I’m currently playing a M&E flute which has been serving me well for many years. I’d like to upgrade the flute and I’m mostly interested in another polymer flute as there is less maintenance required. Would a Copley or Seery be much of an upgrade on what I have already? Any other recommendations would be most appreciated 
I had a Seery years ago…one made by Des himself, so I’m not really familiar with the quality of whoever is making his flutes these days. However, Copley flutes are great…and consistently great. That said, I’ve had exceptional M&E flutes but also ones that were pretty average. If you have a good M&E, I’m wouldn’t necessarily consider another polymer flute an upgrade although a Copley or Seery will be lighter in weight for sure.
Eric
“Upgrade” or “improvement” is tough to say when it comes to flutes. I’ve owned and played M&E flutes, they’re quite good all-around. I’d take Jayhawk’s advice a bit further and say that there isn’t a flute, whether polymer or wood, that is strictly speaking an “upgrade” by leaps and bounds ahead of what you’ve got right now.
What is out there is variety, and it comes down to what you want from a flute. Do you want a brash round, a sweet sound, a session cannon, something easy for small hands to hold, a more forgiving embouchure, a strong low D, a dark tone…? Do you care if the flute is in three parts or four, do you want the two holes at the foot, do you want to be able to rotate the holes for each hand independently?
Compared to the M&E both the Seery and the Copley will likely be “louder” in the sense that you can push them harder. The Seery is patterned after Pratten flutes and has a single long middle section. The Copley has a split between the top 3 and bottom 3 holes, which some people prefer (and you have on your M&E). Copley makes a few different styles of embouchure, and some people prefer their more square-cut style for ease of playing over the more traditional oval. In my experience, the Seery takes a bit more focused embouchure, but can really shine when you get it right.
So I’d throw it back at you, what do you like/dislike about your M&E, and what would you hope to get from your next flute? Also, out of curiosity, where are you from? That can affect what makers are available to you, and how much maintenance a wooden flute would take.
bigsciota is correct. Different people like different things for various reasons, so there is not much to learn from “I prefer Ford/Volkswagen/Toyota” discussions. So if you can come back with what you are looking for (lightness? bore size and shape? external diameter? tuning? spacing and size of finger holes? 3 part or 4 part? embouchure cut?) that would help a lot.
FWIW, what I notice most about delrin is that it slips under my lip when it is warm and I am perspiring, much more so that wood.
Hugh
I’ve tried many, including the older + the Rudall M&Es. I think the Seery (based on the Hudson Pratten) might be louder, and thus more suitable for session playing, but probably not a huge step up from your M&E. The Copleys (his own design) I’ve had were amazing for their price, and sold only to focus on one in blackwood. The flutes I’ve kept I enjoy for a variety of tone & playability reasons: Seery, Cochran (Jon Cornia), Somers (Pratten & Rudall). I have a blackwood Paddy Ward and am expecting one in Delrin, hoping it’s as fun. For current, readily available makers, you should consider Copley and/or Thompson. If you can find a used Somers, I find them worthwhile.
I find the M&E very heavy, it weighs 445 grams and it can be hard to play for a long time. I got it in about 2000/2001, I’ve heard that the more recent M&E flutes aren’t as heavy.
I’m happy with the sound of the M&E flute, I like the strong low D and how loud it is, but I think I’d like a flute with a bit more depth to the sound. My hands are quite small so any larger bore would be difficult for me to handle. I’d like a tunable flute, preferably in 4 parts so I can adjust the holes for each hand, and with an oval embouchure.
I’m based in Ireland, but I’d be willing to buy outside the EU for the right flute.
Edit: I’m open to a wooden flute as well as a delrin, I guess I’m just used to a delrin so that’s why I defaulted to that. I played a beautiful blackwood flute by Stephan Morvan this weekend and I think I could be converted to a wooden flute.
I have a 3 piece keyless Thompson Student flute - great to play as a beginner - not heavy at all. Damien Thompson is also very approachable through his website - highly recommend!
I’ve owned all three.
The Copley is much lighter than either the Seery or the M&E. If the weight of the M&E bothers you, the weight of the Seery might, too. For that reason you might prefer the Copley. I really liked the M&E, but my arthritic hands finally gave it up. Just about any wooden flute will weigh less, I think any wooden keyless with a head that’s not fully lined will. I do have a strong preference for the way the Copley plays vs. the M&E.
One thing I’ll point out is that the M&E is a small-holed flute. If you have a couple of years under your belt, the adjustment to the large-holed Seery might be significant. I cut my teeth on small-holed flutes and never got along with Pratten-types, but I love medium-holed flutes like the Copley and the Olwell Nicholson.
I have tried many Delrin flutes over time, and in my opinion, Copley and Seery are both great but very different. I’d concur with others that that they’re more about the specific sound, response, etc than “upgrade” per se.
Don’t think Copley, for example, is a flute that you have to play first to get to another “higher” quality flute. It is the endgame if you like the sound.
I have also had the privilege to own some of the higher priced Delrin ones, Terry McGee and John Gallagher, and I love both for the sound and playing style they enable for me. I won’t be able to choose any one of these as an upgrade over another.
I have both a Ward (Hawks model) in Delrin and in blackwood. I am curious whether your experience matches mine. I find that I prefer playing the wood one, but suspect it is related more to subtleties of the embochure cut rather than material (or maybe just the feel of the wood flute vibrating when I get it really honking). I also have a Somers small bore Rudal and agree that it is worth consideration (though not quite as loud as the Ward).
That vibrating feeling with a flute is interesting. Most of the delrin flutes I’ve owned didn’t have it, but my Seery, Baubets, and a Walt Sweet flute all did have it. Sound-wise, I think it makes zero difference, but it does make the flute feel more alive.
Eric
Many thanks for all the suggestions! I appreciate it! I was dead set on getting a delrin flute as that’s what I’m familiar with, but I played a beautiful wooden flute at the weekend so I’ve turned my search towards a blackwood flute instead. I’ve narrowed my options down to either a flute by Geert Lejeune or Gilles Lehart, both fine flutes so trying to figure out which one will best suit my needs.