I recently received my M&E Rudall polymer flute and just love it. I find it easy to play, loud enough for sessions and responsive. I’m starting to think about what I’ll get next and was wondering if anyone has experience with his keyed flutes. I see on his web page that he will key both polymer and african blackwood, and wanted to see if anyone has played them and is willing to comment.
Thanks to everyone for all the help in the past. Your guidance has saved me both in time and money.
I think the polymer M&E RR is a good flute for the money. If you’re planning on having yours retrofitted with keys, talk to Michael Cronnolly about placement. If you have short pinkies like me, this makes a difference.
That said, I recommend going with blackwood (or other wood) in future. I would also look into other makers just so you can get an idea about various prices, appearances of keywork, and general construction; I found the keys on the M&E to be a bit chunky looking and some of them were hard to work, but they got the job done even if with more effort at times than really necessary. It may be that he’s improved some things in the keywork department.
I have a 6-key M&E polymer.
It is a fine flute.
Photos, recordings, and more info are on flutesite at
http://www.flutesite.com/m&e_6-key.htm
If you have a particular tune you’d like me to play for you on this flute please email me or post it here and I’ll record it for you and post it on flutesite.
Edited to add this about the keys: the keys on my flute definitely have a homemade look. I have seen later keyed flutes where the keys were highly polished and more streamlined. The keys work very dependably and I’ve never had any trouble with them at all.
–James
James, how old is that flute? The keywork on mine is definitely different.
That flute is several years old now…I think it must have been in 1999 when he added the keys.
–James
I think that mine (which I bought from a fellow Chiffer) is newer than that; the seller told me that Michael was using a new source for his keys, and the one I have was the first set up with them. I don’t know if Michael is still using them. Yours definitely looks sleeker.
I came up with a thing on this (original topic question). I have a keyless M&E Rudall and Rose polymer D that I’m going to have keys fitted to by Michael in the next few months and I also persuaded him to make me a costom made African Blackwood head for the flute. I think the headjoint is the part of the flute that makes the biggest difference in sound, and this has also been sort of proven in the “material doesn’t matter test” discussed here before. They didn’t swich the headjoint material, just the body and nobody could tell the difference between two materials. On the other hand, everybody tells me there is a big difference between boxwood and blackwood heads for example and between polymer and blackwood heads. I think this will be interesting. I’ll also keep the original head.
I’ll let you know how this turns out in a few months.
Henke - how much for the head? I’m also going to have mine keyed.
I don’t know yet Eilam. I don’t think he has decided yet. Or he just plans to tell me later when there is no turning back 
Can’t say enough good about the keyless M&E polymer (can’t say anything about the keyed as I’ve never seen one)
Anyway, one horror story with the polymer flute or rather the slide: I had a piece of (teflon) tape on the slide to mark the position when I handed the flute to a compatriot to play. When he handed it back he pushed the slide in. Fortunatly, not all the way (a reflexive motion). Arghhh!
The slide is now stuck solid. Tried soaking in hot water, which expands the polymer and the barrel comes right off (goes off and on easy that way..let it cool…solid as a rock)
So the question at the moment…does anyone know of a solvent for teflon plumber’s tape…I don’t. Otherwise, it means making mandrels or new slide…sending flute back for repair etc etc
Jack
Jack
Jack - that’s one important flute safety tip in general! I’d never thought that could happen.
Have you tried a few drops of oil?
Eric
Not yet…teflon tape is used to seal against most things…I’m thinking of removing the slide (easy w/ polymer) and heating it up fairly hot…easy w/ stainless steel…but I need to be able to pull it apart w/o dinging the thin tubing. Still chewing on how to do that part.
It’s kind of ironic that the teflon tape has sealed that well, because it tends to tear apart or slip off when I’m using it on my plumbing at home.
If you can take the slide out of the polymer, and since the teflon must be near the edge of the slide, I wonder what a match would do? Then again, that could be a really bad idea…just brainstorming.
Eric
I really dont know what the composition of “teflon” tape is. But it is thin, so its in there about a half inch.
The moral is to use only THICK tape as a marker…(I didn’t want to scratch the stainless !)
Just remember wood has a lot to do to take care of it. That being said if you want to just pull your Lute apart put it in a case and go then I would say keep the polymer.