I am searching for information on purchasing flutes Irish made and for sale in Ireland. I have family who are going over and I want to know what the best makers over there are and where they should go to look. Amy information and assistance is great.
Do you mean wooden concert flutes? If so, you probably won't be able to buy them "off the peg". You will have to contact a maker ( a good one!) and order it directly from them. The wait. That's the only way you can be sure of getting a decent instrument. And it won't be cheap. Also, I would advise novice players to NEVER buy a flute unless they have a fluter check it out first -- and I mean a really good player, one who can spot the faults and problems. I know a few players who despite years of playing still can't get tone or volume. The only two makers in Ireland I can currently vouch for are Colin "Hammy" Hamilton, and Sam Murray or maybe Des Seery's plastic flutes. Whatever you do, do NOT buy a flute made by Tom Ganley.
hi! the both, hamilton and murray are from north ireland, but i want to add one name from ireland, eammon cotter, who produce excellent flute. one of my friend who lives in italy ordered recently keyles flute from him and he is very satisfied with flute.but also, same as in case of murray and hamilton waiting time is around 8 months.also, you could check flute forum at chipple and flipple site, because there is many useful information for you. and check brad hurley flute site , there is address of flute makers around the word.
and i want to say hello to everybody, because it is my first replay on thesession site, although i wach this site more than a year and half.
regards, marin
i just want ot add something.i have desy seery plastic flute and i am very satisfied with flute. it is pratten style, and need little more air than r&r models. in co. mayo you could find M&E flute, plastic, r&r models and rewievs on net are also very good. if you want to buy plastic flute keyles, you could in ireland buy seery or M&E.Each of these flutes have fans, rewievs are tied about each flute!also exist option to add keys, if you want.serry
produce flute also from wood, mopane (eamon de barrrrra from group slide have his flute, and tom doorley from danu played on two first albums on serry plastic flute, but now he play olwell.
I had the misfortune of tryinjg a Ganley once, it ranks lower than those straight-bored pakistani things. They're good for holding windows open though.
I know two excellent Irish flute players living in the states who play Eamonn Cotter flutes and have been very happy with their instruments. I contacted Eamonn last spring through email and his waiting time for a 6-keyed flute was 9 months and the price was 1400 EURO. (But I decided to check out other options and met Patrick Olwell and will hopefully have a keyless Olwell this fall.)
Eamonn Cotter is teaching flute at that Festival in Louisburgh, Mayo the weekend of 3 May 2003. I'm going to take his class when I'm over in Ireland and hopefully get to try some of his flutes. Maybe I'll put myself on a waiting list for a keyed flute. The good thing about flutes is that you can always sell them if you decide you would like a different flute. They really don't depreciate in value. Someone correct me if I'm wrong : )
Whitney - if you would like Eamonn's email and phone number, you can email directly from this site.
Oh yeah, I forgot about this - 3 years ago when I was in Ireland I was looking for an Irish wooden flute, but at that time I didn't play the music yet and was very clueless about the good flutes like murrays, hamiltons, cotters, etc and the waiting lists.
I went into this music store in downtown Tralee called Buskers. The owner had several wooden flutes for sale. Some were keyless and keyed. This was the first time I had ever picked up a real Irish flute and could barely get a sound out of any of those flute. (I freaked out and picked up a silver flute and had no problem playing since I did inherit an old silver flute in my twenties but was never formally trained. I just played along to my "angry-white-girl" music CD's). So I decided to get a cheap keyless for 120 pounds since I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to really play the thing. Plus it was hard for my fingers to make the spread on the big wooden beast of a flute. Now looking back I wish I had purchased one of those keyed flutes for 500 pounds. When I go back to Ireland at the end of the month, I might try and get down to that music store and check out the inventory of flutes just for fun.
I'm a happy Eamonn Cotter customer too. I got my 6-key flute exactly at the end of the wait period he quoted, and the flute is excellent. He makes great keyless flutes too, by the way.
I'm a happy Eamonn Cotter customer too. I got a keyless flute from him three years ago. It arrived on time, had been 'field tested', and he wouldn't accept payment until I was sure I was happy with it. The tone is great, and is improving (maybe I'm improving!), and it has good volume.
