I should mention that, with the Burns flute, it is one of Casey’s Factory 2nd’s so it may not be representative of his best work (unlike the other two, which I think do represent their makers’ best work). Also, I think the recording of the Burns is a bit too hot, i.e. it’s not picking it up accurately, it blurs some of the notes. Perhaps I’ll re-record the Burns in all fairness.
Jason
I’d think that the Burns would like a less assertive attack, than the Olwell, whilst the Murray would be on the other side.
I’m just guessin’ here, I do have a few of Casey’s flutes, a Pat O head joint and I’ve heard a bit from the Belfast Power Diddlers…
OK, here’s a retake of the Burns on the same jig. I think it’s a better recording.
Burns Factory 2nd retake: http://www.box.net/shared/4tld1yut9z
Burns Factory 2nd original take: http://www.box.net/shared/3v9l0zoj3v
Yes, Den, I think maybe I do push the Burns too hard, and find that it does do better at what I would consider 3/4’ers, which is a great advantage when playing long fast sets. I actually play my gigs with the Burns for that reason and because it’s so loud and will project easily at 3/4’ers. People seem to really like the sound of the Burns as well.
For $400, the Burns F2nd is a great flute. The other two are a thousand $'s more.
Jason
Yes. Much crisper on the retake.
Arbo
Here’s another interesting factor I just found out: the Murray is brand new and thus has yet to be “played in” (no wonder it’s in such pristine condition). The Olwell is very played in as is the Burns.
From benhall.1–"So you’re asking whether we can tell which flute you’re using in the clip titled “Down the Back Murray”? Hmmm … let me see … 
"
Woops 
. Oh well, just trying to do this stuff on the fly.
I must have missed it. what wood are they made of?
They are all made of blackwood.
Okay, this might be out of line, but I would be interested to hear you play your main ax in different ways. Pushing it, relaxed, restrained, etc. It would just be fun to listen to. You probably know the sound that you are striving for, but how flexible can the flute be?
If an instrument suits you and makes you want to learn it, it seems better than the perfect one that you don’t use.
So which of the three are you going to sell? you can only play one at a time, right?
Don’t know except for the Olwell–I’m borrowing it from a friend. 
yeah, that should be the first ta go 
I pulled up all three tabs and listened with my eyes closed; I could tell the Murray and the Olwell right away. Then again, I have a Murray and an Olwell Nicholson and played the Murray hard for a good five or six years, so …
Anyway, 100% what Steampacket said. I’ve had the same experience with my two (I’m one year in on the Olwell), though I’d like to add that to me the Murray is still the quintessential “Irish-sounding” flute. I have no idea why or how, but that Murray wildness is like nothing else. And Murrays are so lively, they just zoom around; they’re addicting when you start digging into them.
Lovely playing, and save this recording for comparison about a year from now – you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much more you’ll be getting out of the Murray then, I suspect. Focus your airstream and see how little air you can get by with to make the flute sing (also be sure to hold it lightly; it’ll hum in your hands when you do); then experiment with increasing volume and punch from there. Great job!
Thanks for the feedback, advice, and the kind words. I’ve already started feeling the “hum” on the Murray–very cool 
. And, yes, I dig the speed and repsonsiveness of the Murray. The Olwell, when I play it right, is also very responsive. Yet, I think I need a Nicholson to really dig in to the Olwell sound. The Pratten is just too big for me, though I guess if I spent years on it, I might feel differently.
Having just picked up (this evening - just got back) my new Wilkes head for my R&R (to “relieve” the original Patent Head and my starting to complain at times aging hands…), I’m going through a similar process to Jason… all right, have literally only just started, but it was a very interesting couple of hours chez Wilkes starting to find my way into the new head and trying to compare it with the original - for sure it is going to give more and needs me to work less - less in actually gets more out! And it is beautiful! (EDIT: pictures now posted in flute-lichen sticky thread.)
So, in the spirit of Jason’s experiment, I have it in mind to try something similar in a couple of weeks time when I have a bit more time to do it and have learnt more how to play the new head… I’m thinking of a 3 flute comparison too… We’ll see! Nag me to do it, folks.
Oh, I suppose you sound more solid on that Olwell…but you’ve been playing it a lot longer, and the Murray for only a day! I can hear some really nice harmonics coming from the Murray, but I don’t think you have the embouchure figured out yet. I would really like to hear how it sounds after a few weeks of solid playing, so we have a fair comparison. I hope you’ll do that for us.
N
Lovely playing throughout, in any case. Most enjoyable.
I think the difference tween the murray and the olwell is the difference tween a rudall and a pratten,
and there probably is no fact of the matter as to which sounds better.
One of my thoughts exactly, Jim. Thanks for the kind words.
Jason
All three are lovely flutes, I think playing-listenig to and buying flutes is a personal thing. There are many good makers. My weapons of trad are Ormiston-Watson-Doyle
I agree with above. The playing is lovely, no doubt about that. But I suspect people are hearing the Olwell because it’s an Olwell (expensive, hard to get, and preferred by Matt Molloy) and the Murray likewise. I’d be curious to “see” what people would “hear” if those three flutes had been recorded, without giving their makers’ names away, among 5 flutes for example: would we really be able to recognise which is the Olwell etc, or would we not just pick out whichever the player played best?
Nag, nag, nag,…NAG, NAG!! Come on, Jem. 