Does anyone know if the flutes Kevin Crawford plays are all lined heads?
Yes, I believe they are
I’ve been emailing Michael lately as I’ll likely be getting on his waiting list soon. The Rudall model he replicates is a lined model and that’s the only option he offers - or so he told me 
Now, not to say that he couldn’t make a special one for Kevin, but Michael indicated that lined headjoints is all he’s ever made…
Regards,
- Ryan
Nearly all the early Rudall/Rose originals were lined head joints…although Catherine McEvoy plays a rudall original that was made without tuning slide and, ergo, no lined head.
There’s considerable debate about whether silver or brass lined heads makes a sonorous difference. Then silver-plated brass came along to make it even more an interesting debate…fyi.
Many makers today…Healy and McGee come to mind quickly…make head joints whose tube does not extend the entirety of the head, but enough for the slide idea to function.
Old makers such as Butler often did this to great success.
Hamilton , Murray and Seery make’em unlined as well. The interesting thing is that the only flute I ever had that cracked in the head (and not the barrel) was unlined. I’ve had plenty lined head joints that didn’t crack in the head (piece). However, the barrel seems to be where most of the cracks I’ve experienced occur (in line and unlined headpieces alike). And they tend to develop at the socket end of the barrel where there is no metal, and where the tenon fits in, wood against wood. The only crack that I recall that happened at the end of a barrel with the metal sleeve happened in a headjoint that I hadn’t played in a long time. I started playing it again and shorlty thereafter I notice a small crack. It wa about 10 years old at the time.
A difference between line vs. unlined is in how the flute plays, sounds and responds. Some feel the unlined is more traditional or woody sounding.
As far as Kevin C., his ‘D’ flute is definitely lined, and I assume Bb is too. I’ve played both of these flutes of his, but can’t say definitely on the Bb as I forget, but it probably is. I definitely remember it had a tuning slide though.
this helps me out considerably. Thanks guys! So it’s fair to say that now I can not only visually tell the difference between Prattens and R&R’s, but know the sound difference better too. I have always seemed to have some of my fav’s play Pratten’s (Tom Doorley, Molloy, L. Nugent, S. Egan) but then I realized what makes Kevin Crawford’s and I believe Mike McGoldrick’s sound so different- R&R
I now feel much more comfortable buying a flute with a lined head…thanks!
Well I believe Doorley, Molloy, Egan, and Nugent are all currently playing Olwell flutes, probably w/ lined headjoints while Crawford and McGoldrick are currently playing Grinter’s.