Looking for my next flute

[Radrunner007]

Hello all! New to the forum and looking for help on my next irish flute!

Played concert flute for a few decades and a few years ago got interested in irish flutes. Picked up a few Doug Tipple flutes, but unfortunately the holes are far too large and the bore too big for me to comfortably play.

Looking for something in an equally indestructible material (polymer, pvc, ebonite, etc) as the poor guy will be doing alot of travelling and is likely to get abused and go through huge humidity ranges.

Been looking at the WD Walt Sweet Polymer Keyless Irish Low D Flute. Any one have any insite or alternative recommendations? Hoping to keep the budget <$400.

Much thanks!

[plunk111]

Dave Copley (copleyflutes.com) and Garry Somers (somers-flutes.com) both make great delrin flutes in your price range. I currently have a Somers Pratten as my backup/camping flute but have owned a few Copleys as well. All are great... It seems like the Somers is a little more demanding of good technique but has a bigger sound, but the Copleys are great as well (and easier to play). I've played Dixons and others (and owned a non-delrin Sweetheart) and the Somers or Copley are both better (imho). You really can't go wrong with any well-known maker, however. It also may depend on where you live - shipping, etc... You might do some searching on this site as well...

Good luck in your search!

[Akiba]

Copley's delirn with no rings is the best deal (under $400). A great flute, and you can ask Mr. Copley to move the holes closer together to make it more ergonomic. The holes themselves are not too large.

[Feadoggie]

Picked up a few Doug Tipple flutes, but unfortunately the holes are far too large and the bore too big for me to comfortably play.

Just wondering if by your saying "Picked up a few Doug Tipple flutes" means that your tried them on for size briefly or that you bought, owned and worked a while at playing them?

Yes, there's a bit of a stretch - it's in the physics after all. But the two Tipples I've owned were not terribly difficult to play. I have smallish hands. A flat-finger grip is a decent solution.

The embouchure hole on some early Tipple flutes was not ideal (smallish and round). That could put some people off of a Tipple. But the latest cut (oval-ish) works well, IMO. The bore of the flute should not present any big issue. If you hit the edge well it should be pretty air efficient. It's not like a low whistle.

So if you do own a Tipple I'd suggest you keep at it. Try to employ a flat fingered grip, more like a piper's grip, to address the stretch. Otherwise,sure, look for another flute.

Any one have any insite or alternative recommendations? Hoping to keep the budget <$400.

Yep, as suggested above, Copley (3 piece) or Somers (3 piece Pratten). Good flutes. Good value from both makers.

Been looking at the WD Walt Sweet Polymer Keyless Irish Low D Flute.

That's another good choice, friendly finger spacing.

I've also owned several delrin Dixons, polymer M&E's, delrin Seerys, etc.. I've played most of the others available too. The Copley and Somers flutes are my preferences for polymer flutes. I'd agree with Plunk111's assessment of the two.

you can ask Mr. Copley to move the holes closer together to make it more ergonomic. The holes themselves are not too large.

Well, not exactly. AFAIK Copley does offer a particular hole layout for smaller hands. I've owned both the "small hands" Copley and the "regular" Copley 3 piece delrin flutes. There's really only one hole that is different in the "small hands" layout. That brings the BH2 and BH3 holes a bit closer together ... but not by a lot. That could be a deal maker/breaker for some players but I personally don't see much of an ergonomic advantage to it. The smaller hole effects venting of certain fingerings as well. I'd suggest getting the "regular" layout. The Copley holes are not particularly large. You should be able to handle them easily. Again, look into a a flat-finger grip if stretch and/or coverage are an issue.

Copley also offers two embouchure cuts on the 3 piece flutes. A rounded rectangle is standard on the 3 piece flute. It is more like a modern Boehm embouchure cut. It has a broader blowing edge and therefor an easier to hit sweet spot. That's what you get if you do not otherwise ask for the traditional cut. The second cut is a more rounded, oval-ish hole which is more a traditional embouchure cut for Irish playing. Tone can differ a bit between the two.

Feadoggie

[Radrunner007]

Thanks for the assistance everyone!

To clarify, I got the Tipple flutes and have been playing them for about 6 or 7 years now, including going with more of a piper grip. Unfortunately despite my best efforts the hand cramping refuses to stop, despite encountering no similar issues with concert flutes. Originally was using an in-line tipple, switched to an offset tipple but didn't help the problem. I blame skinny fingers.

With luck one of those flutes will pop up on the forums soon, otherwise I have some family down in Brazil (yay Somers flutes) and am near someone who carries Sweeny flutes as well.

[Jayhawk]

I am going to post the sole opposing view apparently. I think Walt Sweet's Shannon flute us the best bang for your buck in the keyless polymer flute world and it's over $150 cheaper than the other listed flutes in this thread. I don't like offset tone holes, and Walt can make them inline for you.

Eric

[Maihcol]

Any one have any insite or alternative recommendations? Hoping to keep the budget <$400.

Yep, as suggested above, Copley (3 piece) or Somers (3 piece Pratten). Good flutes. Good value from both makers.

Feadoggie

I should just note here that I haven't been making the 3-piece Pratten model for about the last two years or so, so I'm not currently taking orders for those. My aluminium flute with delrin head, which is based on a Boehm type bore, does have the lower cost 3-piece construction.

The two delrin models I do offer, both Pratten and small-bore Rudall & Rose, are in fact, 5-piece flutes with metal slides.

Thanks all!

Garry

[Feadoggie]

o clarify, I got the Tipple flutes and have been playing them for about 6 or 7 years now, including going with more of a piper grip. Unfortunately despite my best efforts the hand cramping refuses to stop, despite encountering no similar issues with concert flutes. Originally was using an in-line tipple, switched to an offset tipple but didn't help the problem. I blame skinny fingers.

Thanks for clarifying. Yeah, you gave those Tipples a good shot. Skinny fingers and large-ish holes don't always mix well.

The BH2 hole on the Shannon is good sized. You might want to see if you can locate one to try.

Try a Copley if you can as well.

The Dixon 3 piece delrin flute seems to work better than some other flutes for smaller hands and slim fingers, in my experience. It's not going to sound as bold or loud as a Copley/Somers/Forbes/Seery but it is quite playable and a valid choice for smaller hands. It will play the music. And they are as durable as any flute out there.

I should just note here that I haven't been making the 3-piece Pratten model for about the last two years or so, so I'm not currently taking orders for those.

I guess I'll hold onto the one I have then. That's a bummer, Garry. You might want to update your website.

Feadoggie

[Maihcol]

I guess I'll hold onto the one I have then. That's a bummer, Garry. You might want to update your website.

Feadoggie

Yes, I'll have to get around to that again, thanks. The Prices/Contact page on my site now has the up to date information about what I have available. I may return to making the 3-piece Pratten models at some point but no plans for now.

As a general note in regard to tonehole sizes, they are of course considerably smaller on my small-bore Rudall & Rose style flutes than on my Pratten models.

Garry

[s1m0n]

Conical bore flutes are inherently more efficient, in terms of reach, than cylindrical bore flutes (like a Tipple) of the same key. Cylindrical flutes have their efficiencies in price, being cheaper to make.

Doug, have you ever compared this difference to pitch? Is the stretch on a D conical similar to an Eb cylinder, or is it less? Or more? Is the difference closer to a full tone? Anyone else know?

[tin tin]

I've finally had a go at a Somers Rudall & Rose. Great flute all around!