Which Flute (for Folk Music)?!? Options

[nel]

Appologies, I know there must have been countless "which flute should I buy?" topics posted here, but I just discovered this forum whilst researching flutes, so I may as well ask...

I feel the need for a new flute.

At the moment I have a Yamaha 211s.
I've had it since I was 14 in 1984 (!), and it took me through to A Level Music prac standard just fine.

I barely played for about 10 years, then discovered Welsh folk workshops. I've been attending the workshops and pub sessions for comming up to 10 years now and the poor old flute feels tired and I'm a bit frustrated by it's performance (or is that, my performance?!?!). It's going in for a service this week in the hope that it'll feel better.

I'd like a new flute but don't know where to go, or what to get, or how much I should expect to pay.
(I'd be happy to buy second hand).
I play mainly folk music but also jazz and classical very occassionally.

I struggle with traditional wooden open hole flutes as my fingers can't cover the holes properly and the stretch hurts.

Any advice??!?!?!?!?

[petrat]

Hi Nel and welcome to the forums. I cannot offer advice about flute makes but for playing Welsh folk music have you ever thought about getting one of the larger penny whistles? They come in many sizes and keys and would be more traditional than a flute. There really isn't a traditional flute in the history of Welsh music but plenty of fellow Celts use whistles. You could be really authentic and learn to play the pibcorn of course!

[nel]

Thanks for the reply.

I have some penny whistles, including a Low D whistle (can't play it - holes too big and too much spread). And believe it or not - I have a pibgorn!! Having said that - I'm no "folk purist". The fact that there is no great folk flute tradition in Wales doesn't bother me in the slightest! Do we not create our own "tradition" in what we do ourselves?

I would really like a flute - figured what's the point of spending years learning to play the flute, then revert to whistle... (does that make me a flute snob?!?)

I need the flexibility a flute gives to be able to play other types of music (and in all keys).

[petrat]

A pibcorn eh? I am so impressed. Are you in South Wales? I ask because of the corn/gorn divide. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[nel]

Nope - I'm in north wales but the pibgorn came from south wales!

(gramatical note: pibCorn changes to pibGorn due to mutation. Is this off the subject??)

[petrat]

Don't worry. Some flute expert will be along in a minute. i would always say pibCorn. It isn't one that I would mutate. Croeso i'r fforwm. Ydach chi'n canu'r recorder hefyd?

[nel]

Na - dim recorder - mae'r pibgorn yn ddigon eithafol i fi!!

Are people confused yet?!?!

[Kiri_flute]

Na - dim recorder - mae'r pibgorn yn ddigon eithafol i fi!!

Are people confused yet?!?!

Erm. Sort of, but I've guessed that your gabbering away in welsh.

Croeso i'r fforwm.

That's Welcome to the Forum....I think....

[petrat]

Still no advice on your flute Nel? We must have frightened everyone away with the iaith. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[nel]

Otherwise it's "the folk thing"!

Update on the dilema is, I'm definitely going to go for a silver head joint, but not necessarily a silver body.

Got this advice from
http://www.mostlywind.co.uk/buyingfl.html

"A tin head will add brilliance and vibrancy to the upper middle and top registers where the all silver combination goes dead and where it is hard to make it sing. A silver head on a tin flute will add more weight to the sound and reduce the thinness of the 3rd register."

Jury still out on open hole or not - can you "bend" notes on an open hole flute as you would on a traditional flute or whistle? Any open holers out there that could help here?

Has any one bought second hand / off ebay out there? Any shared experiences?

[notmusimum]

My Daughter has got a Yamaha 311, silver head closed hole Flute, as I don't play and am not musical I really don't know about the technicalities of it.

The 311's when they appear on ebay are quite expensive, we bought ours through the Music Service on Assissted Purchase (without the VAT) and some on Ebay go for more than we paid for a new one.

[pikkoloflautist]

open hole flutes are amazing! (you might have guessed that i play one)

they open up more opportunities for you - i.e. note bending and stuff - but they are quite a bit more expensive than closed hole flutes.

my flute (yamaha 371) cost £720, but a closed hole (yamaha 311) only cost about £650. obviously the price difference increases as you go for a more "professional" flute.

[Robodoc]

Has any one bought second hand / off ebay out there? Any shared experiences?

I bought a Yamaha 211 on ebay a couple of months ago for a shade over £100. Great bargain - both Sarah-flute (who has played it) and my flute teacher tell me so! I've never had a problem with ebay but you do hear the odd horror story and I'm not sure if you would get up-market flutes there reliably. Still, provided that you go in with your eyes open and "Caveat Emptor", it's a good marketplace!

[notmusimum]

I bought a second hand Piccolo about a year ago. It looked like new when it arrived and plays well. I've had the odd not os good Recorder in the past.

[sarah-flute]

Has any one bought second hand / off ebay out there? Any shared experiences?

I bought a Yamaha 211 on ebay a couple of months ago for a shade over £100. Great bargain - both Sarah-flute (who has played it) and my flute teacher tell me so!

^ true - I'm no expert of course but Rob's flute is really nice to play and was a total bargain as far as I can tell. One of the things about eBay's reputation for people getting stung is that once in a while a lot seems too good to be true and so people assume there's something dodgy going on and don't bid. SOMETIMES one can get a bargain on these things. SOMETIMES one gets badly stung.

If you can make sure you factor in the price for a potential total overhaul and repair, and if possible go and TRY the instrument, you may get a bargain. It can be great, eBay, it can also be a nightmare. If you're careful and sensible about factoring in postage/repair costs, and you check out feedback etc, then you may be lucky.