Looking to get one for my girlfriend for Xmas. She’s played the flute for several years and is interested in giving the Irish flute a shot. Is there anything anyone recommends between $150-300 that she can use as kind of an introduction to the instrument? Any assistance is much appreciated!
I’d go to $375 and buy a Casey Burns Folk Flute: http://caseyburnsflutes.com/ff.php
Kevin Krell
At $360, the Copley delrin is a great buy.
Ditto this. That’s a great flute for a small price.
Rob
Copley delrin flutes are great for the price, it’s very easy to get a good tone on them.
I can’t disagree with either at that price. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything cheaper that would likely provide a satisfactory experience for an already seasoned silver flute player.
$350 for my Reviol keyless in D. It’s a wooden flute with a poured Delrin liner. Don’t ask me how he does it. It plays very nicely, is in tune, and is trouble free. The new price is $450 + shipping from New Zealand. I will include shipping anywhere on the planet. Reviol’s flutes are very similar to Martin Doyle’s flutes.
http://www.reviol.co.nz/HTML/CastBoreFlutes.html
http://www.copleyflutes.com/catalog.html (Just to add website)
http://www.forbesflutes.com/design.html (Haven’t played)
Don’t “Consider a spherical cow in a vacuum…”
Consider my flute. It’s much more useful. No milk and no teats, but no up-keep, no feed to buy, no manure to shovel, welcome in any session.
You may want to decide if she needs a tuning slide or not…
The Forbes is great, but the holes might be too large for the average women’s hands.
I don’t think you’ll find a flute in this price range with a slide, but the options suggested so far all have enough tuning adjustment by way of a long tenon. Any of these can be played with others, in a session or whatever.
Hand stretch might be a concern if she has smallish hands. Can’t speak for the others, but the stretch on the Copley is reasonable. That Reviol looks nice. Would consider it myself if I wasn’t in the middle of a move…
Good luck,
Jay
Dominic Allan’s student flutes got a slide. I quote from his website:
STUDENT FLUTE
These flutes are made from apple wood, cherry, pear or maple subject to availability. They have a two piece construction that includes a tuning slide.The head is fully lined with nickel silver and the conical bored body is treated with a cellulose based wood hardener.After turning the flute is soaked in linseed oil to further seal and protect the wood. I endeavour to keep waiting times to a minimum for this product and these flutes can be used in part exchange for one of my advanced models. (up to 70% of original purchase price, subject to condition) - Price £150+ postage.
I had one of these with the modern-cut embouchure for awhile and was very pleased with it. I recently did some trading and got one with a traditional oval embouchure. I am absolutely blown away. When I unpacked it and just tooted a little gibberish to get a feel for it my wife said “WOW!” It’s absolutely one of the best Irish flutes I’ve played, and there’s no adjustment necessary switching between it and my Olwell Nicholson (which has been virtually idle since I got the Copley Delrin).
ya know ya could keep yer mouth shut 
like he needs another delrin flute 
FWIW I have the same problem (“virtually idle”) with my Rob Forbes & Dave Williams Pratten (w/ Pat O. head) 
Ralph Sweet of Sweetheart Flutes makes a number of instruments in that general price range; the Resonance in Rosewood is about $375, and some of his other unkeyed flutes in D are at $295, depending on species of wood. He also has a one-keyed flute in various woods at $335.
Best wishes.
Steve
I’ll be back to the Olwells after the shine has worn off the apple. I’m having a lot of fun getting to know the Copley, though. 
an’ the DW is an 8 key
an’ fall starts later today
an’ I will not be outside as much
if I just put it together in the morning… 
I recommend the Casey Burns Folk Flute. If you’re lucky, he just may have a “factory second” that will save you some money. I have one of these in Boxwood that is abaout 2 years old and it is one of my favorite flutes.
Everybody has an opinion…
The Reviol has been sold…
