Ok, here is a tomato / tomaato thing.
Is Rudall pronounced like Roodall or like Rud(like mud)all?
I have heard both ways and I was just wondering what the consensus was among the well informed members of our group.
Jeff
I don’t Kerr
How about poodle or puddle?
This reminds me of when composer Steve Reich was told that some people say his name “Ryshe,” while others say “Rike.”
“How do you say your name?” he was asked.
“I say it ‘Steve’.” was the answer.
(BTW, my vote goes for the “mud” pronunciation, but consider that I thought the maker of my flute, Cubitt, would be pronounced like “cub.” I learned directly from his family that it pronounced “cube.” So what do I know?)
Depends on where ye at yeah?
Roo’uhl en Raows?
And leave us not forget Carrrdt.
How about Рудал?
Now I have to repronounce you, dash it all.
Well, I certainly automatically read Cubitt as “cube-it”. Normal English spelling rules… (!!!) the “i” (or an “e”) following a single consonant very commonly makes the preceding vowel “say its name”. Quite straightforward. There would have to be two bs - "b"b - for it to be pronounced “cub-it”. The double “t” is irrelevant.
Rudall is a little less straightforward. I learnt to pronounce it “Roodall” from the first people I ever heard about the firm from - in particular a knowledgeable old flute collector whom I was lucky enough to meet (and see some of his collection) when I first started playing aged 17 - he was a retired schoolmaster in his 70s then in the mid 1970s. So far as I recall, Paul Davis (from whom I got my own R&R) also pronounced it with a long “u”. Moreover, even if I just read it on a page, I would be inclined to interpret it with the long “u”. Although an “a” after a single consonant would not usually change the “u” to say its name, the rest of the spelling - the “all” part suggest a longish “a” (or English neutral vowel) sound which in turn makes the longer “u” a better fit. English spelling and pronunciation of it is notoriously hard with reason! It does tend to inconsistency, but there are recognisable patterns. If the name was to be pronounced with a short “u” I think at least the “d” would have to be doubled and it would be more likely spelt “Ruddle” as in the beer company.
So, on spelling grounds, as well as acquired habit, I’m in the “Rooduhl” camp. It would have to be spelt “Ruddal” or “Ruddle” to be pronounced the other way and would not have been spelt the way it is were it intended to be pronounced with a short “u”.
Although it may be rud of me to say it, I think Jem’s comments settle the issue.
Now, just how likely do you think that really is, Doug? 
Weel sofa sew guid, neigh arguments yett. 
I no nuffink. But still I disagree. [pronunciation guide: dize-ug-ree]
I have no right to. No experience in this field. And no knowledge. Oh, and I’m not making any erudite references to people who do, iver … [as in iver ore]
Thumb to kink about it, I fink ile start a campane in supawt of ig’rnce. Help stamp owt iggerism.
Thanks Cubitt and Gem for a serious answer.
I always had heard it pronounced “Roodahl” but I recently was speaking to a famous recorded player who called it “Ruddle”. I thought maybe I was incorrect in how I thought it should be pronounced.
Apparently both are used, but Roodahl is probably more correct.
Jeff
Not to Ruddle the waters, but no one has mentioned my pet pronunciation so I will…
Take, for example, the name “Goodall”. It’s not GOOD-ull, nor gud-ALL, but rather GOOD-ALL, with an emphasis on each syllable. Why would not our venerable flute-maker be Mr. RUDD-ALL, like mudball?
Rob
Lourde, Sutcha kerfuffle o’er Rudall.
Presenting Lourde Sutcha kerfuffle o’er Rudall and Lady Knickersin O’Bunch!
Just to add to the mishmash, there’s the Rudall River National Park in Australia, and one source in an online discussion on the park said - and with some authority, I thought it seemed - that it’s pronounced like “rue-DOLL”. Yes, with emfossis on the last sylobble. In Oz, anyway. Nobody said anything about flutes.
good thing we’re at opposite ends of the left coast 
it’s the kangaroo thing…throws 'em off, it does!