I’m considering buying a Williams flute from another forum member and am looking for informed opinions. When you think of good flutes, you think of Hamilton, Wilkes, Olwell, Grinter. I know Dave Williams made among the best pipes ever, but I’ve never even seen one of his flutes, let alone played one. The nearest I’ve seen is a couple of Ray Sloan’s, who used to work with Dave I believe. I didn’t like Ray’s flutes at all, although I did have a set of his pipes.
So, any informed opinions about Dave Williams’ flutes would be greatly appreciated.
I have a 4 keyed Cotter at the moment and am on the list for an Olwell…
m.d.
Is this the one that didn’t sell on eBay recently (4-key with additional D. Allen headjoint)?
Niall Keegan plays a Dave Williams flute. You can hear him on the WFO1 track “Dunmore Lasses/My Love is in America”. Seems to be a pretty versatile instrument, in the right hands.
I have a 4 key Williams flute - it’s a great flute on par with a Murray, Olwell or Wilkes. Dave is/was known mostly for his excellent pipes, but his flutes are up there with the best. Mine is modelled on a Rudall & Rose from around 1840 with a short foot. I’ recommend Williams flute.
I’ve played one of these flutes and it was very good. If this is the flute with a second head joint. though, I would want to know why it has a second head joint.
I played a couple of D. Williams, R&R model from around 1840 and both with short foot.
both very nice flutes, altough not my favourite. but very confortable to play and easy to fill.
it really depends on what you are looking for… quite hard to explain but I wish this helps:
for me a R&R’s Williams is nothing similar to a pratten. and it is really rudallish.
My friend Welsh fluter Ceri Rhys Matthews has a Dave Williams 4 key with long foot which plays very nicely indeed. Impressive, I’d say, and according to Ceri a certain Mr Wilkes was very impressed by it when shown it.
Thanks to all for responses, especially the random link to Joni Mitchell on youtube (!). This didn’t sell on ebay, then? I’ll ask the seller more.
Essentially, if I thought his flutes were as good as his pipes I’d buy it in an instant. Problem is, if I buy this then I’ll have to withdraw from Pat Olwell’s waiting list - I have only enough money for one flute, see?
The seller told me that the second headjoint has a different cut, and that the original is fine - just different playing.
m.d.
Well, Pat O’s flutes are hard to beat and have terrific resale value, FWIW.
I don’t know about whether the Olwell in question is keyed. (Or the Williams…
Don’t remember the e bay ad. Or if the Williams is a Rudall. And what the Olwell
is…). If I may speak from my limited experience about Williams, Williams made a very good flute
and Pat makes a great one. But others here think better of the Williams.
Also the Cotter Pratten is a fine flute, at least mine was. Do you want Rudall?
TBH Jim, I’m not a good enough player to really care! The seller has a video of himself playing it, so I’ll get a better impression of the tone and tuning from that.
m.d.
