Sweetheart Firth-Pond flute in Blackwood with 6/8 silver keys and rings: $1895/$2395. Anyone try it? I just saw this on the Sweetheart site. I think that this is the first post in this forum about this model.
I have one. 8 keys.
Though I have read on C&F that Sweetheart instruments tend to be hit or miss, this one, to me, is a definite hit. I noticed that Ralph’s son has helped to redesign both the Sweetheart Pro whistle and this flute.
Though I don’t have years of playing many different kinds of flutes for any real basis of comparison, this flute truly pleases my ears. The lined headjoint helps it be loud enough for sessions, yet it retains a nice woody/reedy quality as well. The keywork (blocks) is solid.
For the barest minimum reference, my favorite flute players are John Skelton, Kevin Crawford, Matt Molloy, and Grey Larsen. While I am certainly not anywhere near any of them in abilites, this flute, to me, sounds like it has all the qualities I like to hear in a flute.
The only down side I can see to this flute is that it is sold with a case which forces the two middle sections to be fit together during storage. I’ve read here that such storage is not good for the cork. I’ll have to find something to do about that.
Though it’s very common for Rudall-style flutes to be stored with one joint together (like you describe). As a matter of fact, original Rudall cases require that the instrument be stored that way.
If you look around on the FLUTE PORN thread (which is somewhere, just search for it!) you’ll see some flutes in their cases, put together.
I’ve never had any problems with it.
Stuart
I’m beginning to suspect that the ‘squashed cork’
concern is overblown. Comments?
Ever seen a wine cork fall out of a bottle?
Or not have to be forced back into the bottle, once removed?
Stuart
hmm…this seems a little confusing to me as i’m not sure we are talking about the same joint. the rudalls cases that i’ve seen (and own) are configured so that the bottom and not the middle joint is stored so that the socket/tenon is together. so i’m not sure if we are necessarily talking about the same joint, although we probably are as it seems rare that a flutecase from a flutemaker would require that the middle joint remain together. regardless, it is likely that the joint can be taken apart for storage in the case.
assuming we are talking about the bottom joint, what i do is seperate the joint, and turn around the top section of the two sections so it lays socket-next-to-socket with the stem of the long fnat key tucked in and laying along the body of the foot joint and the wall of the partition in the box. all the joints of the flute can be stored seperately and not joined together in this manner. hope that helps and not compound your situation.
Thanks for the help, rama!
Well, there’s the headjoint with the tuning slide; really two pieces (head joint and barrel), but naturally left together. Then the flute has a cork joint before the piece with the three LH fingerholes. Then the flute has a cork joint before the piece with the RH fingerholes. Then there is the final cork joint before the foot.
The pieces that seem to be required to fit together in this case are both pieces with fingerholes. They fit in the back section (towards the hinge) and the front section can only accommodate the headjoint/barrel and the foot joint.
I will try your suggestion of turning the pieces around (though I have tried that before).
Thanks to the others for the other comments regarding the nature of cork as well.
well that seems to be a horse of a different color. in my situation, the foot joint has a socket and no tenon. this means that when i rearrange the flute sections, there is no extra space required for the exposed tenon and it is not taking up any more room in the case. in your situation, you may not find that works for you.
if the first (LH) section has two tenons and the next (RH) section has one socket and one tenon, then you may need a little extra space in the case in order to store them seperately because there will be the additional tenon sticking out now.
Thanks. The foot DOES have a socket, but it only fits in the case in the same “row” as the headjoint. The other two pieces (the ones with fingerholes) fit together in the other “row”. Yes, when I separate them, I do need more room.
Thanks for the review! Anyone else tried these flutes? Especially someone who’s had the opportunity to compare them with some of the more popular high end flutes?
well that’s a bummer. if you wanted, you could always try to get another case that works for you. but honestly, i don’t think there is alot to worry about by keeping the two sections together in the case. i imagine there could be an arguement that by the constant putting together and pulling apart of the joint, it will eventually wear the cork down, right? so i suppose either way, leaving it together or taking it apart doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. but i’m not a cork expert by any means. maybe someone else has some helpful experience.
i usually leave my flute (the one that has cork on the tenons) assembled together. my other flutes have threaded tenons, and i usually take them apart. it seems more apparent that the tension can build in those joints and get too tight for comfort. i never seem to feel too much or too little tension in the flute that has cork. it seems fairly stable in that regard.
Oh, I meant to ask.
Are there cut-time keys available as well, or just 6/8? What about 4/4?
Stuart