I have a very nice Low A bansuri bamboo flute for sale. It was made by noted bansuri maker Jeffer Whittier. It has been played but is in perfect condition. Good ones just keep getting better through the years. Jeff has been making bansuri flutes for over 30 years for the likes of Hari Prasad Shastri and Sachdev (and normal mortals). Jeff said that this is the best low A flute he made in 30 years of making them. A similar flute made by him is being used in the Broadway production of the Lion King. The traditional thread binding on the flute is new. The flute is extremely resonant and clear, almost sounding like a clarinet in the low register. Due to the nature of the bamboo, the flute tapers toward the foot, and it plays in tune through 3 octaves. Very cool. Comes with a nice hard shell carrying case. Price is $150, plus shipping. Please contact me at johnwh@cisco.com. John
What’s the finger stretch like? The bansuri players I’ve seen use something like piper’s grip…I imagine that’s necessary?
I purchased the bansuri flute from John, so consider it sold. This will give me a good opportunity to get back into “beginner’s mind” and learn how to play it. I’m afraid to say that some of the more technical stuff that has been written on this forum about bansuri flutes and Indian traditional music either went right over my head or in one ear and out the other. Please forgive me if in the future I might ask some of the same questions again.
Please tell us what the stretch is like, when
you have an opportunity.
And is it in low A from an Indian or a Western perspective? (Indian tonic–3 holes covered, Western tonic–6 holes covered.)
I have been looking all over the internet for finger extenders, but they are all too pricey for me, especially without a doctor’s prescription. That said, I am going to be re-offering the bansuri low A (Western) or three fingers down (D tonic - Indian) bamboo flute.
Jim, you asked about the stretch, so here are the specs: flute length is 31 inches, bore = 26 mm, weight = 3.9 ounces (really light)
fingering: X (50mm) X (50mm) X X (35 mm) X (58 mm) X
The spacings between the finger holes are from center to center.
As soon as I get a photo up, like I said, I will have this flute up for sale again. Stay tuned.
Robert ask me to say a few words on the bansuri.
The flute is a special flute bought directly from Jeff Whittier’s collection, not one of his general for sale models on the website.
He sold it to me for $150, then I bought the case. He also redid the binding for me.
The other aspect is, like I said, he felt it was the best low A bansuri that he ever made in 30 years of flute making, which may account for the price. I am not sure on the source of the bamboo. I believe he considered it to be his premium grade.
As far as fingering goes, you need to use the so-called piper’s grip, not the pads of the finger tips, Use of the second finger joints on the first two fingers of each hand and the finger tip pad of the third fingers makes the stretch more manageable. I have medium size hands and seemed to be able to manage fine. I measured my hands. From the base of the hand to the tip of the middle finger is 7.5 inches. The finger holes are a slight stretch but not uncomfortable to me. This is the kind of thing that develops with practice also.
It really is a superb instrument. The amazing thing is the incredible rich bass tonality of the flute. It also plays through 3 octaves, with fork fingering used for the high octave. This is because the bamboo naturally tapers at the foot, providing a natural conical bore.
The flute has been played but has no cracks or flaws.