And he's a nice guy!
Mark
Just speaking from experience. I was in Ireland in June 2001, and bought an M&E polymer flutes for about $450 (I think) from Custy's Music Shop in Ennis, Co. Clare. I had played classical for about 12 years, and really knew nothing about Irish flutes. Wasn't sure how much I would play the Irish music, but it's now turned into a passion, and the M&E is great. Eventually I'll get a wooden one, but most people I've talked to said the M&E is a nice little investment until you play enough flutes to know exactly what you like. If you search the archives of www.woodenflute.com, you'll find tons of stuff about flutes and what different people recommend. Good luck!
What's with the "be careful"? If we can advertise and promote good instruments (Cotter, Hamilton, Murray, Seery) then surely we can warn our members against inferior products. It's nothing personal, just business. Brad has pretty much summed it up and also I have never met a good fluter who plays one. Has any one else? Buy a good flute from a good maker right away. You won't regret it, it will not lose its value and at least you will be able to play in tune.
Yeah, quite so, Long note. That's why I asked you. I haven't a clue why T.McS. felt he had to say that. But I was leaving you with the option of emailing me with some horror story, or whatever. If the man can't make good flutes it should be said on an Irish flute thread, so then more attention can then be paid to makers who can do their job properly, ie prune back the list for a newcomer to make the options less confusing.
Having ranted on there, I've got to admit I play MOSTLY a Boehm silver thing, at a level, I'd say, nearly as good as you could expect to get away with on one (I hope the odd head might agree!) - it seems to make the right noises, either that, or people have been inordinately generous to me in their approbation!
So.
Also, I've got an (actually, I've got much more than one...) ancient, but renovated, block-mounted Concert job, with a name inscribed but which is not discernible, but it's not loud enough to play and be heard, in a full blown-banjo+box-inclusive session.
Hence I follow this thread with interest. My affordable options for the future are:
Upgrade to a Loud Blackwood Boehm - eg Rudall Carte Radcliffe model - £1500/$2450/ε2200.
(I already have a RC 1867 patent Boehm chap who rarely gets out of his case - anyone else tried those?)
Upgrade on wood to something like a Cotter, keeping the Boehm silver for O'Dowd's #2 et al. - what's that now? - £8-900/ whatever in foreign money.
Get an even louder silver Boehm. There's so much snobbery with flutes, and being a maverick, with a tendency to rail against the snobbery, this may be the preferred alternative for me.
The Future - means quite medium term, as my enthusiasm to spend will be tempered due to Fergus, a wee man 6 months of age....
Danny - I'm just curious about your silver flute. Is your primary reason the volume? I know the silver flutes are louder than the traditional wooden flutes. Have you tried a Patrick Olwell?
I've pulled out my old silver job a few times and have attempted to play a few Irish tunes, but the keys really seemed to get in the way and I couldn't do rolls very easily. I guess it's a matter of practice and getting used to a different set-up.
Cherish the Ladies were in Vermont a few months ago and I must say that Joanie Madden did a fantastic job with her silver flute. But I felt that the warm woody tone was really missing. I kept hoping she'd play at least one tune on a wooden flute.
Danny - I'm sure you sound great. I wish there was a way we could hear each other play.....that would be very cool.
Joyce, Yes, the primary reason is volume, but I admit I've lost some of the dexterity for rolls etc., since going back to Boehm system. Apart from that I had a PC mouse-generated RSI about 2-3 years ago which was exacerbated with the blackwood fellow, so that pushed me more in the direction of silver. I'm quite a strong player, so that probably helps to overcome the other things - also, one point in favour of metal, I think, is you can control the dynamics of the sound better. Joanie does a great job with that also.
I haven't tried an Olwell - loud, are they? I do agree, that special mellow, woody, big fat sound you get from the timber lad is impossible to replicate with metal. Maybe the RC Radcliffe, like Paddy Carty had, would be the answer. Anyone got a spare £1500/$2450 they don't need?
You never know, stranger things have happened - we may meet at some fleadh or festival!!!
