Yes, I know… so many flutes on the market. Well, here’s one more. Beautiful player with an Olwell hj (additional). I am selling because a). I need the cash for house renovations, b). I don’t play it as much as I should. PM me if interested.
Arbo[/img]
Good luck with the sale, Arbo. I’m sure that even with all the flutes currently on the market a good one like yours will still sell quickly. But I do have to ask you something, though. I have recently acquired a Rudall and Rose flute myself that is a contemporary of yours (mine is #4009) and I find that I have basically lost all urge to play any of the other flutes I own in favor of playing the Rudall. So if you’re not playing your Rudall as often as you should, what flute are you playing? It must be a good one!
I’m playing a Hudson Pratten. I do play the Rudall, just not as much as I’d like to. It’s difficult for me to switch between the two flutes at a session as it takes a while to ‘warm up’ each flute, and there are little nuances with each that take an entire evening to master. It’s not a collectors’ flute as there are several repaired cracks, but it certainly is a player’s flute!
Arbo
If that’s the flute I played at Augusta … I loved it!
But must not go there. Must not. MUST NOT.
Good luck, Arbo. If that’s the one, some discerning soul is going to be very happy.
I think you actually played the Hudson, but I had both flutes out at Agusta, so who knows? I nicknamed the R&R ‘the Crawford,’ as Kevin really loved it. The one you played I call ‘the Skelton,’ as John prefered it to the R&R. More of a Pratten man is what he said to me.
Arbo
Heard this Rudall over the phone last week, it’s got quite a bit of power to it, and a very pleasing tone…someone’s going to really enjoy this flute.
Arbo
glad to see you and Hudson are doing well together, though I’d have thought you’d have called it “the Migoya” instead of the Skelton! Geeze.
lol
dm
Hey, Arbo! Actually, I played both but remember being surprised by the fact that I … EEEK! … took to the Rudall so quickly; my ear liked the tuning better and it was definitely instantly gratifying for the few toots I had; I think the Pratten needed a few more toots (in other words, a whole lot of work and experimentation on my part!). But I was surprised … I’ve had such a fondness for Prattens for so long it was quite educational.
Aaah, I wish I had money.
Cathy wrote " I wish I had the money." How much are we talking? I’m not in the market myself (no money, already have my own R&R #4683) but am always interested to see what people think current market value is. Of course, I quite understand if Arbo is keeping mum about this and seeing what offers he gets, though surely you have some sort of ball-park figure in mind, Arbo? What is your mental reserve price? (Don’t answer that if you’d rather not.)
I’ve been playing quite a lot of different flutes on and off in the last nine months - none of them of equivalent quality to my R&R, but some pretty good ones. Funnily enough, doing so seems to be improving my general tone production (greater adaptability/flexibility, perhaps) and when I pick up my R&R I’m getting more out of it and appreciating it even more, especially compared to when it was my only real flute and I was accustomed only to it and often bedevilled with my own inadequacies (not entirely overcome!) in failing to get the best out of it. It really does have a special sound and response - and feel to hold too.
Clarification: I probably should have written “If only I had ANY money.” 
Ah, the joys of self-employment in a cruddy market.
I can understand this. It’s definitely not easy to switch back and forth between Rudall and Pratten style flutes, especially in the same session. Having played a Pratten model Olwell for over 15 years myself before getting this Rudall, I guess I’m going to be faced with the dilemma now of what to do with two good flutes of totally opposite styles that both deserve to be played. If indeed one has to be either a “Rudall guy” or a “Pratten guy”, I think I may be turning into a Rudall guy. It just seems to fit the way I’m playing right now.
But before anyone asks, no that does not mean I’m selling my Olwell.
That’s interesting, John – I’ve been, I think, in a bit of a similar place lately, although I’m not dealing with the “genuine article”, of course … since my Murray was “restored” I’ve pretty much been playing it exclusively, and Arbo’s Rudall felt instantly familiar, quite a lot like the Murray.
But nope, I’m not ready to let go of my Olwell Pratten either – it’s such a great flute, I’m just a few years away from a keyed body for it, and who knows where my head will be in another six months? 