Hi all,
Looking to pick up a delrin flute for my son. Anyone play one of Forbes flutes? Like to hear about your experience.
Thanks, Arbo
This was almost too easy 
Arbo, I searched the keywords “Forbes flute” and filled in the author box “Denny”.
'Nuff sed. 
Bob
Very nice flute, although i sold it for a Baubet Delrin which is brilliant, and i mean in comparison to whatever you like.
At €340 it’s a steal!
You’ll pry mine out of my cold, dead hands. STILL my favorite flute to just pick up and play. Awesome tuning, awesome tone, great ergonomics and light as a feather … and you can punch the bejeezus out of it or not, depending on what you want. Pretty much perfect.
If there’s still a clip on Rob’s site of Kevin Crawford playing Murphy’s, that’s my Forbes and it was recorded at Augusta the year you were there.
That said … I really liked the Gary Somers I played a while ago, too. I’d say it’s close to comparable and a little cheaper.
Hi Arbo
Yes Forbes Delrin are great flutes. Pratten based but voicing is flexible. I have been playing my keyless as my main flute but am in the process of swapping back to a Rudall based flute. Fully agree with Cathy’s praise for Forbes.
I had a Forbes and wish I still had it. It was easy to play, sounded great and the low D would rattle the windows. I switched over to a Rudall style flute and the differences were so great between the two that I just wanted to focus on playing the one flute. I miss being able to just leave it out and grab it any time I feel like playing. And it uses O-rings to seal the sections so no cork or thread to maintain.
Echo all of the above. I own one and wouldn’t part with it.
Ditto all of the above plus the body is quite thin and very comfortable to hold and the integral tuning slide is a nice feature also.
Funny, I was thinking of selling a few flutes yesterday. There are some horrors in the box that I would not even try to move on. Guess most of us have a couple of those. But one I was thinking I could put on Ebay is my Forbes and maybe some of the above comments have whetted an appetite somewhere. My Forbes is about two years old and looks like new with no damage or anything. It has three metal rings, is tunable, and the one-piece “cork and head.” The reason I would like to sell it is that I am just in the mood to reduce the number of flutes I have and between it and my Copley, I prefer the Copley because it is a bit easier to play. But the Forbes is a nice flute and is a bit edgier and sleeker. Anyway, I’ll offer it for $275 plus free shipping in the continental U.S. for a week before deciding whether to put it on Ebay or back in my flute box. Outside the U.S., I’d have to find out what shipping would be. Paypal only. Will take first offer and won’t play favorites. PM me if you are interested.
The Forbes I offered has been sold. Will be going to a great town that I lived in 40 years ago and still enjoy visiting. Thanks all.
Sorry I missed it. I had already put a deposit down on one of Rob’s flutes.
Arbo
Sorry, but the flute did go very very fast. If its any consolation, I got my Rob Forbes right when he guesstimated and I think you will like yours. I did say the Copley is a bit easier and is very full, but the Forbes can get reedier and is probably louder. Good choice.
I just posted one for sale yesterday…no cracks or dents - great deep Pratten sound on the lower hand.
Also posted in Exchange Forum.
All the best,
Michael