Yeah, the Olwells are powerful. I'm just a newbie, but I had a week-long flute class with John Skelton who plays an Olwell and the volume was amazing. He blew everyone away (no pun intended) I also went to a workshop put on by Patrick Olwell this past summer and was amazed at the volume Patrick could get out of his flutes. A big fat woody sound! Peter Molloy and June McCormack (two young flute players I love!!!) play Olwell flutes. So does Mike Rafferty - he did a small concert up in Vermont and didn't even need a mic! The waiting list for a keyless is a year, but the waiting list for a 6-keyed is 7 years...ouch!
I can't wait for my Olwell. I love my current flute. But last night at our session, it was hard to hear myself at times with 2 uilleann pipers, 2 fiddles, a concertina, banjo, guitar, and a few others.......
Oh yeah, I love the sound of the late Paddy Carty's flute. That might be your answer.
If you do want an email address for Patrick Olwell, email me from this site and I'll send it to you. I might also have a phone # somewhere.
Skelton does have a great tone & a great flute, he's also got a great personality. You should come to the Wind on the Bay weekend in RI, it's a lot of fun.
Yes, I would love to get down for the Wind on the Bay weekend this year. There was a flute symposium this past fall I wanted to attend down in RI but I had plans I couldn't really get out of ....I think John Skelton was teaching.
Well it's not really his house, he's the live-in curator of a museum house (Varnum House) & he has his flute shop out in the back. It's more of a complex than a house. Plus he likes to come up with colorful terms, the Healy Flute Cartel deserves it's own complex.
I have played a few Eamonn Cotter flutes and can recommend them. Sam Murray flutes are also excellent. A Des Seery keyless plastic flute would be a good option for a beginner. I am currently playing a keyless cocus wood flute by Martin Doyle and would recommend checking him out. His flutes are excellent and he is a very friendly and amenable chap. I have his contact details for anyone who's interested. And no, I don't get comission!
Is it a fact that too many people have the Idea " If it does not cost a H... of a lot of money it's no use. I sell German violins to over £800 ( not outfits ) I often find that if the customer does not happen to hear / see the price, they buy our "own brand" OUTFITS at £ 6x after taking time to select by sound ( playing ) elimination fron 6 - 8 German 1 or two changed after twice saying that the feeling & tone was better when they heard the price.
A 10 in frot would have sold the cheap one £106x
The " status symble " , It only a " cheapie " is a problem to some
Why not try a Ganley first.
Best regards
Sean
Sean - to take that argument towards a logical conclusion, I bought a Tony Dixon tunable keyless Polymer flute recently for...em... I can't remember...I think it was £35 (US$56?), mostly out of curosity, as I did also get a whistle (tunable). The whistle is a very good buy at ...hell....£25 (US$40), I think.
The flute is excellent value for its price, and would be especially good for an "Improver" - that's NewLabourSpeak for a learner. The lower register can be loud, but it's not 100% in tune with itself - I keep on meaning to email him to see if it's internally tunable by moving the cork in the head joint....maybe someone here can answer that....
So.. yes, I can afford the odd frivolous £35 curiosity flute, right now, not 20-30x that in a oner for a big flute! ... well I probably could, but I'm thinking of upgrading the box.....
If price is a concern, I'd go with the Tony Dixon 3 piece polymer (conical). I think Custy's might sell them, but I'm too lazy to check their website just now. They get a lot of good reviews over on C&F, and I really like mine. Being conical, they're just like any other keyless Irish flute, and they're in tune throughtout 2+ octaves.
Danny - Adjust away on that cork. The price you quote means it's one of Tony's 2 piece cylindrical models. It can help, but it's nearly impossible to get the 2nd octave well in tune on a cyclindrical flute...and the third octave gets worse.
Speaking of hearing Joyce play, I hope I can brag I will be among the lucky ones in June, at Gaelic Roots!
As Joyce shows off for Kevin Crawford each morning while I whimper in the corner exposing my belly like a submissive puppy, hopefully at night we'll share a pint, & she'll say 'Now now, it wasn't all that bad, let's look at the Rakes of Mallow again, shall we?' ha ha! JMH, I can't wait til June!
Oh gosh, Emily.....I'll be the one in the corner wearing the dunce cap, unshowered, grossly hungover and hardly able to play a jig...no it won't be quite that bad......but I think you'll be disappointed when you hear my scraggle-muffin flute playing. I'll be taking lessons from you : )
Yes, I can't wait 'till Gaelic Roots....It will be great to have a partner in crime!
