In your opinion (whoever you may be) would it be wiser to spend less on a descent delrin flute now (like a Copley) or wait and spend quite a bit more on a good wood flute? Is wood something everyone eventually moves into? Because I already have a Dixon delrin and would like to upgrade.
This is a subject that many flute players are very passionate about.
For myself, I can tell you, if given the option of waiting for a decent wood flute and getting a decently made delrin flute right away, I would opt for the later. Mostly because I like to consider myself frugal & practical. I'd also have to admit that I'm not a very patient person and the instant gratification factor kicks in. The indestructibility & definite ease of maintenance of delrin is a great plus. I have played many flutes made from many materials and the biggest factor to me is the maker not the material. Just my two cents worth.
I'm with celtic marine, investing in a good wooden flute is the way to go. With wooden flutes the tone will only get nicer and richer the more you play it (as with any wood instrument). I do agree with dumpingsirkey though that no matter what material it is, it has to come from a good maker. My blackwood flute from Terry McGee is awesome, but I've also got an unknown rosewood flute that is absolute crap.
If it is the choice between a delrin flute now and a wooden flute later then I would go for a delrin flute now and then a wooden flute later as well. Being fluteless is dispiriting.
There are good flutes made out of delrin. Wood is no great deal to care for. And wood is a lot prettier. YPYMATYC.
I own wooden flutes but would consider a delrin flute as a travel/indestructible flute maybe. But I already have a Burn's folk flute for this role.
Far more important - who made the flute? Is it acoustically well made? In tune? Does it sit well under your fingers? Can you make the sound you want with it? Do you drool when you think about it?
There are better and worse flutes out there, but at the end of the day you make the sound, not the flute... A crap flute will cripple you but an Olwell won't make you sound like Matt Molloy either.
I have a PVC M&E flute (it is black PVC, not delrin like many other polymer flutes).It has a great sound but is heavier than a keyless blackwood. Unlike a stringed instument, where the vibrations in the body of the instument contribute very much to the sound of the instrument, with any woodwind the body of the instrument just acts as a container for the vibrating air column within. The way the instument is made, accuracy of size, placement and undercutting of tone holes, accurately reamed bore and correctly formed emboucher hole are far more important for the sound than the material from which the instrument is made (Buffet machine their R13, near top of the range, clarinets from both african blackwood and a composite of wood dust and resin called greenline). With many other plastic woodwinds (recorders, clarinets etc.) the plastic ones are generally of lower quality than wooden ones because of limitations of the mass production moulding process. Most plastic Irish flutes are machined from solid bar, not moulded.
There is nothing to beat the feel and smell of a wooden instrument though.
The subject title of this thread is what meine Frau is always replying to me in a rather unenthusiastic and exasperated voice after mentioning a certain special to her.
Another vote for wood. But not all wood flutes are pricey, or have a long wait--you could, for instance, get a wood flute by Copley or Burns for not much more than a delrin flute, if you're willing to forgo a tuning slide. Don't know about Copley, but Burns will retro-fit a slide, if you want to add it later.
Funny thing about flute players. . .guitar players will hock everything they own and sell their first-born to get a good guitar, but flute players balk at paying for a good instrument. I realize it's just a tube with holes in it, but as they say in bodybuilding, go heavy or go home. Translated, that means don't waste time with inferior goods.
I delved heavily (and expensively) into this subject and have extensively tried most delrins out there. Getting the Copley delrin is great bang for the buck. I have recorded some tunes when I played it for a month at this address:
Out on the Ocean and Castle Kelly are on the Copley delrin.
Sunset reel is on the flute I play currently, a Casey Burns mopane large hole slideless. After playing wood for awhile now, I can't go back to delrin. Though the sound produced is comparable, the experience as a player is very different--wood just feels better; delrin well feels like dead plastic.
Casey's slideless flutes are a decent deal ($600 for mopane) and Copley has a slideless blackwood for $550ish. I'd recommend the wood. More risk but I think more reward.
I am not sure that you can accuse flute players of balking at buying good instruments. Almost every flute player I know has spent more money on flutes than any guitar players that I know have spent on guitars. And the Violin players really have to pay...
Wood? Again?
Wood? Again?
In your opinion (whoever you may be) would it be wiser to spend less on a descent delrin flute now (like a Copley) or wait and spend quite a bit more on a good wood flute? Is wood something everyone eventually moves into? Because I already have a Dixon delrin and would like to upgrade.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by ThomasT.
Re: Wood? Again?
This is a subject that many flute players are very passionate about.
