has anyone ever seen any metal simple system flutes. keyed, unkeyed, cylindrical, conical etc? in 1983 at an early music convention in boston, david shorey had a metal unkeyed clyndrical flute in d for sale. i haven’t seen anything like since.
Well, David Shorey has some pictures, here:
http://www.i-gadgets.com/flute/gstout/33/
The picture index, for the wood flutes, is at:
http://www.i-gadgets.com/flute/gstout/temporary.html
Kevin Krell
I have not seen or played a metal flute but have a few old metal fifes, Bb. I had thought they were no longer available but just went to
http://www.hamilton-musical-repairs.com/Fifes.php?PHPSESSID=b0a4dd3b466c29ae8aac6aad089e1c45
and there they were.
Maybe not what you’re looking for but just for information sake.
BillG
Hey - the Nach meyer with silver head joint is nearly twin to my new flute. Thanks for posting this link Kevin!
Eric
I have seen a photo of a German 8-key that was metal, let me dig around and see if I can find the pic again.
It was an odd looking thing, but there’s no reason it shouldn’t play well.
–James
Check this out:
http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/clint-India.htm
This is the only metal conical simple-system flute i know of. So ugly it’s cool!
g
Hammy Hamilton makes a practice flute in metal (aluminum I believe).
Steven
Yow! That Clinton flute on the McGhee site really ugly! 
Looks like it should be sticking out of the machinery in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
Elizabeth
I have seen these for sale in Japan.
http://img37.ac.yahoo.co.jp/users/1/6/0/2/tr000816-img600x450-1038501918pdrm1404.jpg
They are always very cheap; I expect the sound is too.
They are called “Folk Flutes.” This one is on an auction site for 5999 yen.
Lee Sei-Macfhearchair
I have no idea how it plays, but Lark in the Morning has a simple-system flute in G for $75 (billed as “Lark’s Silver Flute”)
Beautiful silver plated 6-hole flute with floral bands handmade by Old World craftsmen.
Judging by the picture it’s cylindrical. I vaguely remember someone on the board buying one a long time back, perhaps as much as a year ago, but don’t recall anything beyond that.
Wow! like a Boehm flute without they keys! 6000 yen is about 60 dollars, right?
g
From what I have read, these flutes were made in the 1970s as cheap alternatives to orchestral flutes. I don’t think they are made now. Perhaps a Japanese member of the board knows something about them?
Here are some better photographs:
http://img127.ac.yahoo.co.jp/users/7/9/4/1/kb_taisyou-img600x347-1076556057ts-456.jpg
http://img127.ac.yahoo.co.jp/users/7/9/4/1/kb_taisyou-img423x585-1076556063ts-456b.jpg
I would buy one for my collection, but I’m saving every yen for a new set of flat uilleann pipes 
Lee Sei-Macfhearchair
thank you all. i shouldn’t try to spell cylindrical so late at night. i was curious about the possibilities of a conical flute in metal. must be part of my deviant nature. o
me again. there is a clinton “india” model on the dayton miller site for you fellow deviants. o
Yes. See my post above, with the URL from Terry McGee’s site. I think Rick Wilson has one too.
Supposedly these play pretty well and sound very “woody”.
g
If they charge so much for a flat set, i’m afraid of asking how much for a set that’s in tune! 
S.M FolkFlute!? 
http://img37.ac.yahoo.co.jp/users/1/6/0/2/tr000816-img600x450-1038501918pdrm1404.jpg
on this pic it looks like the foot has keys though, but no on the others. I just want the keys…for Eb. And G#. And Bb. And..
Slippery slope, my friend… 
Oh, i found the URL for Rick Wilson’s Clinton “India” flute. Great pictures there:
http://www.oldflutes.com/articles/india.htm
g
the look of that flute is kind of growing on me, like it’s from the movie Brazil.