As for your talent, I'd like to quote Jackson Browne -- 'I'm a couple of years & a couple of changes behind you.' Already I know I have more to learn from you than I could in just a week, simply b/c you play so much in regular sessions, plus you practice so gol-durn much. I hope you just don't get tired of me asking, "So tell me again, what exactly did Patrick Olwell say to you?"
Ever see Absolutely Fabulous? You wanna be Eddie or Paddy? Ha ha! j/k, too late now, I guess we're stuck with each other. Yay!
Oh my god! I love Ab Fab! Those gals are my heros...they are so freakin funny, I sometimes laugh so hard, my sides hurt the next day......
Yeah I do practice a ton! But I really should sound better than I do.....it's almost embarrassing...but at least I am having fun with the music and that's what's important...maybe in ten years I won't be ashamed of my playing......but for now, I'm just plugging away and doing everything I possibly can to get better....
buying flutes in Ireland
buying flutes in Ireland
Hello
I am searching for information on purchasing flutes Irish made and for sale in Ireland. I have family who are going over and I want to know what the best makers over there are and where they should go to look. Amy information and assistance is great.
Thanks
Whitney
# Posted on April 1st 2003 by Whitney
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Do you mean wooden concert flutes? If so, you probably won't be able to buy them "off the peg". You will have to contact a maker ( a good one!) and order it directly from them. The wait. That's the only way you can be sure of getting a decent instrument. And it won't be cheap. Also, I would advise novice players to NEVER buy a flute unless they have a fluter check it out first -- and I mean a really good player, one who can spot the faults and problems. I know a few players who despite years of playing still can't get tone or volume. The only two makers in Ireland I can currently vouch for are Colin "Hammy" Hamilton, and Sam Murray or maybe Des Seery's plastic flutes. Whatever you do, do NOT buy a flute made by Tom Ganley.
# Posted on April 1st 2003 by LongNote
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
hi! the both, hamilton and murray are from north ireland, but i want to add one name from ireland, eammon cotter, who produce excellent flute. one of my friend who lives in italy ordered recently keyles flute from him and he is very satisfied with flute.but also, same as in case of murray and hamilton waiting time is around 8 months.also, you could check flute forum at chipple and flipple site, because there is many useful information for you. and check brad hurley flute site , there is address of flute makers around the word.
and i want to say hello to everybody, because it is my first replay on thesession site, although i wach this site more than a year and half.
regards, marin
# Posted on April 1st 2003 by maracirac
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
i just want ot add something.i have desy seery plastic flute and i am very satisfied with flute. it is pratten style, and need little more air than r&r models. in co. mayo you could find M&E flute, plastic, r&r models and rewievs on net are also very good. if you want to buy plastic flute keyles, you could in ireland buy seery or M&E.Each of these flutes have fans, rewievs are tied about each flute!also exist option to add keys, if you want.serry
produce flute also from wood, mopane (eamon de barrrrra from group slide have his flute, and tom doorley from danu played on two first albums on serry plastic flute, but now he play olwell.
# Posted on April 1st 2003 by maracirac
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Try this (worldwide) list - there are some irish makers in it:
http://www.firescribble.net/flute/makers.html
Longnote, what's so bad about Tom Ganley? If you don't want it broadcast, email me if you've the time.
Danny.
# Posted on April 1st 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Good point, Danny. I think we've all got to be careful what we say on the web nowadays.
# Posted on April 1st 2003 by Trevor Jennings
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
I had the misfortune of tryinjg a Ganley once, it ranks lower than those straight-bored pakistani things. They're good for holding windows open though.
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by Mad Baloney
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
I know two excellent Irish flute players living in the states who play Eamonn Cotter flutes and have been very happy with their instruments. I contacted Eamonn last spring through email and his waiting time for a 6-keyed flute was 9 months and the price was 1400 EURO. (But I decided to check out other options and met Patrick Olwell and will hopefully have a keyless Olwell this fall.)