For myself, I can tell you, if given the option of waiting for a decent wood flute and getting a decently made delrin flute right away, I would opt for the later. Mostly because I like to consider myself frugal & practical. I'd also have to admit that I'm not a very patient person and the instant gratification factor kicks in. The indestructibility & definite ease of maintenance of delrin is a great plus. I have played many flutes made from many materials and the biggest factor to me is the maker not the material. Just my two cents worth.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by dumpingsirkey
Re: Wood? Again?
Wood, hands down. Nothing like it and it's no big deal taking care of it.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by celtic marine
Re: Wood? Again?
I'm with celtic marine, investing in a good wooden flute is the way to go. With wooden flutes the tone will only get nicer and richer the more you play it (as with any wood instrument). I do agree with dumpingsirkey though that no matter what material it is, it has to come from a good maker. My blackwood flute from Terry McGee is awesome, but I've also got an unknown rosewood flute that is absolute crap.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by Tasia
Re: Wood? Again?
And then there is the "is it the flute or the toot" conundrum.
Just love this site, nothing at all like the real world.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by mcknowall
Re: Wood? Again?
If it is the choice between a delrin flute now and a wooden flute later then I would go for a delrin flute now and then a wooden flute later as well. Being fluteless is dispiriting.
There are good flutes made out of delrin. Wood is no great deal to care for. And wood is a lot prettier. YPYMATYC.
I own wooden flutes but would consider a delrin flute as a travel/indestructible flute maybe. But I already have a Burn's folk flute for this role.
Far more important - who made the flute? Is it acoustically well made? In tune? Does it sit well under your fingers? Can you make the sound you want with it? Do you drool when you think about it?
There are better and worse flutes out there, but at the end of the day you make the sound, not the flute... A crap flute will cripple you but an Olwell won't make you sound like Matt Molloy either.
Chris.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by Crackpot
Re: Wood? Again?
That's what I said!
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by mcknowall
Re: Wood? Again?
I have a PVC M&E flute (it is black PVC, not delrin like many other polymer flutes).It has a great sound but is heavier than a keyless blackwood. Unlike a stringed instument, where the vibrations in the body of the instument contribute very much to the sound of the instrument, with any woodwind the body of the instrument just acts as a container for the vibrating air column within. The way the instument is made, accuracy of size, placement and undercutting of tone holes, accurately reamed bore and correctly formed emboucher hole are far more important for the sound than the material from which the instrument is made (Buffet machine their R13, near top of the range, clarinets from both african blackwood and a composite of wood dust and resin called greenline). With many other plastic woodwinds (recorders, clarinets etc.) the plastic ones are generally of lower quality than wooden ones because of limitations of the mass production moulding process. Most plastic Irish flutes are machined from solid bar, not moulded.
There is nothing to beat the feel and smell of a wooden instrument though.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by neilowen
Re: Wood? Again?
The subject title of this thread is what meine Frau is always replying to me in a rather unenthusiastic and exasperated voice after mentioning a certain special to her.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by Krick Stahlschwanz
Re: Wood? Again?
"certain special THING" that should be!
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by Krick Stahlschwanz
Re: Wood? Again?
Another vote for wood. But not all wood flutes are pricey, or have a long wait--you could, for instance, get a wood flute by Copley or Burns for not much more than a delrin flute, if you're willing to forgo a tuning slide. Don't know about Copley, but Burns will retro-fit a slide, if you want to add it later.
Or a used wood flute will offer instant gratification: http://www.irishflutestore.com
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by Tintin
Re: Wood? Again?
Funny thing about flute players. . .guitar players will hock everything they own and sell their first-born to get a good guitar, but flute players balk at paying for a good instrument. I realize it's just a tube with holes in it, but as they say in bodybuilding, go heavy or go home. Translated, that means don't waste time with inferior goods.
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by Ailin
Re: Wood? Again?
I delved heavily (and expensively) into this subject and have extensively tried most delrins out there. Getting the Copley delrin is great bang for the buck. I have recorded some tunes when I played it for a month at this address:
http://www.box.net/shared/yc6klj1vvh#Jason's_Tunes
Out on the Ocean and Castle Kelly are on the Copley delrin.
Sunset reel is on the flute I play currently, a Casey Burns mopane large hole slideless. After playing wood for awhile now, I can't go back to delrin. Though the sound produced is comparable, the experience as a player is very different--wood just feels better; delrin well feels like dead plastic.
Casey's slideless flutes are a decent deal ($600 for mopane) and Copley has a slideless blackwood for $550ish. I'd recommend the wood. More risk but I think more reward.
Jason
# Posted on November 26th 2008 by InSearchofCraic
Re: Wood? Again?
I am not sure that you can accuse flute players of balking at buying good instruments. Almost every flute player I know has spent more money on flutes than any guitar players that I know have spent on guitars. And the Violin players really have to pay...
# Posted on November 27th 2008 by Crackpot