Yes, that was me. I also disagree about the keywork. I found it very tight, clumsy and unresponsive.
It also took about 3 months longer than he said it would to arrive, but after that he was very gracious about exchanging it for a keyless version.
where do Murray flutes sit in the Rudall-Pratten continuum? large or small bore/toneholes? many of my favorite players have Murrays & i quite like the range of tones they seem to produce. is there much variation in sound from one Murray to another?
tia! /dan
OK, Bang, I’ll take the bait …
You will have to pry my keyless Murray out of my cold, dead hands; it’s that much of a cracker of a flute. (Actually, it’s already willed to someone, so I guess they’ll get to pry it out of my cold, dead hands) 
Warm, rich, woody tone with a fabulous bark when you push it … super-responsive, so responsive it almost feels and plays like a thinwall. Conical bore, average to large-ish holes. Bottom D like a bell; it just bongs, clear and true. (with, of course, that fabulous woody Murray tone)
Being a McGee & Hamilton Pratten girl, I’m not really experienced with Rudallesque flutes outside a hybrid Ormiston – but I would say the Murray’s less Prattenesque in build and volume than the Hammy & McGee. David Levine could probably make a more intelligent comparison, especially on the Rudall end of things … but regardless, the Murray’s sound is so unique that it cuts thru anything; volume isn’t an issue.
Anyway, I think Sam’s managed to somehow invent a flute that’s very much its own; to me Murrays look, feel, play, and sound different from just about anything else. Ironically, they’re very simple to look at; nothing fancy at all. Thread tenons on mine and narrow silver rings & slide; that’s as dressy as it gets. One of the things I’ve noticed is that there’s a longer distance between the embouchure hole and the tuning cork/end cap. Seems like that might have something to do with the sound? And then of course there’s the characteristic Murray “bump” at the end of the head …
So combine their utility and sound quality and their low prices (right around 475 GBP for a new keyless last I heard), and it’s easy to see how a one-man operation like Sam could be perenially overwhelmed, especially if he’s not particularly interested in the business end of things. (I also think Sam does ‘favors for friends’ which puts the people he doesn’t know or hear from often back a bit on the list.) So perhaps the wait with Sam is one of those karmic self-regulating deals, I don’t know.
Personally, I wonder if Sam shouldn’t just charge more IF he could deliver more on time. Then perhaps he wouldn’t need to make so many flutes to make a living and could enjoy himself a bit guilt-free. But whatever the case, the man who mine made a hell of a flute, and I thank God I was able to get my hands on it!
xo,
cat.
P.S. If you want, I’ll try to take photos of the Murray & McGee side by side tonight for visual comparison purposes.
<P.S. If you want, I’ll try to take photos of the Murray & McGee side by side tonight for visual <comparison purposes.
Cat - yes he wants!!!
(what kind of question is that) 
OK, OK, I’ll take some pictures of both your babies.
Thanks cat, in the meantime I’m Ebaying for a Pry-bar, they come in 4-pc, so I figure there meant for Prattens? 
Yah, yah. But I did say my cold DEAD hands, so you’d better ebay for a shotgun, too.
OK, Bang and E-ski (hey! B&E!) …
Here’s my attempt at creative visualization … The Murray’s the keyless one.
Turn on the slide show feature to see the images bigger. Sorry for the focus issues – I tried to show bore and thickness differences at the foot ends, but apparently my camera lens has astigmatism, too!
http://homepage.mac.com/zootfloot/PhotoAlbum1.html
Anyway, I found the differences (and similarities) kind of interesting. Oh, and sorry for the fingerprints too. I ended up playing all three for a while & didn’t wipe down between beauty shots. 
many thanks for the pix Cathy. very pretty, esp. the Hammy, imho. on first glance, the holes in the foot of the Murray suggest Rudall (& Carte?) influence. anyone w/ more experience care to comment?
couple more ?s if you have time: what’s the outside diameter of the headjoint? (i’m assuming inside diameters are all ~19mm) inside/outside diameter of the body at the foot joint? (the flare to the inside diameter at the end of the foot is pretty variable.)
of course, the details of bore, embouchure, etc. are too many to specify, so this is largely a matter of curiosity.
thanks again, & enjoy! /dan
cat - thanks for the pictures.
three amazing pieces - are you saying I need to ebay two more pry-bars?
I’m not much of a Pratten guy, but playing your Hammy almost made me place an order for one it’s a real beauty, Hammy wrote back that he does not have Cocuswood anymore.
is the embouchure on the Murray the widest (front to back), which one is the narrowest cut?
again, thanks for the pictures of the Three Musketeers .
eilam.
Most of Sam’s flutes are Rudall based-- more like a later Rudall and Carte. They have someof the best characteristics of both Pratten and Rudall-- very open sound, great honk, spot-on tuning. I don’t have my micrometer here yet so i can’t give embouchure or finger hole dimensions. Sam’s flutes are very nicely finished.
ojvoj –
I notice the blowhole on your Murray looks a slightly different shape than mine; more of an oval whereas mine appears to be more of a rounded-off rectangle. Interesting… anyone know any history of Sam’s modifications over time (mine’s about a year and half old, I think)? Regardless, it’d be fun to play them both, but heck, it’s fun to play any Murray!
Hmm, on second look … it’s hard to tell. But I could just be smoking too much crack.
cat - crack and flutes, not the best combo
And we’re all waiting to see your beauties, Mr. Byle, especially that Rudall!
I feel a revival of the Flute Porn thread coming on. (more my speed than Dale-bashing, alas)
Anyway, I’d say the Murray’s embouchure is the widest by a wee bit over the McGee. The Hammy’s the narrowest. Perceived chimney depth: McGee’s the deepest by a touch over the Murray, the Hammy’s the shallowest. The Murray seems to have the most dramatic bore taper from crown to foot; it definitely has the smallest bore at the foot end.
Volumewise for those who are into such things: the McGee’s the loudest, but not by much over the Murray; the Hammy’s the gentleman of the lot (although all 3 are pretty powerful weapons).
Sound: the Hammy’s the brightest and clearest, the McGee’s the darkest and most basso, the Murray’s in a class by itself, able to do both with the best edge, honk, and bark.
Bang, I don’t have anything more sophisticated than a tape measure (I doubt a wither stick would be any good as these things aren’t horses), but if a tape measure’s accurate enough I’m willing to give it a try…
Heck. I don’t know, I just try to play 'em.
I guess at least I’m not smoking the flutes. (yet)
get yourself a Delrin flute for the crack.
crack goes with pipes, usually.
my curiosity is satisfied by David Levine’s “Rudall based” estimation. thanks David.
Heck. I don’t know, I just try to play 'em.
thanks for sharing your player’s perspective Cathy. playing is what it’s all about.
enjoy! /dan