Eamonn Cotter is teaching flute at that Festival in Louisburgh, Mayo the weekend of 3 May 2003. I'm going to take his class when I'm over in Ireland and hopefully get to try some of his flutes. Maybe I'll put myself on a waiting list for a keyed flute. The good thing about flutes is that you can always sell them if you decide you would like a different flute. They really don't depreciate in value. Someone correct me if I'm wrong : )
Whitney - if you would like Eamonn's email and phone number, you can email directly from this site.
Best,
Joyce
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by JMH
Tralee
Oh yeah, I forgot about this - 3 years ago when I was in Ireland I was looking for an Irish wooden flute, but at that time I didn't play the music yet and was very clueless about the good flutes like murrays, hamiltons, cotters, etc and the waiting lists.
I went into this music store in downtown Tralee called Buskers. The owner had several wooden flutes for sale. Some were keyless and keyed. This was the first time I had ever picked up a real Irish flute and could barely get a sound out of any of those flute. (I freaked out and picked up a silver flute and had no problem playing since I did inherit an old silver flute in my twenties but was never formally trained. I just played along to my "angry-white-girl" music CD's). So I decided to get a cheap keyless for 120 pounds since I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to really play the thing. Plus it was hard for my fingers to make the spread on the big wooden beast of a flute. Now looking back I wish I had purchased one of those keyed flutes for 500 pounds. When I go back to Ireland at the end of the month, I might try and get down to that music store and check out the inventory of flutes just for fun.
Joyce
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by JMH
Eamon Cotter
I'm a happy Eamonn Cotter customer too. I got my 6-key flute exactly at the end of the wait period he quoted, and the flute is excellent. He makes great keyless flutes too, by the way.
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by glauber
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
I'm a happy Eamonn Cotter customer too. I got a keyless flute from him three years ago. It arrived on time, had been 'field tested', and he wouldn't accept payment until I was sure I was happy with it. The tone is great, and is improving (maybe I'm improving!), and it has good volume.
And he's a nice guy!
Mark
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by Ottery
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Just speaking from experience. I was in Ireland in June 2001, and bought an M&E polymer flutes for about $450 (I think) from Custy's Music Shop in Ennis, Co. Clare. I had played classical for about 12 years, and really knew nothing about Irish flutes. Wasn't sure how much I would play the Irish music, but it's now turned into a passion, and the M&E is great. Eventually I'll get a wooden one, but most people I've talked to said the M&E is a nice little investment until you play enough flutes to know exactly what you like. If you search the archives of www.woodenflute.com, you'll find tons of stuff about flutes and what different people recommend. Good luck!
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by Jason G
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
What's with the "be careful"? If we can advertise and promote good instruments (Cotter, Hamilton, Murray, Seery) then surely we can warn our members against inferior products. It's nothing personal, just business. Brad has pretty much summed it up and also I have never met a good fluter who plays one. Has any one else? Buy a good flute from a good maker right away. You won't regret it, it will not lose its value and at least you will be able to play in tune.
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by LongNote
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Yeah, quite so, Long note. That's why I asked you. I haven't a clue why T.McS. felt he had to say that. But I was leaving you with the option of emailing me with some horror story, or whatever. If the man can't make good flutes it should be said on an Irish flute thread, so then more attention can then be paid to makers who can do their job properly, ie prune back the list for a newcomer to make the options less confusing.
Simple as that.
Danny
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Having ranted on there, I've got to admit I play MOSTLY a Boehm silver thing, at a level, I'd say, nearly as good as you could expect to get away with on one (I hope the odd head might agree!) - it seems to make the right noises, either that, or people have been inordinately generous to me in their approbation!
So.
Also, I've got an (actually, I've got much more than one...) ancient, but renovated, block-mounted Concert job, with a name inscribed but which is not discernible, but it's not loud enough to play and be heard, in a full blown-banjo+box-inclusive session.
Hence I follow this thread with interest. My affordable options for the future are:
Upgrade to a Loud Blackwood Boehm - eg Rudall Carte Radcliffe model - £1500/$2450/ε2200.
(I already have a RC 1867 patent Boehm chap who rarely gets out of his case - anyone else tried those?)
Upgrade on wood to something like a Cotter, keeping the Boehm silver for O'Dowd's #2 et al. - what's that now? - £8-900/ whatever in foreign money.
