In the days of old when the signal fife was in it’s infancy it was often referred to as a SWISS PIPE!
The following is from Wikipedia:
The fife is loud and piercing, yet also extremely small and portable. By some reports a military fife can be heard up to 3 miles away over artillery fire. These qualities made it useful for signaling on the battlefield by European armies beginning in the Renaissance period (See also Early modern warfare). Armies from Switzerland and southern Germany are known to have used the fife (Soldatenpfeife) as early as the 1400s. Swiss and German mercenaries were hired by monarchs throughout Western Europe, and they spread the practice of military fifing. By the 1500s, the fife was a standard instrument in European infantries.
I’ll be searching for an appropriate filler for the existing F and C# holes when I next make a run to the hardware store.
Why not just make 4 sets of holes, all in different keys, plug up the holes that you’re not using with rubber stoppers or something and have a really good time?
Jordan, why did you make that monster finger hole?
In reply to one question about drilling holes around the flute, you need to try the new and improved “Bondo”, which has been especially formulated for flute repair. Actually, in designing prototype flutes I have sometimes drilled holes all around the flute, plugging up old holes and trying new ones of a different size or position. You can do a lot of experimenting with one flute body.
Judging from the photos alone, the Linley fife in C appears to be very similar in design to the Yamaha fife, in fact, the fifes appear to be identical. However, at $14 the Linley fife seems a little pricey, as the Yamaha can be purchased for $9 + shipping. I have aksed the seller a question about the shipping expense to the USA for the Linley fife. He replied that the cost of the fife in USD is $13.73 + 8.50 airmail with no handling fees = $22.23 USD.
When I started opening up the F hole I thought 5/16" would certainly suffice. But it went to 7/16”. Which is nearly the bore diameter at that location.
The Linley appears to be a direct copy of the Yamaha (7-holes visable from the top). Kind of like all those Faux Tipples out there.
As per another thread, the original purpose of the Yamaha was/is as junior “training wheels” for the Boehm flute, hence the fingering. It’s a near match.
Yes, I agree that the Linley appears to be identical to the Yamaha fife. At first I missed the seven holes because of the dark color of the Linley fife. Seeing my mistake, I thought that I had revised my post, but evidently my first revision didn’t take. Thanks for the correction. With regard to the Faux Tipples out there, I do have a fair number of seven hole flutes that I have made. Flautists who are used to playing Boehm-style flutes often ask for the C natural thumb hole equivalent on their flutes.
Yes, I suppose you are right, Cork, but the little C fife requires a developed embouchure to play the notes in the second octave. It may be designed to be “training wheels” for the larger Boehm concert flute, but those are definately difficult training wheels, the kind that might make the tots think again about playing the flute. Personally, I don’t think that starting a kid out on a high C fife is a good idea. I gave my 7 year-old granddaughter a penny whistle, a much better choice, in my opinion.
Thanks, Cork, for the links to the articles about the Yamaha fife. I see that I need to revise my less than professional opinion stated above. The writers believe that the Yamaha fife is good beginning instrument for children, also mentioning that professional instruction is desirable.
With potential 8-hole fife players in mind, I am taking the liberty of inserting a copy of the Yamaha Fife fingering chart that was included with the fife. You can compare it to the charts for 6-hole flutes (see my website) or to fingering charts for the Boehm-style flute.
I have been thinking about a maker’s mark, but so far I haven’t come up with any great ideas. Some makers are using printed labels that stick onto the flute. Other makers of higher-priced instruments use laser etching. I don’t think that laser etching works very well with plastics, however, and the process is expensive.
One maker from Australia uses a wood burning iron to hand engrave his flutes. I think that it looks good, but it does require good hand engraving skills, also easier done on wood than on plastic. I also have a little electric hand engraver designed for engraving identifying marks on tools, etc. I am currently thinking that I could make some kind of a mark on the outer surface of the flute with this tool. I am open to receiving any good designs.
Currently, I am marking my name, the year, and key of flute on the inside of the flute with a permanent marking pen. The problem with this is that the ink isn’t as permanent as it needs to be. The wetness on the inside of the bore and the continual swabbing takes its toll on the mark. Of course I could think about planned obsolescence and take the attitude that when the ink marking is no longer legible, then it is time for a new flute. I doubt that this would be a popular attitude, not that I don’t like repeat customers.
What you need is a custom-made “branding iron” (I’d suggest a Circle-T). We use one here at my college to “brand” our computers. It puts the entire name of the college on one of the plastic surfaces. You might even be able to find a Circle-T iron someplace that’s already made (for something like “trademark” perhaps) instead of popping for a custom-made one. Here are a couple of links I just “Googled”…
A developed embouchure, yes, but as training wheels for the three+ octave Boehm flute, the upper octave of the Yamaha once again becomes as training wheels, for the three+ octave range of the Boehm flute, as the third+ octave on the Boehm flute requires even greater embouchure strength.
Thanks for the idea, Pat. I have written to both of the companies that you linked. Now I need to get an idea for an original design. I am including a link to a page showing common branding irons and dies for anyone else who may be interested. http://www.brandingirons.com/
Which is nearly the bore diameter at that location.
