Moving up from a Tipple?

Irish Flute
1

My first flute is a Tipple D (with both the lip plate and the wedge) which I’ve had for about nine months now. It’s been a fine instrument for learning on, and I feel like I’ve been making slow but steady progress with it. Lately though I’ve been thinking about getting another flute, if not necessarily immediately.

My question is whether or not getting a delrin flute from one of the many makers (Copley, Forbes, Seery, M&E, Jon C., etc.) is going to be a noticeable upgrade from the instrument I’m playing now. Would anyone who has moved from a Tipple to one of the delrins care to share what differences they noticed?

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

2

I’m having issues with the word “up” :smiley:

the shift from cylindrical to conical would be the most noticeable change (IMHO). I wish that I had the words… :blush:

The holes will be smaller. how much varies, which will make it easier to do crisp ornaments. The downside being that you can be sloppier with smaller holes and still sound passable.

As far as intonation, tonal palette, range, etc. they will all be different, but I wouldn’t say better than the Tipple.

Doug makes a very usable flute.

3

I started with Tipple flutes in D, F and G. All were/are enjoyable. In the end, I passed my D onto a student who is musically talented and has much longer fingers.

I still have and enjoy the F and G but I added an M&E polymer keyless D as well and due to it’s conical bore I have no trouble with finger stretch. I also have a Copley & Boegli keyless D in blackwood that is an easier reach for me than the Tipple D was.

While I enjoy my C&B the most, I still regulary play the others. Its about reach, for me. The easier the reach, the more I practice, the better I get. For me, your ‘moving up’ was first about getting a more comfortable flute.

4

My advice would be to try out a delrin one prior to purchasing (if possible). I have two Tipples (both low D, one 6-hole and one 8-hole). I recently bought a Dixon delrin because I wanted to do the same thing you are contemplating. Well, long story short, I sold the Dixon 'cause I like the Tipples better (go figure!). The Dixon is a great flute, but I like the power down low that the Tipples provide. I will probably get a wood flute some day, but for now I am VERY happy with the Tipples. Mine have the wedge but no lip plate, BTW.

Pat

5

I went from Tipple D and E to Mark Hoza flutes. WoodenFluteMaker.com.
The cheapest Hoza flutes cost about the same as Delrin, and are fantastic.
I still haven’t gotten to try the Delrin flutes. :sniffle:
I still play my Tipple G.
And still enjoy playing the Tipple flutes from time to time also.

6

A bit off topic but…
…Mr. tipple makes his flutes with a round embouchure. I would think that the embouchure cut would make a large difference in the way a flute feels. A rectangular embouchure has no “sweet spot” but more of area that you blow into. Whatever you finally buy, this may be an adjustment.

Whatever the advice given here is keep in mind what kind of playing you want to do and what you want to play.

7

Thanks for the information/opinions everyone. And apologies for my use of the word “up” when talking about moving from my Tipple to one of the delrins!

I got an email from a maker who’s finishing up a batch of new delrin flutes, so I’m in the process of being tempted. Hmm…maybe I should take care of my Christmas shopping before I decide… :laughing:

8

Hey Mike,

I moved from a Tipple to an old style M&E, and though the Tipple was a great flute without much investment, I think the conical bore flutes are quite a bit easier to play (unless you have pretty large mits, most find Tipple D’s a stretch, but that you can get used to usually-unless your hands are small).

So, for that, I would say the conical bore is a step up in playability, and as Scott mentioned-that’s very important to many people. It’s just easier, so you play better. The embouchure is different too, in size and shape, and usually a deeper chimney too, unless like you, you ordered the Tipple with the lip plate. I didn’t have a lip plate on my Tipple, and it was a big difference going to a conical bore flute-but a good one.

Unless you need a Delrin instrument, I’d seriously consider a Casey Burns Folk Flute in Mopane wood. It’s still cheaper than the most popular Delrin flutes, and gives you a nice bonus-it’s wood! There’s nothing like a wooden flute in feel and tone, though I still like a good Delrin flute too.

Wood is easy enough to care for, so don’t worry about that. There are some guidelines to keep in mind with a wooden flute though, and if you’re up to being a little responsible about the care, they will do fine. Besides, if you keep your Tipple (many do), you will have a rough duty flute when you don’t want to risk your lovely wooden flute.

You will have to wait for it to be completed (Casey works in batches) see his webpage on them for the details. By the way, many have been very impressed with his Folk Flutes, and I’m not just referring to beginners! In my opinion, that’s a good step up. Here’s Casey’s webpage about them:

http://caseyburnsflutes.com/ff.php

PS Do a search, and you’ll see what people say about them. Good luck to you in your choice. Happy Trails!

9

I’d considered the Folk Flute, as I’ve seen lots of good opinions about it, but the lack of a tuning slide and the fact that it’s a two-piece rather than a three-piece have steered me back toward the Delrins for the price range I’m trying to stick to.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!