Hay there!!
Has anyone here got a Chris Wilkes flute?? I hear they are as good as Olwells?? 
Anyway I got information from Olwell and tis far to long to be waiting for a flute…unless ye are a professional musician!! and sur i’m not heading that way yet!! 
A Wilkes flute is a great flute, equal – all things being relative and subjective – to an Olwell. Not sure the wait time is much of an improvement, though. If time’s a factor, there are other great makers with shorter time periods, and there’s always used.
Gordon
Opinions differ on this. Yes, Wilkes is highly respected and an excellent craftsman, but I don’t find his Rudall flutes to play as easily as Olwell’s flutes of all designs. Chris Wilkes’s Prattens are easy AND wonderful, though.
Me feel sad, never have chance to play Wilkes flute 
I’m floored every time I see a picture of one of his flutes that has the bands he’s turned on the Rose engine - beautiful!!
Loren
Ursula wrote;
Anyway I got information from Olwell and tis far to long to be waiting for a flute
Tis a long wait to be sure… For a Wilkes keyed model about 6 years I believe. I don’t think he is making non keyed anymore but you would have to ask him about that.
I got my non keyed after about a year and a half…well worth the wait!
Dave.
The main differences between a Wilkes and an Olwell is the embouchure
, Olwell makes a large one, which does require more air but is maybe
easier to play. Wilkes makes an embouchure that is smaller and requires
a tight lip blow, which when you have figured it out requires allmost no air
for great volume. Another thing you might want to check is the key works
Wilkes forges the keys (they are not cast) and his workmanship is second
to none. As far as waiting I think you are in for a long wait with both makers
My oppinion (and that is only what I feal) is that if you can not get a Wilkes
get a Murray, I greatly preffer them to Olwell.
Nicolas
I received a keyless Wilkes D flute two days ago. It’s a magnificent instrument with an ornate silver machined end cap, and with wide silver machined rings. Chris Wilkes is without doubt a master craftsman. The embouchure hole design is to all apperances very like the embouchure design of my Williams 4 key which is modelled on a R&R. So I was straightaway able to easily sound the Wilkes as I am used to my Williams.
The Wilkes is very easy to blow I find and very responsive, more so than my Williams, which requires a strong concentrated air flow. Like the Williams however the Wilkes does indeed seem to like a precise stream of air to really crank up the lower register. It will certainly play without being pushed, but I’m noticing that by experimenting as to where I direct the air stream the bottom end can really honk. I’m still learning the different sounds that can be achieved from this Wilkes.
It took an hour or so before I could work out how to direct the air stream so that I could get consistent strong bottom D’s. This is a flute capable of emitting a very powerful sound, yet it’s very easy to play quite softly too. It has a wide dynamic range. The high register just about plays itself with very little effort. It’s a joy to play and I hope to become more worthy of this instrument.
The flute is secondhand yet in pristine, mint condition. I’m the fourth owner. Two owners of the flute, one, the original owner, and another, a beginner, owned the instrument for very, very, extremely short periods of time before parting with it. I very much appreciate being given the chance to purchase this flute from a stand up guy who I’d like to meet in person some day.
I haven’t played an Olwell so I can’t compare. I have played an 8 key Grinter recently, and yes, the Grinter is a fine instrument, easy to sound, although to my ears the tone of this particular Grinter, although woody of course, was a little too light, almost classical sounding, in a silver flute manner. Just my subjective opinion, however I’m sure that time spent with the Grinter would bring forth the sound one is looking for. I like to play Irish traditional music on the flute complete with assorted rural, farmyard sounds, such as honks, barks, huffs and puffs and even the occasional squeal. So two days after getting the flute I’m still in mild shock and find it a little unreal. This Wilkes definitely has a soul I hope I can do it justice and then pass it on when I’m unable to play
I’m not sure why the simple answer, yes, Wilkes makes an equally great flute to Olwell, must elicit a barrage of pro and con subjective opinions.
Since it was asked, I wrote to say that Wilkes are great flutes, comparable in every way, within the subjective realm of peronal taste, to an Olwell, and they are. By that I meant the craftsmanship is superb, the quality and the sound is superb. Olwells are great flutes as well. So are Grinters and half a dozen other makers’ flutes.
Which flute I - or anyone else - prefers - Pratten or Rudall style notwithstanding – is a different question altogether and one that won’t, ultimately, tell anyone much more than which one is prefered by that individual based on a playing style, hand size, embouchure and their playing ability at the time the opinion was formed. Which flute plays “easier”, according to someone else, won’t tell you which you’ll prefer either, or which you’ll personally find easier, or more to your taste.
This thread, as usual, has taken on the dreaded “comparison” syndrome. Lovers of Olwell embouchures will not necessarily like a Wilkes embouchure, and vice-versa. Or, they might, and appreciate their differences. Still, in answer to the first, original question, both are excellent flutes.
Anyone have any serious argument with that?
