Sorry lazyleft, see what a nest you innocently walked into?
I played a blackwood McGee Pratten with the “rounded rectangles” embouchure for three years. It was my main gig flute. It was the quintessential Pratten – big, loud, and very inclined toward a round sound. Super-easy to fill, super-solid flute. Every bit of it was very well-made. I did not find it hard to hold or balance (in fact that balance was really good); I also didn’t find the reach worse or the holes any harder to cover than most other flutes. In fact, I would say that of all the flutes I’ve played this one was the easiest and most reliable. “Honest” is the word that comes to mind whenever I think of that flute.
However, if I was to have that flute now I would probably look into another head with the traditional or elliptical embouchure cut – the rounded rectangles, while dead easy to play (a person with a piece of cod for a lip could probably have gotten a fairly consistent sound out of my flute) and get a solid tone on, seemed to disagree with my desire to put an “edge” on notes.
It was plenty dark but it was a big, fat, round sort of dark (as Prattens often are); I like a sharper dark. (Hence my emigration into Murray land)
Anyway, I’ve also played Dow’s flute and I would say the workmanship is similar and that the GLP was not much softer to my ear. Ultimately, I think I liked Dow’s flute better – I was moving to the Rudall camp even then – it had a more focused tone. I can’t remember what the blowhole cut is on yours, Dow, but it’s a fine flute, especially in the price range.
So I think you’d be happy with your choice, lazyleft, but as you’ve played in the past I would strongly suggest something other than the rounded rectangles cut. It’s a wonderfully accessible cut, but I think with your past you might want more “nyaah-ability” (that’s what I call reediness) once you fitten back up.
what about the shape of the head? i mean, normal bore vs eccentric?
i would guess that the eccentric bore makes the flute even easier to play, but again giving a brighter sound. so what would be the difference between a rectangular embouchure with normal head and elliptical embouchure with eccentric head (and elliptcal embouchure with normal head)?
That about says it . Actually, rather than making the flute easier to play, Terry makes the eccentric bore heads so that he can get a deeper chimney while keeping a traditional looking head profile. His reasoning for this can be found here. I don’t know that it makes the flute any “easier” to play over a standard bore head. At least, I don’t see that it’s any easier to play than my Hall, which has the bore cut in the traditional way. Different, certainly, but not necessarily easier. As for the rest, you might want to talk to Terry about the different combinations and what effect they have on tone, playability, etc.
FWIW and in my humble opinion, I play a GLP in Blackwood with the improved elliptical embouchure and it is plenty “dark” for me. I have tried it with a McGee head with the rectangle embouchure (from Mr McGee’s European ambassador flute which is not exactly made for it, but fits) and the sound is indeed then very different for me. So YPYMATYP.
(I play two flutes and the other one is more of a Pratten big bore session cannon (by Windward flutes) and I would not like to part with either.)
(Hence my emigration into Murray land)
I needed that Dow! 2 very nice flutes there.