How is it that one decides on a wooden flute if they have never played it themselves? Last I checked, not many people are willing to send their flute to someone just so they can have the experience of knowing which flute they want to buy. Are we just suppose to pick one of the many makers out of a hat and hope dropping the $2000 was a good idea? Without a test drive I usually don’t buy a car, without playing the actual guitar I want I won’t buy it. I guess I just need to visit the maker and ask if I can play it. Such irony.
I took a chance with the Copley since I had never played on before.
What I had done was played flutes by several other makers, read other folks opinions about the Copley and on how it compared to the flutes I had tried, and then read many many posts by those same folks to make sure they weren’t stark raving mad.
It turned out well in the end, I love my Copley, but under most circumstances I would want to try the flute first.
It is a bit of a problem.
Eddie
There is a maker that send flutes for test, you can play several days to discover if you like it, and if you like it, you pay the flute. Here is the web address. I talk about ARHPA flutes.
http://www.arhpa.com
S. Moro.
Picking a flute is an interesting challenge.
One of the reasons I like the idea of learning on less expensive polymer flutes first is that a beginner is not likely to know what he’s looking for in a flute, and (in my opinion) something like a Hamilton or an Olwell is wasted in the hands of a beginner. Not to mention the number of people I have seen basically destroy good Boehm system flutes in the process of learning to play and care for them.
I think learning on an M&E or Seery is an ideal compromise to give you time to see what you really do want in a high-end flute.
–James
Another thing that I’ve just begun to appreciate in polymer flutes is the lack of care they take. I now leave my Dixon out, on the kitchen table or in the living room and toot a tune or a few exercises when the urge hits me. No swabbing, warming it up or anything. It’s something to think about when you don’t sound good enough to want to play all the time, haven’t developed good habits or discipline, or can’t spend a good chunk of time several times a week (all of which describe me).
I agree. Ironically, my Seery actually sees more action than my Copley these days, since the Seery is just lying around all the time, and I can just pick it up and toot a tune whenever I pass by. With my Copley, I painstakingly disassemble it, swab it out and put it in its case after each use, and that kind of overhead just makes it easier to go for the Seery.
Luckily, going from one flute to the other doesn’t present much of a problem, embouchure-wise. 
Jens
I do the same thing Jens does, I leave my Seery lying about in arms reach for those few minutes I may have free. I find however that the Copley is a much easier flute to play. If I haven’t played the Seery in a few days it may take me a bit to find my embouchure again.
Eddie