That said, both Olwell and Wilkes have extraordinarily long wait lists for their keyed flutes. There may be justifiable reasons for this, but if a long wait is an impediment, as it is for many of us, there are many makers of (arguably) equal quality with shorter, to much shorter, waits.
Comparisons between who these makers are or might be, of course, can now begin.
Gordon
Thomas, is that you??
So far I have not played a Wilkes (or Olwell) flute. With stories of them taking sometimes mythical proportions I am very curious indeed.
I think it is great to be able to try many makes of flutes, because as Gordon pointed out, one person’s perfect stick may not be another’s.
(so far I’m very happy with my Cotter flute though )
Cheers,
Jeroen
“Lovers of Olwell embouchures will not necessarily like a Wilkes embouchure, and vice-versa. Or, they might, and appreciate their differences. Still, in answer to the first, original question, both are excellent flutes. Anyone have any serious argument with that?”
asks Gordon.
None at all.
Myself I was just replying to the original query regarding Wilkes’ instruments.
There are other flutemakers out there crafting fine instruments - naturally one can only give a subjective reply
You’re funny, Gordon. You think someone will ask the type of question we all have opinions about and you will be the only one who gets to answer?
"Has anyone here got a Chris Wilkes flute?? I hear they are as good as Olwells?? " Ursula.
I wonder if an Olwell is as good as a Wilkes? Hee Hee - Sorry Ursula couldn’t resist. Like Gordon said we all have different mouths, lips, teeth, and flutes have differnent embouchures, prehaps best to try, if possible, different flutes and see if there is any embouchure design that suits you better.
Anyway I got information from Olwell and tis far to long to be waiting for a flute…unless ye are a professional musician!! and sur i’m not heading that way yet!!" Ursula.
Why not try a Tom Aebi, he has a short waiting list and is said to making excellent instruments. Then as you’re based in Ireland there is Sam Murray or Marcus Hernon. You could always turn up a secondhand instrument with a bit of luck.
Nah, Gordon just thinks he’s the only one with the “Correct” answers.
Loren
Hello Jeron,
Yes it’s me- don’t blow my cover - I’m known as Steampacket on Chiff & fipple. The Wilkes arrived on Tuesday, well actually it came on the 9th of December but Schekner freight didn’t bother to inform me - go figure - so it sat in a cold storage room for 8 days
No need for a boxing match here. Some people like Olwells, some Wilkes, some Grinters, some Murrays. They’re all darn good flutes. Let’s all feel free to discuss them and argue about them without turning it into a personal thing. It’s fine if we disagree with eachother. If we all had the same tase in flutes then things would be pretty boring.
CHris
I listened last night to Mr Wilkes playing his latest flutes ( with Rudall & Rose style mouthholes ).He produced a huge sound with very little breath all the way down to a thumping D . He also played some of my big holed Rudall Cartes .A big sound again .The straight bore open hole R ,C & Co
simple system was particularly interesting .
Whether he uses big holes or the smaller R & R type, he produces a BIG sound because he knows how to do it ( and equally effortlessly) .
As far as i know my brother is looking about a keyless from Wilkes i think the waiting list is one year, I think the wait for Murrray is in and around a year to… but a friend (and brilliant piper) knew of Wilkes and thought he would be good.
I was just asking what fellow Flute players prefered… didnt mean to start an arguement …“Sorry!!!”
Im still thinking about weather to go for a wilkes an Olwell or maybe just stick to my own and buy from Sam Murray tough decision!!
Thanks for your opinions!!
Since you are in Ireland and Murray is one of your choices, I’d go with that. The climates are very different here and there, and a wooden instrument changes when it leaves its birthplace.
We have been wondering if , when a flute is sent overseas , it should be sealed, and the addressee supplied with a note of the remitting humidity so the receiver can slowly adjust his/her new flute . Would that work ? I have come across a case recently when a flute cracked after being sent across the River Wye !.
For the record, in case anyone cares, I never gave my opinion regarding Wilkes v. Olwell, so I surely did not and do not feel that my opinion is the only one to be had. I gave an opinion regarding Wilkes’ quality being on-par with Olwell’s, which it is, and I hardly think this can be disputed. I did not give my personal take on which I prefer, as that was not the question and I thought it inappropriate. They both make great flutes, in their own way(s).
The original post was about quality. Steampacket’s (if that is his real name) description of his new Wilkes flute was appropriate and helpful; a new owner’s take on the quality of his new flute.
Jessie, your apparent need to bring up, yet again, your preference for Olwell over Wilkes, splitting hairs, yet again, over his Pratten v. Rudall model embouchures (although you didn’t mention your take on Olwell’s Prattens v. his Rudalls), seemed to me more mean spirited than helpful. You agreed that Wilkes’ flutes are high quality, but the implication of your next statements was that – in spite of quality – there was something somehow “wrong” with at least one of Wilkes’ models. In fact, you simply didn’t like one of his models for your own reasons. How is this helpful?
Loren, I’m perfectly happy with others’ opinions. It’d just be nice if some of us had something to say before we gave one.
Oh. I guess I need this:
Gordon