The flute is now sold. Thanks to all of you who expressed an interest.
I’m selling my George Ormiston Flute. Blackwood & silver, 4 keys (gsharp, shortfant, eflat, bflat). Wooden box. $1,570 plus shipping (I’m in England). Please reply off list to Drtrishwinter@aol.com
Photos on website http://hometown.aol.co.uk/drtrishwinter/myhomepage/hobby.html
just out of interest when was the flute made?
I bought it from Hobgoblin about three years ago. I assumed at the time that it was new, but come to think of it I didn’t ask for any proof of that - it and its case certainly looked new. It doesn’t seem to have a serial number.
ormiston’s flutes have changed over the years - provided hobgoblin hadn’t had it in stock for years i think yours must be the newer recent model (bigger bore, hallmarked silver ferrules) - are you sure there’s no serial number, i thought he numbered all his flutes.
My mistake - it does have a serial number: 449. And it has hallmarked silver ferrules.
Nice flute, sterling craftsmanship, good price, esp. given the way some of the new flute prices seem to be lately, even on keyless …
IMHO, George’s flutes have been sadly underappreciated over here; small-handed people should consider them.
A Satisfied Ormiston #325 Owner.
Cathy, just curious here…
You have a Hammy now. How does that compare? Are your hands small?
My Hammy Eb is not noticeably “smaller” than the rest of my flutes ~
I just got an Olwell D bamboo flute which is just right. Would someone with larger hands find the Ormiston slightly more challenging to play?
(Repeat ~ Just Curious!!! No More Flutes! No Keys! Keep it Simple! AAAUUUUGGGGHHH!!!)
Mary
I have a Hammy now, too, and average sized female hands. The Ormiston was instantly easier to play (it was my first wooden flute) though I now prefer the Hammy - i think this is mostly a preference for pratten-style over RR-style. I think Cathy is right - they do suit those with smaller hands, (or for making the transition from boehm system flute - this is how I used it) but I don’t think this makes them harder to play if you have bigger hands - just different!
trish/other ormiston players,
would you say that the ormiston is quite loud? i can’t get the volume i’d like from mine which obviously has something to do with still being fairly new to the instrument. i wonder all the same though how they compare with other flutes for volume.
seanny
Seanny,
I remember a visit to George Ormiston a while back. I had been playing wooden flute for about a year and I thought my tone was coming on quite well. George showed me some flutes and left me to play them for a wee while and I was impressed. George came back and asked me what I thought. He lifted the flute I had been playing and I literally had to take a step back. The volume was incredible. I look back to that experience and the advice that George gave me as the most important moment in my learning experience to date. It takes a considerable time to develop good tone and the capacity for good volume comes with it. Like any other quality instrument a beginning player is never going to do it justice.
Hey, Dixie!
I’m totally in agreement with Trish, and in fact, my Ormiston was my “transition” flute, too. And like Trish, I really just prefer the Pratten setup I think – plus I’m plain stupid in love with my Hammy. (It’s a glutton for punishment thing, I guess 
)
But I’m sure glad I had the Ormiston first – I might’ve given up if I’d gone to the Hammy first! 
I have average-size hands but very long fingers; nonethless I still use a sort of piper’s grip, esp. with the Hammy. But whenever I go back to the Ormiston I have no problem after the initial moment of “spaghetti phalanges.” And the one thing I do like about it is there aren’t any blocks to get in the way of that grip; in fact, I find the key setup on my Ormiston far more user-friendly, esp. for those “Boehm crossovers.” So I don’t think larger-handed players would have any trouble with it, either.
Seanny, I have no problem getting a big sound out of the Ormiston (although the Hammy seems to have a quality that makes it “cut through” or carry more in a crowded session, but that’s a function of the Pratten type I think), and it doesn’t take a lot of air – once again, the question of volume really comes back to that dreaded focused embouchure concept everyone keeps talking about.
(I’ve heard John Skelton create a small sonic boom on my Ormiston, so I know it can be done. 
)
Another thing I like a lot about the Ormiston is I can put more of an “edge” on the low notes more easily than the Hammy – it’ll tolerate a serious frowning embouchure without breaking, whereas the Hammy requires more subtlety. I can do it, but I just have to think harder and it has required knowing the flute a lot better.
In fact, when the Hammy experienced an unfortunate St. Pat’s Day accident, I played the rest of our gigs on the Ormiston – and I was AMAZED at how I can make that thing bark now! So it’ll do it; it’s just a matter of knowing it well and seeing how far you can push or pull it.
Bottom line, I think George makes really nice flutes at a really reasonable price, and for Boehm crossovers I believe Trish is right … they’re wonderful and a truly great value.
Mine has certainly served me well.
Hope this helps, and have fun!
Best,
cat.