Hi, Having been on the Holmes McNaughton list and now being told that they may not be making any more flutes ( sorry to hear that Bill is unwell..all the best for getting well again)…found a guy in France selling a Stephane Morvan flute…sound clips and photos he’s sent are good..does anyone have any experience of this makers flutes..before I think about a quick trip over to have a play..any advice greatfully received..
thanks
Tom
[Edited for privacy. Mod.]
I have been through the same situation. I would love to get one of Stephane’s flutes. Listen to youtube video for Sylvain Barou (playing with the band Guidewires), or Jean-Michel Veillon. Someone just told me “Jean-Michel Veillon now rates him with the best”, I think that Jem heard that.
They are nice flutes.
I have not had the chance to play one, wish I could. 
I hope that this little bit of info helps, I am sure that there are more on here, that can tell you a lot more.
Steve
You have one of the very best makers in the world about 20 miles up the road from you George Ormiston in Tarbrax just up through the Forth.
The guys instruments are brilliant, that good they get used on Mel Gibson films
David
Yeah, that bit about Veillon/Morvan came from me - direct from the horse’s mouth when I saw Jean-Michel at Lorient just over a year ago and asked why he wasn’t using his Wilkeses as his front line flutes any more… (To my astonishment - I’d had goes on those!) Unfortunately my chat with J-M V on that occasion was a rather brief post-gig one and there wasn’t time to try his Morvan flutes… so that’s a pleasure I have yet to have.
I’m afraid I don’t endorse David Quinn’s opinion above… I certainly would not bad mouth Ormiston, but I’ve played quite a few of his flutes and, whilst they do the job very decently and the guy clearly knows his stuff, they just don’t excite me or even do much for me compared to quite a lot of other makers’ offerings - so if I was spending that kind of money, I wouldn’t buy one of his…
..thanks for your thoughts..I know George Ormiston well..he’s a really decent bloke and has done repair work for me in the past. (very good work at a very reasonable price) .I had one of his flutes a number of years ago..a very nice instrument.. he’s presently making a couple of flutes for Calum Stewart ..his flutes are top notch..I’ve kind of got used to block mounts over the years..even though there seems to be a body of evidence/consideration that this may cause additional stress to the main body if the wood dries/shrinks etc..apparently post mounts are more stable..
thanks again
Tom
Here you go. Warm up your wallet!
https://forums.chiffandfipple.com/t/6-keyed-flute-for-sale/67119/1
Rob
Let’s have your thoughts on why you don’t endorse them and the reasons? Maybe you being so intelligent could tell George the reasons that other makers flutes DO IT FOR YOU. Maybe you could tell a maker of 30 plus years his offerings don’t excite you and how he can address this.
Not that your opinion makes much difference, People like Calum Stewart that people would pay to listen too and the People from Big Holywood movie soundtracks opinions would probably matter more than my or your opinion! These would be the opinions that really count, people that know what they are talking about! Plus he seems to have a fair amount of response from the Flutes he sells WORLDWIDE.
If they seem fit to endorse George’s products then good, he probably wont be bothered by someone that posts on a Flute forum saying his flutes dont excite them, for every one of you their are probably a hundred people that have been touched by his flutes!
What we’d give for a bit of product placement!
Steady on guys, there a more good makers of flutes out there than there are good players.
Holmes.
Never tried one, so I couldn’t say. But this was a corker!!! 
Hi guys, i often read your forum as it’s extremely informative. Thankyou.
Have felt compelled to register to also give George Ormiston credit. He is a really great guy to deal with, i have a flute and whistle of his and they ROCK! Guess it’s alot about personal preference… the morvan flutes are ones to drool over and aim to own and play as are many many others… including Ormiston!
That’s the point.
Olwell Prattens are good flutes, as Mr Molloy would probably confirm, who is also a far better player than I’ll ever be. But anyway, I like my Aebi Pratten better than the Olwells I tried. Go figure.
It is worthless to say that maker A is better than maker B because player C says he is or player D plays flutes by him. I tried quite a few Ormiston flutes, and what should I say, they’re well made and do the job just fine. But they’re not my cup of tea, as Olwells aren’t - so what? That’s life.
FWIW.. yesterday night I tried a Morvan flute. I already had a toot on it one year when my friend who owns it just took delivery of it. It’s an extremely good flute. This one is a Rudall model, and apparently the guy now wants to make the Pratten model only. I’d be curious to play one of these.
FWIW n°2 I guess that Jean Michel Veillon likes to change various flutes and experiment a bit with them (I would love too but unfortunately I have a little money issue that doesn’t permit me to do it 
). a friend met him this summer in Britanny and told me he was playing a flute made by Pol Jezequel, and he has Wilkes and Morvan flutes etc..
Pol Jezequel flutes are incredible too, I was really impressed when I tried one of these.. Luckily there are many great flute makers nowadays.
Sorry, i know this is a Morvan flute thread…but l thought l would mention l was up at George’s workshop today to get a bit of work done on my flute & the new design headjoints he is making these days are really, really impressive, iv never before been able to get the same power from any of the flutes i have tried/owned in the past (not many, but makers work such as Murray, Hamilton, Aebi + a few others). Got one ordered now along with a new C foot joint.
I believe Calum Stewart is getting 2 flutes made with the same set up by george. Fantastic tonal colours and extreme power from a R&R. 
I said this before as well, out of all the flutes i have played Georges Did it for me. The power is their because the emboucheres are double undercut. The silver key work with celtic design is to die for. The guy is top notch as you said and Calum Stewart is ordering one and he is a wizard with the flute i dont think he would be ordering one if other makers flutes had better offerings!
David
Hmm, what is “double undercut”?
Regards, Andres
Steady lads!!!
Some people like Porsche, some prefer Ferrari…you shouldn’t fight about it or get into a slanging match.
Thats just the way it is.
Me … I prefer Lamborgini (even though I can’t actually spell it right!) 
but I’m only good for a Ford…still a driver all the same
Now calm down, dears…it’s only a commercial…to paraphrase Michael Winner
Boyd
(Murray player…bugger the bad press…it works very nicely thank you)
Played a brand new Ormiston last night, gorgeous engraved rings, silver lip plate. Was impressed by the reedy tone, good response, and power.
Hugh