I am selling my Cochran “Hawkes” flute because I need to finance a Hammy I just acquired and can’t afford to keep both flutes. I wish I could keep the Cochran–it is a great flute with a full-bodied loud tone that projects well in sessions. The low D honks with little effort; ornaments are crisp. It does not take much air to produce a good loud tone: probably the most efficient flute I’ve played in terms of air=>tone=>loudness. Jon cut a great embouchure for this flute; it makes all my other flutes sound great as well.
All the clips I have on my webpage are played on this flute:
This is an early model flute that Jon C. made which he says is a hybrid between a Rudall and a Pratten. It has a Pratten bore (hence the volume) with the comfort and speed of having Rudall fingering. I had Jon make a slight modification to the flute to bring the tuning closer to equal temperament, e.g. brought the F# up in pitch and the A and B down a bit. He accomplished this by shortening the flute slightly between the left hand holes joint and the right hand holes joint. There are some scratches on the flute, but nothing major.
You can see a picture of the flute on Doc’s sight from whom I bought the flute in January (“Jon Cornea Cochran Flutes - Rudall in Delrin” is how Doc labeled it; it looks just like the one labeled a Pratten as well), just click on this link:
Hi Jason
What criteria did you use when deciding to keep the Hammy flute and sell the Cochran? ie. What do you like better about the one you’re keeping.
Yes, I agree with Graeme on this question. If you like it so much, why sell it for the Hammy? Although, I am a bit biased on this one. No one could take my Cochran away from me…unless, of course, it was Jon and he was putting keys on it I assume you’ve played the Hammy extensively as well.
Answer: easier for me to play the Hammy in tune; and I can drive the Hammy harder while maintaining good tone and intonation. Of course, this is a very personal decision; another player could conclude the opposite.
Hi Michael,
how is the Oxford croud treating ya?
You have to understand, Michael the first one, brave enough to buy one of my wooden flutes, he owns the first one I made in wood. It is pictured in his avatar. And to think, he hasn’t traded it in yet for another…
i dont think you should put any numbers on anyone’s flutes, jon. i think you should wait til i finally shell out the money, and then make my flute number 0001.
Sorry, I beat you to it with the Cochran 001 inscription. It didn’t have it on originally, but I had the forethought to know it would be good to have and that one day many more people would know how good a smithy Jon is. So, he put it on for me before I left.
Someone else on the board played it while it was being inscribed in Jon’s shop, but I can’t remember who. All I remember is that Jon told me they loved it because they could really push it…which I must agree with.
As for the Oxford crowd…its been great. Playing a bunch at the Half Moon and the Oxford Folk Festival was several weeks ago so we had some really good sessions all weekend long. I played with about 8-9 other people including several accordions and fiddle players and I could still lead the session well. Jon puts a lot of bang into his flutes…especially for the buck.
Isn’t it about time I hassle you again to keep working on keys? I’m somewhere at the top of the list right?..I’ve been waiting a while for them.
Jon, while you’re sprucing it up (you are sprucing it up, yes? :^), please inscribe my first ever, prototype delrin “Rudall 5500” model with serial number “Zero”. :^) :^) :^) it would make me very proud!
oh, and for record, i hope i’m also high on the keys list. :^)
aren’t we all so… what’s the word??? brazen? shameless? hopeless?
Yes, just about finished. I did say that Michael has the first "wood flute, but Dan has the first delrin flute, really the very first. I turned the reamers and made his flute the same weekend, I used to have that kind of energy… So I will call it the first ever! been busy with fire watch out here in California, hills were a-fire. I think yours and Michael’s are the best flutes I made.
I took your flute around to a couple of makers, Casey Burns and
Peter Noy, I think they liked it, though, Peter looked a little worried at the time. I must say, I had more fun visiting Casey, he is a great guy to visit if you happen to be in the neighborhood. I called him from the Ferry, and he still let me come over.
Annvil has played your flute, when it was in the shop.
Keys… All those pesky springs and things.
I think you are right, which number do you want?
I have no idea how many flutes I have made, all I can say is it is from a few, to lots…
I still work in Delrin.
I assume you’ve played the Hammy extensively as well.
