Fluteland.com Flute Message Board

Right you are. I got to play an Altus Limited a few months ago. VERY nice, indeed, but -- as you point out -- very expensive. More, actually, than a Lot -- and that's a lot. I am also intrigued by the Louis Lot copy made by Yoshiteru Akiyama (http://www.akiyamaflute.com/). Has anyone ever played one?

I have come to grips with the realization that, a lottery win aside, I will probably never be the owner of a genuine, vintage, pristine 19th century Louis Lot. HOWEVER, I can enjoy affordable Louis Lot copies and clones. Thsiu far, my "collection" is sparse, i.e. two flutes. But, they're both very n...

Wilkins update: Since my last posting I sold my original "Arizona Wilkins" and replaced it with two Elkhart issues; a plateau model and an open hole one. The workmanship on both is noticeably better than the Nogales one. The headjoints are better sounding,too. The open hole Wilkins, from 1963, has a...

I have just acquired an older Selmer flute to complete my fun collection of "affordable Haynes/Powell clones." (Since the real things, other than my prized 1920 Haynes commercial model, are out of reach financially). The Selmer now joins my Artley Wilkins and Armstrong Heritage (Jack Moore era). Wel...

Many thanks for the lead to Lars. I will certainly contact him. I have already written to Jack Moore and Tom Green requesting interviews and hope top track down Bickford Brannen, too. If I am successful in my quest, I will share the article with our forum fellows. A project of this nature is a welco...

I have just acquired an older Armstrong Heritage, serial #1977 from a prominent New York jazz flutist. It's been sitting idle for quite a few years, so needs at least a COA and possibly an overhaul (which will cost twice as much as the flute, but there you are). Considering its neglected mechanical ...

I, too, have high hopes. One thing bothers me a bit -- and maybe it shouldn't. The Wilkins I acquired was a post-Elkhart model, built in '73. It's been noted frequently that the quality of Nogales Artleys are less than those produced earlier in Indiana. I'm wondering if this applies to the Wilkins m...

Famed headjoint manufacturer and flute tech Rodger Young now has custody of my newly eBay-acquired Wilkins. I asked Rodger to fit my Armstrong headjoint to the Artley (my initial Teflon-taped installation proved the Armstrong to sound significantly better than the original Artley head). I also reque...

Maybe it's just me -- but I find the published lists of Armstrong flute serial numbers baffling -- especially when it comes to deciphering this serial number: H1977 . This is a Heritage model -- but I can't figure out whether it's an older one from the Jack Moore/Bickford Brannen/Tom Greene era or s...

Returning to the flute after a hiatus not of years, but of decades, I recently acquired two examples -- an early (1920) Haynes closed hole, offset G, C-foot commercial model and an Artley Wilkins open hole model with inline G and a B foot. The Haynes has been restored to museum quality status by a g...

Like so many these days, I'm an old guy returning to the instrument after many. many years of inactivity. I was taught originally by my father (first chair clarinet with The Chicago Symphony, sideman for Jimmy Dorsey doubling on flute and even a couple of youthful seasons with the Ringling Brothers,...

I own a Haynes commercial model (closed hole, C-foot) built in 1929. A very well-respected flute teacher and technician who has owned and played a variety of hand made models, including recent Haynes offerings, tested my instrument. After playing my vintage "economy" model, he enthused, "This is the...

I'm excited -- but feel a little lonely, too. Y'see, I'm a 62-year old "prodigal son". My late dad was the consummate pro, playing clarinet professionally since the age of 14 with the likes of the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus Band, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and The Chicago Symphony. When I...