Anyone know what Sam Murray get for a keyless blackwood flute these days? I have lost his contact details. Thanks.
Yes I know what he gets . Huge Deposits , which he sits on for years on end while he refuses to answer enquiries , if my many informants are correct .
Of course I am not knocking Mr Murray’s flutes ,which a few distinguished players I know have said are first class (for other people to use ).
Dear Andrew -
I can’t help but wonder why nearly every one of your posts is sarcastic, rude and completely unhelpful. What are you trying to accomplish?
You have, on several occasions, acted as an unofficial representative for Chris Wilkes and his flutes and in doing so you have inadvertantly sullied his reputation. Before you began posting, Mr. Wilkes had a reputation for the highest quality flutes with the highest quality service. Now, through his association with you, one is left to wonder whether he is equally rude, sarcastic, mean-spirited and unhelpful as you are. I, for one, would certainly not want someone with your attitude representing me or my work in any way.
I encourage you to reconsider your manner of writing to people here. Be kind, be helpful, be pleasent… it will be a good advertisement both for you and for Mr. Wilkes’.
Best,
Chris
I am on Andrew’s side. I like his caustic humor. I admire his casual sarcasm. I applaud his fearlessness. With Andrew you know where you stand.
People like Andrew will always have detractors. These tend to be super-sensitive, humorless, and fearful.
Chris Wilkes doesn’t need Andrew’s support, nor anybody else’s for that matter. Sam Murray needs all the help he can get.
David -
I wonder how, not knowing me, you think it appropriate to call me “super-sensitive, humorless and fearful”.
Any coward can be cruel. It takes courage to be kind.
Chris
Right. Not knowing who you are I wouldn’t call you a name. Operative words here are “tend to be.”
Honi soit, if the shoe fits, and all that, eh?
But perhaps-- perhaps – you are being a bit overly sensitive?
Well I haven’t met Mr. Wilkes in person but through the correspondence we’ve had I’m convinced that Mr. Wilkes is indeed a gentleman and a nice person as well as being a meticulous craftsman making excellent flutes. I like Andrew too, we haven’t met in person, but I can tell he’s alright under all the banter. 
Sam Murray has made some very good flutes too. Doesn’t a keyless go for around 600 euros?
This thread has been hijacked. 
David -
Alright…
Coming from New Hampshire myself, I quite enjoy sarcasm, black humour, and “telling it like it is”. However, I feel that there is a time for sarcasm and there is a time when it is inappropriate. Sarcasm works best when both parties can enjoy the humour and nobody is hurt by it. Perhaps there is a time when sarcasm ought to be used to inflict a bit of pain, but I think that time is very rare indeed. I believe that sarcasm is never appropriate with a child.
That said, I don’t think sarcasm is appropriate in responding to innocent, well-meaning (if uninformed) posts by relative newcomers to this board, to fluting and to Irish music - especially when the intention of that sarcasm is to hurt that newcomer. I have been guilty of this on occassion and I was wrong in doing so. Sarcasm comes across particularly poorly on-line and has been responsible for some of the messiest conflicts on this board.
In response to your most recent comment - you and I both know that insults can be delivered directly or indirectly. Delivering them indirectly is generally the preferred method as it allows more opportunity to avoid responsibility for injury inflicted. Still, the intentions are the same and so are the results for the person on the receiving end.
I could post a comment saying “Those who support Andrew often tend to be arrogant, rude and conceited”. I could then claim that I was referring to someone other than you and that you were over-reacting in thinking the reference was to you.
I am not, however, going to make that post because I think it unnecessary and untrue. I simply think we all ought to treat eachother with a little more kindness, respect, patience and understanding.
Best,
Chris
Sam Murray does make some wonderful flutes.
Yes, Sam does make wonderful flutes…
However, I have heard that they sometimes have trouble weathering the change in climate from Ireland to elsewhere, resulting in cracks. If you are planning to transport the flute out of Ireland you might do a search through this board for more information on the subject and contact people outside Ireland who play Murray flutes.
Best,
Chris
I have a three-key Murray that I’ve been playing since 1989. It’s a great flute. No cracks and no problems. Any flute coming from a damp climate to the US can have problems.
The problems to which Andrew alluded had nothing to do with the quality of Sam’s flutes. And in all fairness, Sam is neither greedy nor venal. He is very kind and generous. But he is also very disorganized and that can be heartbreaking.
I have a question about humidity… I’ve heard some speculation about the humidity in Ireland and that the change coming to the States, in this particular instance, could cause some cracking while the wood adjusts to its new climate.
My question is could heat also be a significant factor? I’ve been in Memphis a short time, but it gets VERY humid here. When I lived in Kansas City, it was always humid. Ft. Worth, humid, etc. etc. Or is it more that Ireland stays very humid year round whereas we are very humid in the Summer months, yet ‘dry’ in the Winter?
Cheers,
Tony
I don’t think anybody’s answered Cathal’s question yet. I don’t have the time to search right now but recently there was a thread in which prices, contact address and Sam’s alleged unreliability were discussed. I recall that we were assured that the problems people had reported were a thing of the past.
Do a search and start with the most recent threads, Cathal, and you’ll get all the information you want. If you can’t find a contact address with a current phone number, check Brad Hurley’s site. Brad posts regularly here and you can find a link to his website from his profile.
I hope that helps.
Although I would love a Murray keyless, I haven’t seriously considered a new one because I also heard you have to “stand over him” a bit, and that’s something I don’t do well or necessarily want to do, period. But that doesn’t change my opinion of his flutes – it just means I don’t want to have to bug someone so much to get one. So once again, I think it goes back to the same question of balancing business and craft that we’ve discussed at length here before. Sam makes lovely flutes, but if you want one you’ll have to get it on Sam’s terms – which is the case with many craftsmen: one at a time, on his or her time. Which may be easier for some people to live with than others. Meanwhile, if anyone here ever decides to sell a Murray keyless – preferably one that’s already weathered the transition to the U.S. climate in good order – please keep me in mind. Thanks!
Perhaps the excellent Mr Murray lives in a particularly tricky bit of Ireland , climate wise .( And why is a bit of my cheek sticking out ? ) .
Which cheek would that be, Mr. Andrew?
P.S. Maybe it’s the part of Ireland where the Crystal People live who happen to be against all wood flutes and are therefore instituting a plan to vaporize them all (The Goal: a Windows-style blitz in which Sam, and ultimately all of us, will be brainwashed into believing $40K Laurent-style torchiere flutes ala the one on ebay are the only TRUE LIGHT because they are, of course, CRYSTAL!).
GOD HELP YOU, MR. MURRAY!!! CONTINUE YOUR BRAVE RESISTANCE!
See? Doesn’t it all make sense now?
Cathy: it’s the end of the day. Time for bed.
Oh, dear. My deprivation seems to be showing. They swore this office coffee would improve my functionality … 