I am in the process of acquiring an E&W Leatham Flute/Fife (Bb with one key). It lacks an end cap, which I intend to rectify, at least temporarily, with a black rubber cork. It was sold as a Bb "improved" fife. Can anyone tell me anything about this maker? The instrument was sold as an "antique", and I was not able to find a link on the internet. They say it came from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
I have a few other small details to which I'd appreciate answers.
1. I only have experience making PVC flutes. I know where to put the cork for them. With this wooden fife/flute, should I insert it as far as with the PVC flute, or is this a matter of trial and error?
2. I spent $32.00 on a flute with no end cap (including shipping). Is this fair value?
3. Should I manufacture an end cap from wood with a hole saw, dye it black with some ebony stain, and simply glue a wooden end cap on the end? Would I leave the cork in? Should I pay a local metal shop to make a plain metal end cap for it and glue it on? Would one eighth inch thick stainless steel be reasonable?
4. I am making a series of PVC flutes that I have designed in the keys of D and C. I've come up with three designs with at least one nice innovation incorporated into each. They seem to be playable over two octaves. Am I likely to hear a vast improvement in tone with a wooden flute? (I have some Irish ancestry, though not from Belfast, which contributed significantly to my interest in purchasing an antique, Irish flute.) I am wondering if I might do well to make the antique flute/fife playable and seek a seller, though I probably won't see another one like it, and if I were to find one, suspect I would have to play more, if only for shipping.
5. How will embouchure have to change to accomodate a wooden flute relative to PVC flutes? (I've been playing a low D flute and my new high D flute designs.) I am asking as I suspect that wooden flute walls are not as thick as schedule 40 PVC.
6. Do I call this a flute or a fife? I'd rather call it a flute. Do I call it an Irish flute due to its simple system design and origin, or should it be called an Irish fife? (Is E&W Leatham a company from Ireland or one from England that had a manufacturing shop in Belfast?) This is rather trivial, but I don't want to be incorrect if I try to re-sell it.
7. Will this need a humidifier in a plastic (airtight) storage case, or can it be stored without one to prevent cracking?
8. Any care and maintenance tips for a wooden flute/fife?
I know this is an old topic but I have just stumbled across it.
. The company were based in Belfast and they had a range of B Flat simple system futes and fifes.
They are no longer making flutes and their main market were local flute bands. There is a company in Kilkeel Northern ireland making a similr flute out of african blackwood and although it resembles the five key model of the E& W Leathem
'ULADH' Model BB Flute it is a copy of the Crown AZ flutes from Hawkes & Sons and they are a very fine instrument with the majority of the 700 flute bands in Ulster playing them.
E&W Leatham Flute/Fife
E&W Leatham Flute/Fife
I am in the process of acquiring an E&W Leatham Flute/Fife (Bb with one key). It lacks an end cap, which I intend to rectify, at least temporarily, with a black rubber cork. It was sold as a Bb "improved" fife. Can anyone tell me anything about this maker? The instrument was sold as an "antique", and I was not able to find a link on the internet. They say it came from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
I have a few other small details to which I'd appreciate answers.
1. I only have experience making PVC flutes. I know where to put the cork for them. With this wooden fife/flute, should I insert it as far as with the PVC flute, or is this a matter of trial and error?
2. I spent $32.00 on a flute with no end cap (including shipping). Is this fair value?
3. Should I manufacture an end cap from wood with a hole saw, dye it black with some ebony stain, and simply glue a wooden end cap on the end? Would I leave the cork in? Should I pay a local metal shop to make a plain metal end cap for it and glue it on? Would one eighth inch thick stainless steel be reasonable?
4. I am making a series of PVC flutes that I have designed in the keys of D and C. I've come up with three designs with at least one nice innovation incorporated into each. They seem to be playable over two octaves. Am I likely to hear a vast improvement in tone with a wooden flute? (I have some Irish ancestry, though not from Belfast, which contributed significantly to my interest in purchasing an antique, Irish flute.) I am wondering if I might do well to make the antique flute/fife playable and seek a seller, though I probably won't see another one like it, and if I were to find one, suspect I would have to play more, if only for shipping.
5. How will embouchure have to change to accomodate a wooden flute relative to PVC flutes? (I've been playing a low D flute and my new high D flute designs.) I am asking as I suspect that wooden flute walls are not as thick as schedule 40 PVC.
6. Do I call this a flute or a fife? I'd rather call it a flute. Do I call it an Irish flute due to its simple system design and origin, or should it be called an Irish fife? (Is E&W Leatham a company from Ireland or one from England that had a manufacturing shop in Belfast?) This is rather trivial, but I don't want to be incorrect if I try to re-sell it.
7. Will this need a humidifier in a plastic (airtight) storage case, or can it be stored without one to prevent cracking?
8. Any care and maintenance tips for a wooden flute/fife?
Thank you for your insights.
# Posted on November 17th 2008 by Arthur Nordstrom
Re: E&W Leatham Flute/Fife
Corrections:
Under "4", "see a buyer" and "have to pay more".
# Posted on November 17th 2008 by Arthur Nordstrom
Re: E&W Leatham Flute/Fife
I know this is an old topic but I have just stumbled across it.
. The company were based in Belfast and they had a range of B Flat simple system futes and fifes.
They are no longer making flutes and their main market were local flute bands. There is a company in Kilkeel Northern ireland making a similr flute out of african blackwood and although it resembles the five key model of the E& W Leathem
'ULADH' Model BB Flute it is a copy of the Crown AZ flutes from Hawkes & Sons and they are a very fine instrument with the majority of the 700 flute bands in Ulster playing them.
# Posted on October 10th 2011 by Accordionstu