regular flute would be lighter in weight then the M&E, and about the same weight as the Dixon 3 piece, which is thicker, but has a short foot.
Jon
Of these different flutes I can only comment on the M&E. It is a marvelous instrument which will hold it’s own agains flutes three times the price. I’m planning to get a Seery myself pretty soon to see what it’s like.
Check out James’ (board member) website, http://www.flutesite.com/flutes.htm there are comparitions between the Seery and M&E flutes.
I think it’s probably wisest to get an R&R style (M&E) flute instead of a Pratten style (Seery) for a newbie. Learning the flute will be frustrating enough at times without having a large holed, hard to fill flute. I think the M&E should be easier to blow, based on flute physics and what others have said over the years. Easier does not necessarily mean less rewarding in this case. The M&E is probably the way to go.
Can’t comment on Jon C’s flutes.
The M&E R&R weighs 12.5 oz. (For comparison my cocobolo Hammy weighs 10.5, Schultz cocobolo 9.5, and an all-wood Honduran rosewood Olwell 8.) It seems heavier than the Seery, but I don’t have the Seery any more, and I don’t remember how much it weighed.
I’ve owned all three – Seery, M&E, and Dixon. I would put the Seery and M&E well above the Dixon in terms of the character of sound. They both give the possibility of a greater variety of sounds and volume; I think they can be played much more expressively. I’ve only had the M&E for a few weeks, and I haven’t gotten as much out of it as I can, so it’s hard to compare it to the Seery. They’re both great flutes, though, both will allow you to grow.
Thanks Chas for posting the weights. I thought flutes would be heavier than my 1.5 oz tin whistle, but didn’t know by how much. For comparison…I carry a 17 oz backpack, 8.5 oz tent, 19 oz sleeping bag; all of these are essentials. For a self-respecting ultra-light backpacker, non-essential items carried ought to weigh quite a bit less. I will have to determine whether I consider the flute essential or not to justify its weight. (My total pack weight for a week ranges from 20 to 25 pounds, including food and water, in case you’re curious).
But beyond that, I think owning a quality instrument is more important than the weight, and will gladly carry the extra weight on trips I want to play music. If I want to lighten up, I’ll just carry the whistle. I did receive some very positive feedback through a private message on the flutes made by Jon C., and he’s willing to make one thinner and lighter.
The Seery sounds like it might be too difficult for me to learn on. I like the sound of the M&E R&R, and perhaps have Jon custom make a flute for me. I’d like to hear some sound bites, or perhaps find my way to calif for a listen. The Dixon doesn’t sound at all like what I am looking for.
I’ve got an M&E and have tried out Jon C.'s delrin flutes. If I didn’t have the M&E already, I would definately get one of Jon’s flutes. I recommend getting one of Jon’s.
turn back now while you still have some semblance of sanity. seek therapy.
if i were backpacking and wanted to bring a flute, i would consider a little fife or a short ‘f’ flute before a ‘d’ flute. short flutes are a blast, pack easy, and sound great outdoors.
I just got back from a camping trip. I think your right rama. I think a smaller flute would be much easier to tote. But I still want a nice ‘d’ flute. I’ll probably end up with both.
Thanks Michael, I have been talking with Jon and he said he would send some sound bites of his flutes via email.
