I’m on Copley’s list. He works in blackwood, mopane and rosewood.
I am interested in longevity and sound characteristics.
I play a blackwood flute so we can use that as a yardstick (Jessie you know this flute).
I like solid tone not raspy or breathy but I love complexity and color in the tone. In other words it doesn’t have to be “pure” but I don’t want it to be wheezy.
Any thoughts?
In my opinion, and I’m a beginner so take with a grain of salt. Mopane is very similiar to Blackwood, but maybe a little ‘brighter’? But it can still be very reedy but that may be design and not particularly the characteristic of the wood.
YMMV.
I have two copley flutes in blackwood.
They have a lovely complex sound.
I prefer the sound of blackwood to
rosewood and mopane. I’ve played mopane
flutes in D; warmer sound but there’s
something darker and more complex
about blackwood–these mopane flutes
weren’t Dave C’s however.
I’ve played Rosewood flutes too,
all by Ralph Sweet, these sing nicely,
but again I think blackwood has a
more complex sound.
So I say blackwood, FWIW.
And Blackwood is durable. Best
I have many flutes in various keys but only one wooden one.
Its a keyless D key Seery in blackwood.
Its the only D key flute I have and
I don’t want any other.
I have nothing to compare it with.
I do love and appreciate the mopane one
as Eldarion plays it but I do not desire it.
If I got a wooden G flute, I would choose Ralph’s Rosewood.
Mopane is cool, but blackwood is better. I’m not crazy about rosewood unless it’s Madagascar rosewood, otherwise known as Boie de Rose, and that I love.
A well-made flute in any good wood will give you a good sound, and between you and the flute maker, the flutes won’t sound earth-shatteringly different.
I’m only passingly familiar with mopane, so I won’t comment much on it. I’ve heard decent things about it, but I’ve never heard anyone say it trumps blackwood; most of the time, it’s merely said that it compares, sharing similar qualities to blackwood. Rosewood is mellower, generally, than blackwood, and the tone can be less sharp. It can also be more diverse, flute to flute, both visually and sonically. Volume, then, is sometimes, if not quieter, then fuzzier. Blackwood takes a bit less work to care for, doesn’t take in much oil, if any, whereas rosewood really does soak in oil, especially at first, and probably needs to.
Which you prefer is something you’d have to conclude yourself; I’m sure there are brilliant, wonderfull flutes out there made of rosewood. Again, depends on the maker more than the wood.
For me, if an option of boxwood or cocus was offered, I’d have a harder decision, but with these choices, IMO, I’d go with blackwood. For the sort of flute you’re buying, I think it’s the best option in both the short and long haul.
Gordon
Jessie - I, made a few instruments out of Madagascar Rosewood, and by far it’s my favorite Rosewood. I like Cocobolo too, but I think Madagascar Rosewood is as tight grain as Blackwood, it’s bright magenta red when milled, and turns purple black within a few days.
I’m getting a 6-key in mopane from Dave. My main motivation is aesthetics–I think it’s much more interesting looking than blackwood. As Gordon said, seeing that the player and maker are both constants, flutes in different woods probably won’t sound radically different. I’ve been playing an all-wood flute in mopane for the last 6 months, and it’s lovely to look at, very stable (even more stable than blackwood, I’ve been told), and has some nice warmth to the sound (I picked it over a blackwood flute in the same model).
Micah
that’s my problem with mopane flutes.
I want to eat them.
Get professional help!
Why? We don’t complain when you do dog-type things. Maybe in Jim’s case, on the internet nobody knows you’re a termite!
Steven
Thanks Gordon. I am mostly a bamboo blower myself.
As I said earlier I only have one wooden (b/wood) flute
and I don’t know much about wood at all
so I am in this topic to learn interactively.
Your post is helpful.
I am attracted to a rosewood G flute
just because
I like the sound of the name: “rosewood”. :roll:
I always thought rosewood is where roses come from!
But it’s a general name for woods that smell a certain way when machined. Blackwood is a rosewood. Brazilian rosewood is called Jacaranda’. And so on…
On the topic of ignorance -
when I heard the mopane flute elsewhere on this site,
I thought,
“gee thats pretty good for a plastic flute.
Hmm, I shouldn’t be so close minded about
the superiority of wood and bamboo.
This mopane’s pretty good” 
I don’t need professional help.
I’m equal to the task.
Only whipped cream and some cherries.
Speaking of fruity edibles, African Blackwood is often referred
to as “grenadilla” but this is confusing because
grenadilla is a giant passionfruit type fruit
from South America …
You must have a good set of chompers.