Paddy Ward has updated his website, and looks like he is now offering blackwood flutes as well as Delrin.
I really love my Delrin Ward Eb, and would recommend highly… Also, a VERY nice touch is the handmade bag to carry it in.
Mary
I’ve ordered a blackwood. It should be ready early next month. I’ll share more later.
Cheers,
Aaron
Do you know if he offers keys on the delrin models?
Seems to.
Anybody know how the delrins compare tonally
to Seerys and M&Es?
JessieK was mildly impressed, on one of the other threads. That seems almost impossible to do if your name isn’t Olwell or Noy, so I guess that’s pretty high praise.
I’ve got a D Ward. Superior to both Seerys and M&Es in every way.
And for only twice the price. 
Nope, not even twice. About 1.5x now. Less when he first started. Seerys used to be $350 or so, but now go for over $450 new. The Ward’s worth the extra $. Besides, my blackwood flute cost $1300 and it’s a heluva lot more prone to breakage at a session if some punter decides to pick it up while I’m at the bar or bathroom. Fair trade I’d say, I can bring a flute and not worry now.
how is the volume and tone compared to the other two?
My M&E is louder and livelier them my Seery, but I like playing the Seery better, it just feel more comfortable to me.
Wards are loud.. medium-large holes. If we go by design, don’t the Hawkes flutes that Paddy’s modeling after have hole sizes in between a common R&R and Pratton?
I have a D and Eb now. Picking up a Seery I had trouble running out of breath with the embouchure, but mind you we’re talking minutes not weeks with the instrument. I did like the Seery’s tone, feel, and finish though. With the Wards, I didn’t have really any trouble, and was absolutely ecstatic with the sound and responsiveness from the get-go. And I’m coming primarily from a Tony Dixon polymer (and more recently a drelinger-headjoint-Boehm) world.
What initially sold me was playing Dave Migoya’s Eb Ward. It just spoke effortlessly. The short times I’ve played Olwells they felt that way to me. That they spoke so openly and cleanly through the entire range and it was easy to attack each note crisply. The Ward D doesn’t speak as easily as the Eb. You don’t have to work much harder, mind you, but it does feel a wee bit more restrained. If the D played as open as the Eb, I’d put it on par with any of the big maker’s wood (that I’ve tried). As it is now, I agree that it’s the best delrin flute available for the price. A joy to play and grow with. Paddy seems very keen on putting in the work required to produce a great instrument.
I’ve got to say here, I just received a Ward from a board-member and so far I don’t like it one bit. It’s way, way too breathy and unfocused and the low end sounds like there a sock tied over the end of the flute. It’s probably just me and I need to get used to the flute, but I have to say that it was quite a shock after hearing such good things about it. By the way, my primary flute is an unkeyed blackwood Olwell (with D and Eb sections).
Probably I should bring this up with Paddy himself, but I’m in Uganda right now (having had the flute sent all the way here) and I’m in no mood to send it all the way back for evaluation and tweaking).
Chris
I’m very impressed with Paddy’s work. I, too, have both Eb and D Ward flutes in delrin, and like them both. The Eb is just superb – agile, loud, easy to play yet expressive (when I’m playing well, anyway) – and the D perhaps less excellent (in my hands, that is), but still better than any other plastic flute I’ve played. I take them with me on my travels for work and enjoy every moment playing them. Their finish is great, too; no skimping at all. I’ve played good wooden flutes that I’ve not liked as much as I like Paddy’s delrin instruments.
Eilam, I’ll bring both of 'em over to you this late spring or early summer, and you can give them a blow and see how they compare to the Seery and your beloved M&E (as beautified by Jon C.!).
Aaron, can’t wait !
I know you are familiar both with M&E and Seery, how would you compare the tone and loudness?
BTW, I really liked your playing, was that on the Ward flute?
best, eilam.
I’m very interested to hear what Aaron Malcomb has to say about the Ward Delrin flute. He has played some very good wood flutes, including Peter Noy’s, and he should be a good judge of flutes. However, my understanding is that he too is fairly new to the flute world.
I do know that Chris Laughlin is an accomplished player and his comments on the Ward mean more to me than some of the other people who have only compared the Ward to other Delrin flutes. Chris’ comparison to his own Olwell (he also plays a wonderful Grinter) is more telling. Is Chris better able, being more accomplished, to evaluate flutes? Or does Chris have a bad Ward?
I haven’t yet played a plastic flute that compares to a top-tier wooden flute.
Notes per dollar is another issue.
An awful lot of people would say a Hammy is a great flute. But an awful lot of people apparently have trouble with them when they first get them and the consensus has always been that it takes time to get used to a new flute and its requirements.
That’s something I would’ve thought an accomplished player would know, and would take into account before posting such disparaging remarks (particularly when that same accomplished player later acknowledges the fact).
I can well imagine the short shrift I’d receive here if I complained that my new Hamilton (when it arrives) is breathy, unfocused and sounds like it’s got a sock tied over the end of it, within days of receiving it.
Maybe when Chris has taken the time to adjust to the Ward he’ll be able to provide us with a more meaningful review?
Well, I think everybody is being quite fair and acknowledging
their bad impressions may be off base.
I agree with David. I’ve never heard a delrin flute
that I thought compared with something good made
of wood, or even, I confess, something less good
made of wood. Not that I think delrin flutes sound bad,
but wood is more alive and subtle, IMO.
However I keep hoping that somebody will
come out with something good in delrin
that will change my mind. A flute one doesn’t
have to worry about!
So I hope we will get more reports about
the Ward, especially from our more
experienced players.
The qualities that Chris referred to I did notice at first. However, after a few days with it, the bottom end was nice and firm, very focused. Just a matter of getting used to the flute I should think. Interestingly, I found it somewhere in between playing a Prattenish and Rudallesque flute. The bottom D took a little effort at first, much like the Rudall based flute I’m currently playing. I find it easy to get a punchy Pratten-like tone however. Interesting. I’d be interested in trying out an original Hawkes to see how they compare.
Will you say what the rudallesque flute is you’re playing now?
A McGee Rudall 5088. With the “Improved” elliptical embouchure. Took a bit of getting used to as I’d only played Pratten style flutes prior to it. I like it though!
Yeah, I think I just have to keep at it and see where it goes. I was just a bit surprised. At this point I can usually pick up a flute, blow, and get a decent sound. It wasn’t the case with this one. I’ll keep at it and give you all an update. I hope it grows on me.
Chris