Get an even louder silver Boehm. There's so much snobbery with flutes, and being a maverick, with a tendency to rail against the snobbery, this may be the preferred alternative for me.
The Future - means quite medium term, as my enthusiasm to spend will be tempered due to Fergus, a wee man 6 months of age....
Danny (Big Bad Dad).
# Posted on April 2nd 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Danny - I'm just curious about your silver flute. Is your primary reason the volume? I know the silver flutes are louder than the traditional wooden flutes. Have you tried a Patrick Olwell?
I've pulled out my old silver job a few times and have attempted to play a few Irish tunes, but the keys really seemed to get in the way and I couldn't do rolls very easily. I guess it's a matter of practice and getting used to a different set-up.
Cherish the Ladies were in Vermont a few months ago and I must say that Joanie Madden did a fantastic job with her silver flute. But I felt that the warm woody tone was really missing. I kept hoping she'd play at least one tune on a wooden flute.
Danny - I'm sure you sound great. I wish there was a way we could hear each other play.....that would be very cool.
Joyce
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Joyce, Yes, the primary reason is volume, but I admit I've lost some of the dexterity for rolls etc., since going back to Boehm system. Apart from that I had a PC mouse-generated RSI about 2-3 years ago which was exacerbated with the blackwood fellow, so that pushed me more in the direction of silver. I'm quite a strong player, so that probably helps to overcome the other things - also, one point in favour of metal, I think, is you can control the dynamics of the sound better. Joanie does a great job with that also.
I haven't tried an Olwell - loud, are they? I do agree, that special mellow, woody, big fat sound you get from the timber lad is impossible to replicate with metal. Maybe the RC Radcliffe, like Paddy Carty had, would be the answer. Anyone got a spare £1500/$2450 they don't need?
You never know, stranger things have happened - we may meet at some fleadh or festival!!!
Danny
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Yeah, the Olwells are powerful. I'm just a newbie, but I had a week-long flute class with John Skelton who plays an Olwell and the volume was amazing. He blew everyone away (no pun intended) I also went to a workshop put on by Patrick Olwell this past summer and was amazed at the volume Patrick could get out of his flutes. A big fat woody sound! Peter Molloy and June McCormack (two young flute players I love!!!) play Olwell flutes. So does Mike Rafferty - he did a small concert up in Vermont and didn't even need a mic! The waiting list for a keyless is a year, but the waiting list for a 6-keyed is 7 years...ouch!
I can't wait for my Olwell. I love my current flute. But last night at our session, it was hard to hear myself at times with 2 uilleann pipers, 2 fiddles, a concertina, banjo, guitar, and a few others.......
Oh yeah, I love the sound of the late Paddy Carty's flute. That might be your answer.
If you do want an email address for Patrick Olwell, email me from this site and I'll send it to you. I might also have a phone # somewhere.
Joyce
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Skelton does have a great tone & a great flute, he's also got a great personality. You should come to the Wind on the Bay weekend in RI, it's a lot of fun.
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by Mad Baloney
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Yes, I would love to get down for the Wind on the Bay weekend this year. There was a flute symposium this past fall I wanted to attend down in RI but I had plans I couldn't really get out of ....I think John Skelton was teaching.
Joyce
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
That's one in the same, it's at Skip Healy's umm, complex.
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by Mad Baloney
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Complex? just curious.....
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Well it's not really his house, he's the live-in curator of a museum house (Varnum House) & he has his flute shop out in the back. It's more of a complex than a house. Plus he likes to come up with colorful terms, the Healy Flute Cartel deserves it's own complex.
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by Mad Baloney
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Sounds interesting.....I'll keep a look out for the next weekend event down there at the complex.
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
It's in Oct here's the link
http://skiphealy.com/frames/fr_windonbay.htm
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by Mad Baloney
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Thanks for the link! I'll probably be down.
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
I have played a few Eamonn Cotter flutes and can recommend them. Sam Murray flutes are also excellent. A Des Seery keyless plastic flute would be a good option for a beginner. I am currently playing a keyless cocus wood flute by Martin Doyle and would recommend checking him out. His flutes are excellent and he is a very friendly and amenable chap. I have his contact details for anyone who's interested. And no, I don't get comission!
