Touring flute in Europe
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She left me a week or so ago. I had some serious trouble with university and moving from Frankfurt to Münster and wasn't able to post it earlier. She's on her way to Claus (onkel on C&F) now (or already arrived).vanessa wrote:Just curious... any news on Jon's cocobolo touring flute... any updates?
By the way, I'm sorry if this caused any inconvenience, Jon.
I was sorry to part with it, it's a wonderful instrument.
- vanessa
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... go on... tell us more about the cocobolo flutieGabriel wrote:She left me a week or so ago. I had some serious trouble with university and moving from Frankfurt to Münster and wasn't able to post it earlier. She's on her way to Claus (onkel on C&F) now (or already arrived).vanessa wrote:Just curious... any news on Jon's cocobolo touring flute... any updates?
By the way, I'm sorry if this caused any inconvenience, Jon.
I was sorry to part with it, it's a wonderful instrument.
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Okay, here you go ...
The Craftmanship
...is perfect. I didn't see many flutes until now, but this one was great. Everything was fitted tightly, the slide, the joints, the brass fittings on the joints etc. The tone holes and embouchure were cut very accurate and the whole body was thinned out a bit to ease the grip which I welcomed as it made the playing much more comfortable. The spacing of the tone holes was moderate, just like on my own Rudall (though I don't have problems with wide spacings *looks at Bb chanter *).
The grain of the wood is breathtaking!
All in all this flute is perfectly made, just like I would like a perfect flute to be made...
The Sound
...is great. It sounds, well...like a Rudall, but the dynamic range is huge. You can play this flute very quiet and soft and also loud and barking by just adjusting the embouchure a bit. I had some difficulties to find the sweet spot as I'm used to my own Rudall which is selfmade and a bit difficult to play since the embouchure is quite weird, but after I found it, the flute really sung. I esp. liked the warm touch in the sound (opposed to a blackwood flute), I think that's because of the cocobolo...
If I only had the money to get one!
The Craftmanship
...is perfect. I didn't see many flutes until now, but this one was great. Everything was fitted tightly, the slide, the joints, the brass fittings on the joints etc. The tone holes and embouchure were cut very accurate and the whole body was thinned out a bit to ease the grip which I welcomed as it made the playing much more comfortable. The spacing of the tone holes was moderate, just like on my own Rudall (though I don't have problems with wide spacings *looks at Bb chanter *).
The grain of the wood is breathtaking!
All in all this flute is perfectly made, just like I would like a perfect flute to be made...
The Sound
...is great. It sounds, well...like a Rudall, but the dynamic range is huge. You can play this flute very quiet and soft and also loud and barking by just adjusting the embouchure a bit. I had some difficulties to find the sweet spot as I'm used to my own Rudall which is selfmade and a bit difficult to play since the embouchure is quite weird, but after I found it, the flute really sung. I esp. liked the warm touch in the sound (opposed to a blackwood flute), I think that's because of the cocobolo...
If I only had the money to get one!
- vanessa
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... I notice that about Jon C's blackwood R&R too... you can play it quietly, sweetly and softly or with a hefty bark that makes my kitchen walls vibrate ... hahaha... the possibilities seem to be endless ... I can only do this on Jon's flute... unfortunately, I can't recreate that on my Hamilton no matter how hard I try which reminds me of something... you probably laugh when you hear this: well, as the story goes when I get nervous I can't quieten down the Jon C... it runs away with me ... so when I took it to my Comhaltas class I drowned out my entire class including the box players... talking about loud... the flute literally boomed through the sports hall... I gave myself a fright ... hahaha... so now out of courtesy towards my fellow students I'm actually taking my sweet docile Hammy to class
- Henke
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Nice playing onkel. Hearing it makes me really miss that flute.
Can you post some pics of it now? I was one of the first people on that list and it would be very interesting to see how much it has darkened now. We could also compair to the pics I posted in my old review thread.
Cocobolo is stunning no matter what age it is. I can't decide if I like the new stuff or the aged stuff best.
Can you post some pics of it now? I was one of the first people on that list and it would be very interesting to see how much it has darkened now. We could also compair to the pics I posted in my old review thread.
Cocobolo is stunning no matter what age it is. I can't decide if I like the new stuff or the aged stuff best.
- Wormdiet
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Scr@w ordering a new flute. . . where can I get on the list for a roving ambassador set of lips and a new embouchure??vanessa wrote:... so when I took it to my Comhaltas class I drowned out my entire class including the box players... talking about loud... the flute literally boomed through the sports hall... )
No matter what flute you have, getting that kind of volume speaks of years of playing and paying one's dues.
Not that volume is always synonymous with good tone. . . Although in this case it probably is
OOOXXO
Doing it backwards since 2005.
Doing it backwards since 2005.
- vanessa
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Thanks for the vote of confidence but do you wanna know a secret... I've only had proper flute lessons since March (just messed about the flute for a bit before that) ... so no chops here hahahaha... no wonder I'm so gobsmacked by Jon's flute ... on it I sound as I've been playing for years... ... hahaha... I even manage to play in tune ... so if you ask me, I'd say try one of Jon's flutes and forget my floppy lips and underdeveloped embouchure because I'd say you are way ahead of meWormdiet wrote:Scr@w ordering a new flute. . . where can I get on the list for a roving ambassador set of lips and a new embouchure??vanessa wrote:... so when I took it to my Comhaltas class I drowned out my entire class including the box players... talking about loud... the flute literally boomed through the sports hall... )
No matter what flute you have, getting that kind of volume speaks of years of playing and paying one's dues.
Not that volume is always synonymous with good tone. . . Although in this case it probably is
- Jon C.
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- Tell us something.: I restore 19th century flutes, specializing in Rudall & Rose, and early American flutes. I occasionally make new flutes. Been at it for about 15 years.
- Location: San Diego
Boy, my flute makes you look young!onkel wrote:Henrik requested a picture, so here it is:
You can also see why I haven't posted for a while.
So who's next? Jon, please tell us! I'm ready to pass it on.
I will let you know who gets it , I have to see who is next...
"I love the flute because it's the one instrument in the world where you can feel your own breath. I can feel my breath with my fingers. It's as if I'm speaking from my soul..."
Michael Flatley
Jon
Michael Flatley
Jon