# What exactly is this?

**URL:** <https://www.chiffandfipple.com/t/what-exactly-is-this/92395>\
**Category:** Irish Flute\
**Created:** [March 11, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/t/what-exactly-is-this/92395 "2015-03-11T18:40:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MichaelM](https://chiffandfipplewww.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.chiffandfipple.com/michaelm/32/2116_2.png) [@MichaelM](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/u/MichaelM)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/t/what-exactly-is-this/92395/1 "2015-03-11T18:40:43Z")

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Any idea what this fife is? It’s for sale on Etsy at $CDN384.06 and is described as «-as is condition  
-likely needs refurbishing / new cork / pads etc  
-Whaley royce and Co. profesional Toronto Canada»

[http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/124468355/antique-fife-picolo-flute-whistle?ref=sr\_gallery\_29&ga\_search\_query=musical+instruments+flutes&ga\_order=most\_relevant&ga\_search\_type=all&ga\_view\_type=gallery](http://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/124468355/antique-fife-picolo-flute-whistle?ref=sr_gallery_29&ga_search_query=musical+instruments+flutes&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery)

Sorry, I don’t seem to be able to post here the images from the Etsy site but go to the link above  
Michael

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**Author:** ![jim\_stone](https://chiffandfipplewww.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@jim\_stone](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/u/jim_stone)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/t/what-exactly-is-this/92395/2 "2015-03-11T20:07:45Z")

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Appears to be set up to blow through a mouthpiece that streams the air over the blow hole. These occasionally appear for sale. Never played one. Much prefer to develop a proper embouchure.

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**Author:** ![MTGuru](https://chiffandfipplewww.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.chiffandfipple.com/mtguru/32/1271_2.png) [@MTGuru](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/u/MTGuru)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/t/what-exactly-is-this/92395/3 "2015-03-11T20:22:40Z")

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> [@jim stone](#):
>
> Appears to be set up to blow through a mouthpiece that streams the air over the blow hole … Much prefer to develop a proper embouchure.

It’s a cheater. Easily removed.

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**Author:** ![jim\_stone](https://chiffandfipplewww.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@jim\_stone](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/u/jim_stone)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/t/what-exactly-is-this/92395/4 "2015-03-11T21:16:14Z")

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Yes. I didn’t properly discern the shape of the blowhole. Flute under there.

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**Author:** ![I.D.10-t](https://chiffandfipplewww.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/www.chiffandfipple.com/i.d.10-t/32/588_2.png) [@I.D.10-t](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/u/I.D.10-t)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://www.chiffandfipple.com/t/what-exactly-is-this/92395/5 "2015-03-12T01:28:18Z")

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Looks to be a band flute with a “cheater” as mentioned above. The mouth piece should be able to be unscrewed (note the keyed screw on the underside) and the flute played as normal. The embouchure looks like it is in good condition, but who knows what is under the metal. Could be fine and easily cleaned or not. I don’t know for sure, but it might be tuned to something other than A=440, so it may be best suited to a solo piece unless there is a fife/flute tradition that uses that style of flute.