Robert (Doug) Tipple has asked me to review one of his latest tuneable 8-hole PVC flute designs. The flute arrived today and I should have a review and recordings posted in a few days.
My old non-tuneable Tipple flute was a reasonable, albeit somewhat rough instrument, but certainly worth the money. This one, Robert tells me, is considerably more refined and having a tuneable headjoint will allow me to adapt the instrument better to my piper-style fingering. Should be an interesting test drive when I get home.
Note that I have no direct connection with Robert Tipple, just reporting on an instrument that he sent me for evaluation.
Well, I’m truly amazed. This flute is my winner of the best flute value award. My original PVC flute from Robert a few years was pretty basic, just a tube with some holes but this is a completely different and wonderful new beast.
Robert sent me the tuneable 8 hole flute in white with offset holes for small hands. The construction is really excellent, my wife, even before I played a note commented on just how good looking an instrument it is. The tubing is polished to a mirror-like smoothness with all the finger holes very nicely burnished, the copper tuning slide works very well and stays put. Its an amazingly pretty looking flute for a plastic tube.
I generally play using piper fingering so the offset holes took a bit of adjusting, but once I found a comfortable position to play, I started off on some tunes. Amazing. Simply amazing. Good powerful bottom D and first octave, solid second octave, very good intonation for a cylindrical flute. Of course with a cylindrical flute you have to play the second octave into tune as the design will tend flat on its own, but I had no trouble adjusting.
Robert is going to be sending me an inline hole version as well to try. I will post a review of that instrument when it arrives, plus some .mp3 files as soon as I have a chance and feel more comfortable with the hole arrangement.
He sells these on eBay for $49.95 for the tuneable and $34.95 for the non-tuneable, and at that price its really an amazing bargain. Honestly I’d say these flute favorably compare in both sound and quality of build with many plastic and wood flutes 5x their price.
I can see this flute as an ideal first instrument for the aspiring Irish flute player, or as a second flute for travel. I’d gladly recommend them to anyone.
I just purchased one of these in the darker charcoal color with offset holes.
I had been practicing on an Olwell Bamboo Bb and I’m finding the stretch on the low D difficult. I’m not really convinced the offset holes help, and they may hurt. My wrists end up bent at weird angles.
On the Bb I had trouble hitting the high notes but the low notes were easy. On the low D I have trouble hitting the low notes and the high notes pop right out.
The embouchure hole on this flute is small and round. It’s smaller than the hole on the Bb. Is that normal?
I think it sounds pretty good so far.
UPDATE***
I’m doing much better at covering the holes now without feeling like my wrists and fingers are going to fall off. I guess it just takes some time. I don’t own anything lower than A in whistles or flutes so this is the first time I’ve tried stretching to cover a low D flute or whistle.
I’m also getting better at hitting both octaves.
However, at this point I still find it really hard to play much ornamentation…my fingers can’t move with anywhere near the same speed as on whistle. Hopefuly, this too will come with time.
The flute sounds very nice when I get it just right… I’ve only had it for 2 days so I guess I’m doing pretty well.
Originally, Robert sent me the offset model, which I also had some difficulty playing comfortably since I use piper-style fingering and the offset is really designed for more conventional style playing. This is the instrument on which I made the recording.
On Friday I received an inline model, which I can very comfortably play using piper-style fingering, and I have smaller than usual hands. I’d say the reach is about the same as one of Hammy’s flutes. Both had excellent build quality. Robert also sent me one of his G flutes, also quite nice.
Doug can customize the offset pattern toward each one’s favorite unless the pattern hurts his flute’s intonation(but you have to have your pattern in mind to explain him). You need to pay additional money(more $5 from what I heard) though.
The lowest price for this kind of customization maybe?
p.s.And he honestly answered my complicated annoying questions. It seems he’s getting busy steadily with his flute making. Ok, I shut up and try not to bother him again now.
:roll:
I received my Tipple tunable about a week ago and am slowly getting up to speed with it. I’ve got fairly large hands and find it a bit difficult even with the pipers grip to get the proper hole coverage, but that is not the flute’s fault, it’s mine.
I’ll second the statement about Robert being a gentleman and a pleasure to deal with. No matter how many silly, inane questions I asked he always responded promptly, politely, and in sufficient detail for me to understand. I would not hesitate to purchase further instruments from him.
I guess it just takes some time. I don’t own anything lower than A in whistles or flutes so this is the first time I’ve tried stretching to cover a low D flute or whistle.
It seems he’s getting busy steadily with his flute making. Ok, I shut up and try not to bother him again now.