There are sure a lot of flutes for sale here in the Flute Forum. Perhaps people can post these in the Used Instrument Exchange forum instead?
Maybe we could get back to discussing flutes - and maybe discussing why so many are trying to unload flutes here right now. Market saturation? Economy in a death spiral? People anxious about the US Presidential Election? Someone found the cure for Flute Acquisition Disorder? Or did everyone decide to take up the Accordion instead?
I am noticing a certain lack of higher end orders this year compared with last year. I am blaming it tentatively on $50 oil.
Saturation: probably. Death spiral: no (limited disposable income more likely). F.A.D.: yeah, there seems to be less of that (I know I’m monogamous, mostly, these days). Everyone taking up accordion: lord, I hope not.
I know I have popped a fair few up recently, but in my defence they have been high quality collectible antiques that some of our fellow members may like to know about, and do not belong to me. Like yourself, I would like to discuss more about the instruments, but find lately there has been sad lack of enlightening debate to be found here. With the exception of your good self and one or two other professional makers and restorers, you don’t seem to find many others contributing. We haven’t heard from the erudite and witty Terry Mc Gee for some time, and I for one miss his worthy contributions.
On a positive note, I imagine folk often offload old instruments in an effort to raise funds for those scant high end orders of the future.
Casey, if you want to get back to discussing flutes, we could definitely use your expertise and considerable experience on the thread I entered beside yours, ( 8 KEY CHRIS WILKES FLUTE ON DONE DEAL ) regarding embouchure cut/position in relation to overall pitch. It would be great if you could put us out of our collective misery
As Riverdance fades further into the past, demand for instruments used solely for traditional Irish music wanes. The remaining, more knowledgable players know that any decent flute will do; it’s tbe player that makes music.
I’ll be posting a few flutes for sale soon, myself. Unless I read the terms of the site incorrectly, it is acceptable to post both in the used instrument exchange and in one topic-related sub forum. In fact, I’m pretty sure the terms encourage doing so.
I expect to get hassled by at least a few folks for posting my flutes because I don’t participate much in this forum otherwise. Maybe 15 years ago, I was active in multiple trad-related lists and forums, including the predecessor of this one. These days I simply don’t have much interest in posting, either on here or on any of the other leisure pursuit related sites I am a member of. At some level, I think that happens to a lot of people who stick with a pursuit long term. You just reach a point where most of the discussions are (for you at least) rehashes, and you let the newer, less jaded participants do all the talking.
Can’t speak for others, but here is why I am selling my flutes:
Changing life situations, including the fact that my father is no longer capable of playing and has handed down his flutes to me.
A desire to not own so much ‘stuff.’
As someone else pointed out (and related to #2), no point in owning more instruments than you can play.
With one exception, the flutes I’ll be selling are high quality instruments that deserve to be played rather than just sitting in a humidified box. For a long time I hung onto these thinking my kids would someday use them. At this point, it’s clear this will not happen.
Yes, the heady days of the 90s and aughts, when Irish music was the rage, have indeed faded. The die-hards will always stick with it, but the people swept up in a musical fad are likely to move on–and perhaps sell their instruments. Really, with the exception of the Riverdance craze, Irish trad has always been quite niche.
I suppose I fall somewhere between the die-hards and the fadists: I got into Irish music in the late 90s/early 2000’s, and for the past dozen or so years, it’s been pretty much all I’ve played. But over the past months, my musical life has shifted. I’ve sold my flute in order to make room for a return to one of my earliest musical loves, the electric bass. (Despite playing flute for more than 25 years, my relationship with the instrument has always been fraught, for various reasons.) So now I’m mostly playing bass, but I’m still active in the local session and the occasional gig on whistle.
Interesting thoughts… I love trad. Was never much for the fad. Really love stout.
I’ve a few flutes for sale myself. Flute snobs will likely say they aren’t that great. I’m not a flute snob. Maybe the flutes aren’t that great, but then… Neither am I. I’ve settled on the ones I like. None have ever been highly praised here, but I likes 'em. Same for my whistles. I’ve a couple great ones. But, my favorite is a Feadog C that my wife picked up last year while visiting family in Scotland.
I guess for me the herd… And my hair… Are thinning out. So, the ones I like are getting played, and the ones I don’t play are going away… I s’pose that’s how it is for a lot of folks.
Also there is the option of using the irish flute to play other sorts of music too. ITM is always going to be
the spine of instrument’s repertoire, and it can be used to explore other music as well. It sounds very good in many venues,
more so (IMO) than the modern silver flute, which soars and is airy fairy and one would be embarased to play
in a pub. (Forgive me, those of you who love the silver flute.) Considering that many of our flutes have the capacity to play classical and all sorts of stuff, there is no reason why they should be used to play
ITM only.
Could not agree with you more. I play a lot of “not ITM” with my Tooters. (My three most played, in order of play is a Tipple, a WD Sweet Shannon, and an M&E R&R).
I have a couple of those silver tubes, but I just don’t play 'em.
I think you’ve called it Jim… I feel like I can play in any genre with my humble littler keyless tubes.
