Sadly, needs dictate that I sell my beloved 4 key Boxwood Murray. As you probably know this is pretty rare find - in all my years here on C&F (6+ now I believe) I don’t recall ever seeing another keyed Boxwood Murray come up for sale. I’ve certainly not seen any on ebay or anywhere else, nor have I run across any other keyed Boxwood Murrays in my travels, although I’m sure a few do exist here and there.
At any rate, my plan is to get it up on ebay tomorrow, Thursday at the absolute latest. However, if anyone wants to make me an outrageous offer in an effort to avoid a bidding war on ebay (like that crazy business with the recent Keyless Wilkes), then shoot me a PM and we’ll talk. Seriously though, it would have to be a good chunck of change - much as I love y’all, the money I get from this sale is going to support me over the next couple of months, and hopefully finally get me over the hump with regards to getting my own instrument making up and running.
It’s a fantastic flute, I really hate to let it go. I’ll provide further details for those with serious inquiries.
I bought this flute’s 6-key sister or cousin or whatever you want to call it on ebay last year. It’s presently in for major restoration by John Gallagher – but if this flute is like that flute (and hey, Loren’s has all its keys AND no cracks AND no warping in the head! Cool!), wow. Even with all its injuries, mine is still a blast to play; I gigged with it regularly and am missing it terribly! … Neat combination of sweet plus that trademark Murray rasp; mine seems a little livelier and more resonant than other boxwood flutes I’ve played. It’s also very light weight.
(I’m still working on my Sam Murray Must Make Thinner-Walled Flutes theory; I can’t help but wonder if this doesn’t have something to do with it.)
The story I’ve heard several times from several sources is that Sam bought the boxwood for these flutes from a Belfast furniture factory that was going out of business; the wood had been hanging around in the factory for a long time, maybe since the 1920s.
I’m sorry you have to let it go, Loren, but I’m sure it’s for a good cause.
So, Loren, do you just need some dosh or would you accept a lathe or milling machine for trade? I don’t have either, just forumizing and generating interest in the flute.
As for Cat’s flute (aka The Mighty Banana) it was formerly owned by Justin Murphy, n’est-ce pas? So if one was curious about how a keyed, boxwood Murray sounds by a professional musician, one could check out WFO2 featuring Justin Murphy on Cat’s flute.
It’s da bomb. And you ought to hear what Louise Mulcahy did with it this summer at Augusta. Argh, I miss it so!!! Murray come home! Murray come home! (although the keyless blackwood is pretty awesome, too – but the Banana’s just a sweetie-pie to play)
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for a piper grippin’ righty: There’s no Bb key, so that’s not an issue. (Although the flute does have the block for the Bb key, so it could be added for those who are more traditional minded with regards to grip.
Yup, this one is fantastic as well, and has no cracks. Honestly, it’s easily one of the very best flutes I’ve ever run across, at least in my opinion, and it’s wicked comfortable in the hand - slim body, light weight, and very balanced, not head heavy like your typical fully lined headjoint 4 key flute.
Last day to make an offer, if anyone is seriously interested. I’ve got a couple offers on the table, so it will definitely be sold…
Not being in the market, I hadn’t even noticed the keys – long- and short-F, G#, and Cnat. Any idea what the motivation is for that combination of keys? The one key that’s (virtually) essential is Eflat – it’s impossible to cross-finger and well-nigh impossible to half-hole. Any player worth his salt can get an in-tune Cnat without a key (not that the key isn’t useful, just not essential). I just have no idea why someone would order a keyed flute with no Eflat, but a Cnat and both F’s.
Actually, if I were in the market for a keyed righty Murray flute this one would be darned atractive.
How many common Irish tunes need Eb?
My priority isn’t chromaticism, it’s Dm tunes, hence the attractiveness of both F keys. I’d also like Bb for early music and G# for Scottish tunes in A. I agree the C key isn’t essential. But, if you play a lot of tunes that call for a 2nd octave c, I imagine it’s extremely handy. E.g. The Monument or Richard Dwyer’s. I can play those tunes on my keyless but the high C’s are cringe-inducing.
Every time the “which keys” question comes up, the responses never agree - like some much else, it’s personal preference. Unless one has the funds to buy all 8
Thanks for clarifying the key question I had. Those are the ones I guessed, and for me, they would be the choice because I’ve yet to meet an Irish tune that needed a D#. But oh, for an F nat. And the occasional G#.
So this is truly a great flute for me.
Do you think my family would notice if all the Alaska dividend checks didn’t make it into our bank account this October?
Loren, are you sure you need money? How about a thirteen-year-old fiddler, on extended loan as an assistant to you until she outgrows her surly period?