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by milesnagopaleen
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Is it a fact that too many people have the Idea " If it does not cost a H... of a lot of money it's no use. I sell German violins to over £800 ( not outfits ) I often find that if the customer does not happen to hear / see the price, they buy our "own brand" OUTFITS at £ 6x after taking time to select by sound ( playing ) elimination fron 6 - 8 German 1 or two changed after twice saying that the feeling & tone was better when they heard the price.
A 10 in frot would have sold the cheap one £106x
The " status symble " , It only a " cheapie " is a problem to some
Why not try a Ganley first.
Best regards
Sean
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by boorinwood
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Sean - to take that argument towards a logical conclusion, I bought a Tony Dixon tunable keyless Polymer flute recently for...em... I can't remember...I think it was £35 (US$56?), mostly out of curosity, as I did also get a whistle (tunable). The whistle is a very good buy at ...hell....£25 (US$40), I think.
The flute is excellent value for its price, and would be especially good for an "Improver" - that's NewLabourSpeak for a learner. The lower register can be loud, but it's not 100% in tune with itself - I keep on meaning to email him to see if it's internally tunable by moving the cork in the head joint....maybe someone here can answer that....
So.. yes, I can afford the odd frivolous £35 curiosity flute, right now, not 20-30x that in a oner for a big flute! ... well I probably could, but I'm thinking of upgrading the box.....
Danny.
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by Rudall the time
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
If price is a concern, I'd go with the Tony Dixon 3 piece polymer (conical). I think Custy's might sell them, but I'm too lazy to check their website just now. They get a lot of good reviews over on C&F, and I really like mine. Being conical, they're just like any other keyless Irish flute, and they're in tune throughtout 2+ octaves.
Danny - Adjust away on that cork. The price you quote means it's one of Tony's 2 piece cylindrical models. It can help, but it's nearly impossible to get the 2nd octave well in tune on a cyclindrical flute...and the third octave gets worse.
Eric
# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by Jayhawk
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Speaking of hearing Joyce play, I hope I can brag I will be among the lucky ones in June, at Gaelic Roots!
As Joyce shows off for Kevin Crawford each morning while I whimper in the corner exposing my belly like a submissive puppy, hopefully at night we'll share a pint, & she'll say 'Now now, it wasn't all that bad, let's look at the Rakes of Mallow again, shall we?' ha ha! JMH, I can't wait til June!
# Posted on April 8th 2003 by emily_bmore
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Oh gosh, Emily.....I'll be the one in the corner wearing the dunce cap, unshowered, grossly hungover and hardly able to play a jig...no it won't be quite that bad......but I think you'll be disappointed when you hear my scraggle-muffin flute playing. I'll be taking lessons from you : )
Yes, I can't wait 'till Gaelic Roots....It will be great to have a partner in crime!
Cheers!
Joyce
# Posted on April 9th 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Don't worry Emily, I'm much more behaved nowadays.(although some may argue that the jury is still out on that one)
My college days of waking up in flower beds and running to class with leaves still in my hair are long gone : )
# Posted on April 9th 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Don't worry, we can fix that.
As for your talent, I'd like to quote Jackson Browne -- 'I'm a couple of years & a couple of changes behind you.' Already I know I have more to learn from you than I could in just a week, simply b/c you play so much in regular sessions, plus you practice so gol-durn much. I hope you just don't get tired of me asking, "So tell me again, what exactly did Patrick Olwell say to you?"
Ever see Absolutely Fabulous? You wanna be Eddie or Paddy? Ha ha! j/k, too late now, I guess we're stuck with each other. Yay!
# Posted on April 9th 2003 by emily_bmore
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
Oh my god! I love Ab Fab! Those gals are my heros...they are so freakin funny, I sometimes laugh so hard, my sides hurt the next day......
Yeah I do practice a ton! But I really should sound better than I do.....it's almost embarrassing...but at least I am having fun with the music and that's what's important...maybe in ten years I won't be ashamed of my playing......but for now, I'm just plugging away and doing everything I possibly can to get better....
66 days til Gaelic Roots!
Joyce
# Posted on April 10th 2003 by JMH
Re: buying flutes in Ireland
65....
# Posted on April 10th 2003 by emily_bmore