Hi, All:
I’m thinking about getting on Peter Noy’s waiting list for an eight- keyed. He offers options,one of which is a “contemporary head joint.” I’m in the dark about the advantages of this, or what it offers over a traditional head joint.
Any insights would be appreciated. http://chiffboard.mati.ca/images/smiles/icon_eek_144.gif
Even though the “contemporary” headjoint doesn’t look traditional (it roughly resembles a wooden version of the raised lip plate that you see on Boehm-system metal flutes), I know about five people who have tried those flutes of Peter’s and each of them has raved about it. A boxwood flute that Peter made with this style of headjoint has gotten a lot of buzz lately…several good flute players I know said it was one of the best flutes they’d ever tried and two of them offered to buy it on the spot but it was already sold.
Chris Abell and Skip Healy have also tinkered with the embouchure in related ways (but with a much less radical approach), carving away some wood at the trailing edge of the embouchure hole. Chris did this to an old German flute that I had: the result was a significant improvement in tone, and it required much less effort to get into the second octave.
Also Michael Cronnolly has done this sort of embouchure modification. These are all very similar (and possibly inspired by?) the Boehm-system “Butterfly headjoint” which I believe has been around for quite some time now.
Best wishes,
–James
Pete Noy will make a contemporary headjoint with a traditional outer configuration if, as in my case, you are iffy about some forms of change. 
This will make for a somewhat heavier headjoint, no doubt, but I expect not glaringly so.
I enquired about what makes the contemporary headjoint unique, assuming interior changes from the usual cylindrical form of the trad, but either Pete missed the question or dodged it in the name of trade secrets. 
Considering its higher cost, I hope there’s more going on than just a trimmed embouchure! Anyone in the know yet about this? What characterizes a ‘butterfly headjoint’? I’ve only played trad flute, so I’m pretty clueless about Boehm instruments.
Anyway, I’m itching to finally get mine, and I’ll be itching for about a year. Not a bad waiting list at all, but I suspect it may lengthen as more fluters place orders.
N
Anyone know if the “Eccentric” head Terry McGee uses is similar to Noy’s design? McGee, too, will make his “modern” head so that it looks either quasi-Boehmish or like a trad head.
McGee’s info on headjoints is here:
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/heads.html
I’ve actually just struck a deal with a fellow C&F member to buy his keyless McGee, with an eccentric head, so any info you folks may have about it would be welcome, assuming we aren’t discussing secrets the makers would rather we not share.
Best,
Aaron
The “contemporary headjoint” on Peter Noy’s flutes can be seen here:
http://www.noyflutes.com/instruments/flutes_contemp.html
It really is like the raised lip plate on a Boehm-system flute. Definitely much more involved than just some carving around the embouchure hole.
When I hear the term “eccentric bore”, the paranoid in me thinks I’m the one being discussed.
N
Looks, from outward appearances, that McGee and Noy may have done the same thing, in essence; made a design that allows for a deep chimney while also thinning the head. Unless they’re hiding something inside the bore, it looks like a very similar design. McGee discusses (what he sees as) the advantages of this design on the weblink I posted. Now I’ve got to explore Noy’s site (gorgeous flutes!).
–Aaron
An entire flute with this contemporary headjoint can be seen here:
http://www.noyflutes.com/instruments/flutes_contemp_headjoint.html
From my understanding, the modern or thinned head is a traditional head that is thinned out, I dont think the lip plate is actually raised before the thinning.
On the eccentric head, the bore is reamed in an angle, and the embouchure is cut at the point where the chimney is deepest, so in fact the chimney will be deeper then on the thinned head. I dont think you could have the eccentric head thinned out since the bore is not centered.
Personally I’m not used to the looks of the Modern head, and I think Terry’s eccentric head is a brilliant idea, it works great on my flutes.
eilam.
