SOLD - Ray Sloan Celtic Standard

Irish Flute
1

I recently aquired this Ray Sloan Celtic Standard Flute, it is an absolutely gorgeous best quality professional flute.

:frowning: But, the tone is bright and clean (I like dark reedy sounding flutes). I would guess that the Sloan is based on a Rudall Refined model. The flute requires a good embouchure from the player for best results and is very simular to a Seery in this regard. The sound is not inherently loud, but projects well and can be pushed really hard. The flute is very responsive (fast) and even I can play it to the top of the fingering charts in the 3rd octive. I never play in the 3rd octive, it is just that this flute plays high with ease.

This is an older flute (Numbered 34) and has a joint between the hands (Rudall style) and separates into 5 pieces (head, barrel, left hand, right hand and foot). The newer flutes (Sloan no longer makes flutes) have the longer body and are comprised of only 4 pieces. The slide, rings and I believe the head liner are all sterling silver. The only flaws I know of are a tiny chip out of the collar on the barrel (size of a pin head) and a faint crack on the left side of the embouchure.

Here is a picture of the chip.

Here is a picture of the location of the crack (this is the best I could do to try and show the crack).

I would like $425 for the flute including postage and insurance (Lower 48 states, others might be a little higher). Please respond via PM.

FYI. These flutes were originally selling for over $800, the price is so low, due to Hobgoblin Music selling out their last 2 new ones for approx. $550 plus approx. $25 shipping. By the way my credit card company charged me about $15 for converting payment to Brittish Pounds. I am selling this flute for less than I paid for it and believe it to be an excellent buy!

Thanks!

Jordan

2

The Sloan flute is headed back to the land of its birth!

I will confess there was not much interest shown in the flute.

The Sloan Celtic Standard was the most beautiful and meticulously crafted flute I’ve ever seen.

The last two flutes I’ve sold (Hoza Eb, and Seery) both sold within about an hour of posting. Was this due to the price (each for about $250), or due to familiarity of the maker?

I believed this flute to have been an exceptional buy!

Just curious, call this a marketing survey.

Thanks!

Jordan

P.S. I’ll try to get around to posting a better review of the Sloan.

3

Your prices for the Hoza and the Seery were about $150 less than retail which is an unbelievable price (and also low enough for a starter to jump at them) - I think that’s why they sold fast. The Sloan was below what you paid for it, and may have been a great flute, but I never hear anyone talking about Sloan flute so that may have been part of the issue and the price was high enough to discourage new players with limited funds.

Eric

4

Sloan is a well respected pipemaker, especially SSP, but the only comment about his flutes I had ever come across was not favorable but that is just one person’s opinion.

I’ve seen his smallpipes (actually, I was the transporter of a drone section to a Canadian friend) and the workmanship is top-notch. So I imagine the craftsmanship on his flute to be high standard.

I probably would have snagged the flute had I not bought a keyless blackwood flute this Spring.

I look forward to your review, Jordan.

Cheers,
Aaron