Have any of you done a side-by-side comparison of Olwell’s large bore/hole flute and a Hamilton flute?? I’ve been wondering how they compare in tone, volume, playability, etc.
Thanks
Well, I have both an Olwell Pratten and a Hammy so I’ll jump in here…
Here’s how I see it WITH MY INDIVIDUAL FLUTES, AND WITH ME AS A PLAYER…
Playability: The Olwell is immediately easier to play, compared to the Hammy. The Hammy I have took a bit of adjustment.
Volume: The Hammy is the honkin’est flute I know of…The Hammy is most definately brash and loud, but doesn’t have to be ~ it has a nice upper register and can be played sweetly, too, but that is not its forte. The Hammy’s bark is relatively effortless. To be fair, the Olwell is plenty loud with a good bark too…If you are going for a “honkin’ flute” though, I would look no further than the Hammy…
Tone: I have a bit of trouble describing “tone” ~ maybe someone can help me out here. I think both flutes have great “tone” but they do sound different to each other, at least to my ear. I think each individual has to evaluate a flute’s inherent “tone” for themselves in order to decide if it’s pleasing to them/what they want to listen to.
That said, both are well made flutes, without noticeable tuning issues. The Hammy has a bit larger profile. The Hammy has a partially lined head, and the Olwell I have is fully lined. Both flutes have about equal “balance” in the hand.
The Hammy is currently less expensive, or at least it was when I last checked the Euro compared to American dollars.
The Olwell has a longer wait list. I think I waited 14 months for my blackwood Olwell, and I ordered a keyless all wood boxwood flute at the same time (Nov '02) that I am still waiting for… Hmmmm The wait for the Hammy was within one month of projected wait time, per Hammy, which was about 7 or 8 months, I forget exactly. I’m talking keyless here, I don’t like keys so have never waited for a keyed flute.
Hammy can be reached through the internet (he checks his e-mails, and gets back to you within a few days) and Olwell needs to be called, or you can use snail mail. He has a brochure.
I think Olwell offers boxwood and cocus, I am not sure about Hammy.
That’s about it from my perspective. Whichever flute you choose, you’ll get a winner, I’m sure!
Well, as of today I’ve experimentally verified that Hammy does make flutes from cocobolo, and they’re drop-dead gorgeous. The cocobolo’s a special order; I still don’t understand why blackwood is standard.
I’m just 45 minutes (3 15-minute sessions – I’m cheating a little) into the break-in period. It isn’t the easiest flute in the world to play (yet), but I’ve made one very important observation. It has a huge sound even when I’m not pushing it at all. I can get a big sound out of the Olwell (mine’s a medium-holed model, all-wood, so it’s not designed to bark), but only when I try. The Hammy just has some quality that draws attention to it.
No, the Hammy is not the easiest flute to play. It took me about 2 weeks to get a reliable emboucher for it, but once that happened, I could pick it up and play, no problems. Then I’d say to myself, “I wonder what was up with that? Because now it’s fine”.
I will say that if I don’t play it for a few days, it “punishes” me all over again, but I can get it back in only about 10 minutes now. Anyone else’s MMV.
My Olwell is a Pratten, and the Hammy still has a bigger, fuller voice. There are times when that’s just what I want!!!
I agree with Mary. I have each maker’s work and love both flutes. I have the cocus Olwell with me as well as the blackwood Hammy. I play the Hammy when I know I’ll be playing in a loud session and I want to blast out the notes. The Hammy has a raw, powerful edge to it. The Olwell has plenty of volume but seems smoother, more refined. The Owell has a more graceful profile, more like a Rudall. It is narrower. The Hammy is fatter, a la Pratten. I prefer the way the Olwell sits in my hands.
The finish on the Olwell is gorgeous. Is is beautifully done. Great attention has been paid to the bore, which is as smooth as glass. The Hammy is a bit rougher, though it is beautiful work. I have offered the Hammy for sale but every time I play it for a few days I re-think selling such a powerful flute.
I never think about selling the Olwell.
Well, I had a half-hour session with it this afternoon, and, other than having trouble to get a good bellnote, I’m actually finding the embouchure quite easy. I can comfortably play up to the high A (I’m not sure how many primes it gets – the one in the third octave) , and that’s unusual for me. The embouchure hole is actually a little smaller lengthwise than the Olwell or Schultz. In shape it’s almost a classic Rudall-style cut, although it’s a little bigger. I cut my teeth on Rudall-style flutes, so I was really expecting a much bigger adjustment.
It will probably take some getting used to the tone holes. They’re not all that much bigger than the Schultz or Olwell (Nicholson), but sometimes I’m scared that my hand will get stuck in the E hole.
Some people are allergic to blackwood, too, although I realize it’s more than are allergic to cocobolo and way fewer than are allergic to cocus. This was a half-tounge-in-cheek remark – those who frequent the board know I’m not a fan of blackwood. Hammy wasn’t crazy about the idea of making a boxwood flute, so I asked about cocobolo, and I’m glad I did.
[quote]Some people are allergic to blackwood, too, although I realize it’s more than are allergic to cocobolo and way fewer than are allergic to cocus. This was a half-tounge-in-cheek remark – those who frequent the board know I’m not a fan of blackwood. Hammy wasn’t crazy about the idea of making a boxwood flute, so I asked about cocobolo, and I’m glad I did.[/quote
I didn’t know that about blackwood-- thanks for adding that information for me. Although I have been lurking a while, it evidently has not been long enough for me to catch the nucance in your joke, so I guess I am busted!
Some of my best playing flutes, Rudall and Rose,The Potters, Wilkes, Proser, even the new-to-me G.French are boxwood, and uncracked.
I would be happy to acquire another dozen.
Especially some more boxwood Rudalls. The best thing ever !
What is the objection to boxwood ?
And who is the arbiter of taste ?
Have you tried boxwood Rudall & Roses, Mr M. ?
I would say that the only problem nowadays is finding good enough boxwood to work on.
It would be interesting to hear more about alergies to blackwood.The idea new to me. People are becoming sensitised to all sorts of things these days, but blackwood seems strange.
For the most part I’m taking the pish. As a matter of personal taste boxwood isn’t all that appealing. Beyond that we’re getting into how much the wood influences tone, responsiveness, etc. That is a whole other kettle of fish.