Everyone here knows I own, and love, my Seery flute. It’s usually mentioned as a classical example of a Pratten flute, yet I found this quote from Dave Migoya:
Frankly, I’m inclined not to sell this and keep it for myself, even though my hands don’t like Pratten-style bodies – despite the nicely done Rudall bore.
I know the single piece body and large tone holes are Pratten hallmarks, but if the bore is more like a Rudall flute, isn’t the flute more representative of a large holed Rudall?
Eric, I think the Seery has a Pratten bore, but I also think that 90% (give or take 50%) of the flute is in the head joint, and there too, I think it has a classic Pratten shallower chimney (compared to the R&R type flutes), the only puzzling part is how narrow the embouchure is (9.12mm) I would have expected it to be closer to 10.5mm.
I get better volume from my M&E, and more complex tone from all my R&R derived flutes,
but for me, the Pratten body is very comfortable, and I love playing the Seery.
:roll: It appears in the world of Irish Flutes there exists in public opinion a form of a dicotomy… Flutes are separated into two distict groups Prattens or Rudalls.
We all know that there is full spectrum flutes. But we still classify them based upon a majority of their virtues falling into one of the two patterns.
What we need is more data! (I’m an Engineer and we love data.) How about if flute makers would list their design specifications for their various flutes: Bore, Taper, Hole Sizes and Spacing etc. Or could someone catalog design specifications for currently produced Irish Flutes. Then we would have a better understanding and an educated guess as to how the flutes would sound and play.
As it is, we have a very limited exposure to different Irish Flutes. The internet seems to be our greatest resource and Buying Flutes off the internet is like a blind man buying oil paintings at a gallery! You really have no idea what you are getting and have to rely on others to make your decision.
Now that I’m rolling on this idea, maybe I’ll expand it to some seperate threads.
Doesn’t Terry McGee have the sort of information that Sillydill wants on his website (measurements of Rudalls, Prattens, etc.)? Seems like I remember seeing various charts, measurements, etc. Check www.mcgee-flutes.com
I find it very dificult to distinguish flute tones based on either recording or playing in a session. . . when it comes right down to it, for a casual listener there’s probably not much to separate the two “archetypal” flutes compared to, say, a Boehm flute.
