Certain of you do probably have more than one flute.
Please tell, what are the most positive experiences you have made.
Just tell which instrument- makers you preferred in what point of your vita as flutist.
I have just starting playing Irish Flute, not even making music.
And I do know, an adequate instrument is best for beginners.
The best instrument can sometimes be not adequate to someones skills.
Tell, what you did by this way.
Herbert Labrador
(the dogs sing as I play)
The flute I like the most is the one in my hands making the music at the moment. Doesn’t really matter what it is or who made it.
I own and have owned a lot of flutes. My favorite happens to be a Copeland. It suits me well. Your mileage will surely vary from mine. We all drive differently.
Feadoggie
That’s a very subjective question. Certainly, there are quite a few very good flutes being made in various materials and at various prices. For me, the Copley & Boegli pictured to the left has been ‘the flute’ for about nine years now. (Of course, that’s the key phrase–“for me.”)
Like all flutists, I love swapping instruments with other players. While there’s almost always something to like about another flute, I’ve yet to come across one I like better overall. (Although the two Grinters I’ve played have been among my favorites. I also got to try one of Rod Cameron’s Chris Norman models, and it was spectacular. And an Ormiston also made an impression. Now, if I could afford two keyed flutes, I might consider a Grinter, but I haven’t met a flute to make me want to switch wholesale.)
I’ve played/owned a lot of flutes and here’s what I’m still playing as my #1 flute: Terry McGee Grey Larsen Preferred (GLP) in Cooktown Ironwood, no slide, keyless. I also play Boehm flute in Irish music; my #1 flute there is an unmarked 1920’s German flute with a metal headjoint, ebonite lip-plate, blackwood body with silver keys. I have the sense that I won’t be changing either of these flutes for a long, long time (famous last words…).
I was fortunate enough to attend the fantastic Cruinniú na bhFliúit flute meeting in Ballyvourney over the weekend. (Thank you Hammy and company!).
http://www.flutemeet.org/Flutemeet/Welcome.html
There I had a chance to test-drive flutes by most of the great makers. There were some great, great flutes. But the truth is, I sounded pretty much just like myself on all of them. In any case, what I’m well settled into is the Terry McGee (large-hole) Rudall Perfected. I’ve got a 6-key in D and a keyless in Eb, both blackwood. I like them as well as anything else I’ve played.
Any flute that works and plays in tune! It’s all personal preference from there. And your opinion will most likely change at least once or twice, or daily. 
The one that I don’t have… oh, what’s that over there? Shiny!
Actually the one I like the most is the one I play the most… being that the more I play just one particular flute the more love it gives me back.
My favorite flute is the Bryan Byrne medium hole rudall, but it’s very finicky and I’m not sure I’d recommend it
for beginners. But it’s more alive and sweet than any other flute I’ve played, IMO.
Can’t say I’m any great shakes as a flute player, so take this for what it is worth.
I’ve auditioned a bunch of great flutes over the years including Seery, McGee Rudall, M&E, Ward, Somers, Copeland 6-key, Wood & Ivy 8-key, Burns FF, Metzler 6-key, anon. German boxwood 6-key and Wm Hall and Son’s 6-key. Each had it’s strong points as regarded tone, balance, efficiency… I still find myself gravitating towards the Hall flute for most of my playing. As others have stated, the more you play a certain flute, the better you sound on it as you get used to it’s particularities and adjust your playing style to suit. I personally like the Hall flute (which is very similar to a McGee GLP) because the small toneholes and bore allow my playing to be a bit more efficient and let me make a bit crisper ornaments. Extremely tough to half hole notes, but hey I’ve got keys… I think if you like to bend or do a lot of slurring of notes you might prefer something with larger toneholes, or if you need a real session cannon you might gravitate towards something with a larger bore, but this one works for me.
As a beginner, I thrived on a flute by Phil Bleazey. It’s so easy to play and so easy to hold, I still take it out for a spin now and then.
Now I’m pretty much an Olwell guy. His flutes are also really easy to play (for me). I’m not sure whether or not I would have thrived on one of Pat’s flutes at the beginning of my playing days.
I still play one-key flutes by Peter Noy and Rod Cameron, both chromatic within reason. The Noy requires a bit of effort for me to play in-tune toward the upper end of the second octave. The Cameron Grenser is a rococo flute that has a wonderful dulcet tone and is pretty easy for me to get a decent sound from.
For me it is a Doyle. Personal preference. Fits me for everything.
And there you go. That ought to make for an easy decision.
Cheers,
Kirk
Until recently I would have said that my keyless Olwell is the best I’ve tried.
But I tried out a newly made small holed 6 key Grinter at the Natl Folk
Festival (Australia) and it was awfully good. It had a consistent edgy
sound through the whole range with little effort. The embouchure was smaller
than the Olwell but a similar shape. In order to get any sound at all you have
to hit the right spot. But once you do, the sound is effortless - almost like playing a whistle.
Mike Rafferty, who played an Olwell Pratten, told me that he also liked the keyed Grinter.
I’ve got one of those too. Cracker of a flute. Martin makes a fine tooter.
I want to thank you for your original advice. I tried my flute teacher’s. For me, the Doyle is just right. Best decision that I ever made about a flute.
I was also at the flutemeet in Ballyvourney. And I Didn’t met any one named crooked tune that’s what you got with nick names but we had this discussion already on this forum so no need to dwell on that one lol. For what its worth my n° 1 is the Olwell Pratten, n° 2 Grinter R&R model, n°3 Doyle, n°4 Glenn Watson and they DO make a difference. Unlike Mr.Crooked Tune, and Mr.Tintin, (could he be Belgian?) I don’t like swapping flutes at a session. First of all, you can’t judge a flute by 3 minutes of playing it, secondly I think everything you stick in your mouth is personal. 
I had to put a stop to that one because I didn’t want to own the most tried out flute(s). You must be a really good friend of me before you can try them out 
Of course this is a personal opinion and I respect other views.
Hello Ronnie. My name’s Charlie. We were in class together, spoke a number of times, and sat together at the dinner.
Yes, I agree about nicknames. I joined the forums years ago, never expecting I’d still be sticking around. But real names are better.
I also agree (sort of) about trying out other people’s flutes. Still, it’s hard to resist when someone says, “Here’s my Olwell/Wilkes/Grinter/Hammy, etc… Want to try it?” My flute lust is stronger than my germophobia, I guess.
It takes many hours of play to really get to know a flute, but you can learn a lot from first impressions, too. I’ll never see so many great flutes in one place again, so I’m glad to have had the chance to try a few.
Hope you’re getting on well with that new, keyed cocuswood Olwell. It’s a beauty!
Heeeeeeeee Charlie! I suspected somehow that it was you. A great meet indeed and I understand what you are saying. I hope your stay was everything you have wished and maybe we’ll see you again next year? It was surely a pleasure to have classes with you. I think you fit the profile lol. Over the years it has become home away from home for me. Take care and keep on tooting! Eventually you’ll get where you want to be in your play. All the best, Ron 
Speaking of time to learn to play a flute, it’s taken 2 years of session/gig play and practice (and a lot of growth as a player and refinement of the sound I want) to get the best out of the McGee GLP I play now (and I’m still working on it, of course). I think, especially with Irish/simple system conical flutes, sticking with one flute is critical to success.