Hi there,
I generally lurk over on the whistle section of these forums. I haven’t played flute before but I thought I would enjoy complicating my life just a wee bit more. 
Looking for a good beginner’s flute. I would prefer to spend as little as possible but still get a good enough flute that I can tell if I am going to enjoy it or not.
I have sort of small hands so a smaller flute might be good. Preferably low air requirements too.
Thanks for your help,
-Derek-
dtravers - try here http://www.caseyburnsflutes.com/ff.php
And give him a call about small hands. Notice around the site he has lots to offer but the beginners flute is getting rave reviews.
billg
Dear Derek,
There are quite a lot of inexpensive flutes which you can buy. If you want to play flute not just only as a hobby, but you have further plans with Irish flute music, I recommend you to buy a cheaper but good quality flute that you can use with joy after years as well.
The best for a flute beginner a Patrick Olwell bamboo flute. You cannot, you wouldn’t find any better and, in this quality, cheaper. (88 USD). You will be surprised how easy it is to sound. And it has a beatufil tone.
In this price cathegory I think the second best choice is Casey Burns’ beginner flute (250 USD) – I agree with the opinion of the previous speaker. 
Ben
Hi Derek,
I second what Ben said – there are several good beginner flutes and a lot of divergent opinions on them . There seems, however, to be a general career arc for many aspiring Irish flute players: 1) whistle, then 2) a good inexpensive flute 3) initial frustration followed by 4) several months of mad obsession, 5) a six to eighteen month wait list for a premium handmade flute from a top maker, 6) deepening obsession & copious postings here (although the postings can start any time ).
The best advice I can offer is not so much a flute recommendation, but rather a strategy for making the decision because the truth is there is no magic flute perfect for everyone (except maybe an Olwell fully keyed monster flute but you don’t wanna have to wait years for it). So here goes:
If you know that, come hell or high water, you wanna play Irish flute, research the high end makers on this bulletin board (use the search function – good stuff here, but read many opinions, all with a grain of salt and look for trends), try some out if possible at a local session or festival, then get on the Copley waiting list – it’s only six months or so (or whatever high end flute you choose . . . I got a Copley for what it’s worth and its great .
Some folks worry that this approach doesn’t allow for a cheap toe-in-the-water to decide. Fair point, but in truth really, really good Irish flutes ($800-$1200) are not more expensive than than any other serious instrument. Try buying a decent cello, say, in that range .
Now, if you must do the toe-in-the-water thing (which, incidently is what I did) then . . .
Explore the well regarded inexpensive flutes. Again, search function. Some of the usual suspects are Casey Burns beginner (rave reviews of late); Tony Dixon polymer 3 piece; Olwell bamboo. There are opinionated fans of each of these and I’m no exception. But when you get into inexpensive beginner flutes, you have another choice to make:
Wood v. Polymer. LOTS of robust debate on this topic. But here’s the bottom line: wood makes better flutes than polymer – that’s why at the high end, flutes are made exclusively of wood. So why go with polymer as I did? Because at the $200-$400 range, you can get a very good flute made from it (search: Dixon, Seery, M&E) AND its indestructible AND requires no maintenance.
On the wood side, it sounds, feels and looks better. In the $200-$400 range the Casey Burns beginner flute and Sweetheart flute come to mind. Again, seach function . I havent played a Casey Burns but people who have absolutely raved about them I have tried a Sweetheart Walnut at a festival and it was terrific – nice and resonant with a sweet and easy upper octave. The only caveat, is – supposedly, I’ve heard – they can be a little inconsistent, but I understand that is improving. If you can try some out.
While not wood, the other organic, non-polymer option is the Olwell bamboo – it has the reputation of being a real, professional level instrument – that is, it’s not a beginner instrument per se, but it is often purchased by beginners because it is inexpensive under $100 bucks or so. It’s apparently mighty, but it does have fairly widely spaced tone holes.
With all this said, I’d like to weigh in for a Tony Dixon polymer. I absolutely love mine – have been playing if for a little over a year. It’s got a great sound – I’ve actually gotten spontaneous compliments on the sound of it at a local session (note: compliment re: the sound not my playing lol) – for a polymer instrument it is very reedy and woody. The Tony Dixon is easy to play because the tone holes are small (thus easy to cover cleanly) and the finger spread minimal. Let me just say this: I just got my Copley, but I will be keeping my Dixon as a knock around flute .
Bottom line: you’ve got a little homework But it’s well worth it of course .
Hope this helps
Alan
The CB beginners flute is the best for people with
small hands; also you can sell it if you
ultimately don’t want to play flute. Best
Oh one more thing (as carpal tunnel sets in from all this typing) . . .
Whatever you do, DO NOT be tempted by some of the junk on ebay. I got an eight key 19th century german flute for a couple hundred and its junk. Pakistani flutes, have similiar reputation. Do the research and get a name maker, otherwise it’s a gamble that’s stacked way against you .
All true. But there is a solution. Get an F or an Eb. You still have a professional quality instrument with a use when your quality D is ready, and you have something easier to learn on.
I sense that we might be talking about flutes that are more expensive than Derek wants at this stage. If so, an Alan Mount flute would be just the ticket. Tunable, much easier to play than an Olwell bamboo D and a surprisingly nice tone for a flute he just about gives away. You can’t go wrong with these. You’ll always want a polymer to keep in the car on hot days and take on those trips you wouldn’t dare take a fragile wooden instrument.
Having just received two flutes for review from Robert Tipple, I’d also recommend one of his tuneable PVC flutes that he sells on eBay for $49.95.
I recommend his inline hole model, not the offset hole as I think the inline is better for piper-style flat fingering and for ease of playing ornaments in general, even if you have smallish hands like I do. If you are using standard fingering, then you’d have to have a fairly long left ring finger to use the inline. Right hand is fine for both standard or piper-style fingering. The tuning slide allows sufficient adjustment of the relative angle between the finger holes and the embochure to allow comfortable playing, so I think its worth the addition $15.00 over his non-tuneable flutes.
If you want something more traditional in appearence, then I highly recommend the Rudall-style plastic M&E flute for around $400. I’ve not been impressed by any of the Dixons I’ve tried, sorry to say.
For around $700 or so a keyless Lehart is a fantastic flute.
I second what Mr. Eskin says about the Tipple flute – it’s the first one I got – it was about $25 for the non-tuneable – and it’s what got me into this whole craziness. It’s very fun to play and sounds good (listen to Eskin’s beautiful recording under the Tipple review thread – amazing that that kind of sound can come out of a piece of plumbing )
Also, as you can see from his lukewarm response to Dixon, this whole flute choice thing is very subjective .
Alan
I’ll third the Tipple suggestion. It’s a good deal for $50. I’m going to work with it until my tax return gets here and then get a Casey Burns if I seem to be progressing and enjoying myself.
-Brett
I probably need to try some of the nicer Dixons to really give them a fair eval. The only ones I’ve tried were the bottom end model.
yeah – I’ve read the Dixon low whistle/flute combo is only so-so. But my Dixon three piece conical polymer was really what got me serious about this whole thing – cheap, indestructible, fun, easy and sounds good. That Casey Burns beginner sure looks good though .