Hi everybody!! I just joined this forum yesterday. I’ ve played whistle, low whistle and classical flute for a number of years and started playing Irish flute about three years ago. I currently have a keyless blackwood Casey Burns, but have been thinking of getting an keyless Olwell. Does anybody know about how long the waiting list is and the current cost? Thanks. 
Hi, we’ve been discussing this a fair amount.
One option is to do a search–upper right on this
page, on Olwell flutes. There’s a lot of
info about flutes, etc. in past threads. However others will probably
chime in. Best
Hi!
If you contact Pat himself, he can tell you more exactly, but I think a keyless would run you on the order of $1300ish, and the wait is probably more than a year. Or, right at a year. Or so. But he can tell you more.
There are a lot of options, too. Pat makes at least three styles of flute, including a Rudall-Rose, a Nicholson, and a Pratten. His Nicholson design is quite popular, as I think it might be the most musically flexible. His Rudall leans toward refinement, his Pratten towards earthy. There’s also timber (boxwood, blackwood, cocus, to name three; perhaps also rosewood or something else) and metal (silver versus nickel silver) . . .
If you were to do a search for Olwell keyless flutes here on this forum, you might very well find more information. Or keep asking. I’m happy to impart any information I might have.
Stuart
Unless something has changed drastically in recent months, the wait for a keyless Olwell has typically been at least 12 months, sometimes more.
Always best to go strait to the maker with these questions though.
Loren
I ordered one a couple of weeks ago, and his estimated wait is 12 months. The deposit is $300. I think the price is about $1200, but in the end will depend on a couple of details, which don’t need to be worked out till he starts the final turning, which is about a month before it’s delivered.