Drelinger: Bow-Tie Piccolo HJ?

FltnPicc_David · Post by **FltnPicc_David** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:37 pm

I've been looking at some prospective choices to upgrade to a wooden piccolo headjoint for my Yamaha YPC-32 since I don't have the money for a wooden piccolo at the moment. Has anyone ever heard or played on the Drelinger bow-tie HJ? I've read some interesting things...

sidekicker · Post by **sidekicker** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:47 am

I haven't tried them, but methinks this might be yet another of the hundreds of gimmicks we get exposed to all the time to try and convince us that every technical issue on the flute/piccolo can be solved by some new apparatus. Although embouchure design, cut, etc., certainly has a huge impact on how we ultimately sound, there are other factors that influence how "effortless" our playing can be in certain registers like good practise techniques and plain old hard work. Tone colour can, within limitations of course, often be just as influenced by the player as it can by the design of the head. I perform with a gold Brannen head (combined with an old silver Haynes) and others who have played on my instrument with that head sound different than I do and get different results within the registers; so the personal attributes of the player's own style certainly factor into the equation on the ultimate result.

Sometimes I think this concept gets lost in the growing and aggressive quest by the industry to put out products nobody else offers that supposedly "fix" problems that are sometimes just as easily cured by smart practising.

Just a thought and, as always, just my opinion.

SK

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:01 am

I have to agree. I have not tried this particular style, but after trying other headjoints with similar concepts, I have not been impressed with any of them (flute or piccolo). As for buying a new head for your piccolo, it may be more beneficial to try Yamaha heads due to the fact that Yamaha piccs having a different design than many out there. At least, I would suggest you start there.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:06 am

Also, if 'effortless-ness' is of concern, I would take into account the story of Jean Pierre Rampal. When he bought his first solid gold flute, he hated it. But, after a while, he grew to where he loved it, and wouldnt trade it for anything.

So, usually gold is associated with resistance. Of course this wont be true in every case, but my point isnt about metallurgy. Sometimes resistance is a good thing, so dont rule out a headjoint because it seems resistant.

Otherwise, I havent played any Drelinger headjoints. I would be interested in trying them though! They look rather interesting....

cflutist · Post by **cflutist** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:21 pm

sidekicker wrote: Tone colour can, within limitations of course, often be just as influenced by the player as it can by the design of the head. I perform with a gold Brannen head (combined with an old silver Haynes) and others who have played on my instrument with that head sound different than I do and get different results within the registers; so the personal attributes of the player's own style certainly factor into the equation on the ultimate result.
SK

I have to agree with SK here. I also play on an old silver Haynes but with a 14K David Williams HJ. I can tell you that others who have played on my flute all have different tones. I also know that this HJ did not work well for SK.

When I was shopping for my HJ, I did contact Sandy Drelinger. The idea of meeting him in a hotel room for 1 hour to decide on a HJ is not my shopping style but may work well for others. Sometimes I can't even decide on a pair of shoes in 1 hrs, no less a HJ.

FltnPicc_David · Post by **FltnPicc_David** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:27 pm

Good idea, fluttiegurl! I just dunno where I might find Yamaha HJs....there weren't any at this years Florida Flute Fair and at the Yamaha stand for flutes, there was a Japanese man there and it turns out that he actually is a flute designer and maker for Yamaha. I asked him if HJs standar don the YPC-62 would fit the 32 and he said "No." I'll just have to find a way to test for myself...

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:44 pm

The unfortunate part of talking to industry people is that they are out to mak emoney. In this case, he was probably hopeing you would buy a new piccolo.

FltnPicc_David · Post by **FltnPicc_David** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:50 pm

Wow! I never took that into account!

sidekicker · Post by **sidekicker** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:29 pm

cflutist wrote: When I was shopping for my HJ, I did contact Sandy Drelinger. The idea of meeting him in a hotel room for 1 hour to decide on a HJ is not my shopping style but may work well for others.

It's not mine either and is the reason I never even considered that HJ maker when I was shopping for one, and never will in the future if the opportunity arises.

I personally find that sales technique to be arrogant and rather silly. The shopper is expected to be so trusting that what could be a several thousand dollar purchase decision can adequately be made in a hotel room for an hour with a stranger, yet there's not enough trust on the other end to simply send the heads out for a private trial like everyone else in the industry does. I'm sure there are reasons that make sense to this maker, but they don't to me and I'll go elsewhere because of it. There are plenty of other very fine HJ makers out there that don't make their customers put up with things like that. But, obviously many people don't mind it because there are Drelingers all over the place and they are no doubt very fine heads.

My opinion(s) again

.

SK

FltnPicc_David · Post by **FltnPicc_David** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:48 pm

You know..I think I actually read somewhere that Sandy Drelinger has quite a nasty attitude toward prospective clients, though his headjoints are quite amazing.

sidekicker · Post by **sidekicker** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:59 am

You may be thinking of this interesting read:

http://voxflute.port5.com/drelinger.htm

SK

FltnPicc_David · Post by **FltnPicc_David** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:12 pm

Hm. It wasn't that website but the author of that article also had a negative experience with Drelinger, I guess. Maybe I'll see Drelinger at the next Florida Flute Fair!

piccolo1991 · Post by **piccolo1991** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 4:25 pm

Does anyone else think that it would be wierd to put a wood heajoint on a plastic piccolo? YPC32 is a plastic body with a silver plated head...right? I don't know what that would do...guess I never thought of trying it.

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:26 pm

I don't think it would be wierd. It is no different than putting a different headjoint on a flute. In theory, you should get a similar effect as a wooden piccolo.

FltnPicc_David · Post by **FltnPicc_David** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:22 pm

I agree with fluttiegurl, the headjoint is responsible for most of the flute's sound and should be no different for the piccolo. I just have to find someone that will sell Yamaha piccolo headjoints now...