Collecting flutes as a Hobby

binzone · Post by **binzone** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:32 pm

Hi,

Anybody out there who collects flutes as a hobby or am I alone in this whole wide world?

Though I have been playing Bamboo flute for about five years now, collecting flutes (or rather wind instruments) from across the world caught my fancy only about a year back...

I have bansuri flutes from India, dizi flutes from china, a nickel-silver western flute, wooden and ebonite recorders, aborginal whistles (no.. not a Didgeridoo), shehnai (a reed instrument) and the likes... and am planning to get flutes from south america, persia and so on...

So if you do, please post what kind of flutes you collect?

Regards,
Binay from India

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:46 pm

I collect flutes, too....It's fascinating to learn about some of the different instruments from around the world. Right now the bulk of my collection is Boehm system flutes of various sizes/keys, and with unusual features, but I have some international flutes (though I can't say I know all of their names). One from SE Asia (most likely Malaysia), whistles of various sorts, fifes, etc.

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:56 pm

I too have several ethnic flutes including a dizi, shakahachi (I am not sure I spelled that right), several tim whistles, a bamboo flute, several sets of pan pipes, 2 wooden fifes, 1 metal fife, a couple of Native american flutes, and various other homemede whistles. I also have a crystal piccolo in C, an alto flute and concert piccolo (of corse). I think I have a few more, but I can't remember right off. They are displayed in my studio.

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:33 pm

binzone wrote:please post what kind of flutes you collect?

I posted pics of some of my collection a while back. You can see there here along with a description:
http://www.fluteland.com/board/viewtopi ... 0&start=20

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:28 pm

I enjoy collecting flutes, but unfortunately, most of my money goes to purchasing the massive amounts [and I mean MASSIVE] of music that my flute professor has me learn each semester. [I go through two or three orders of music a year that cost anywhere from $60 to over $250 a shipment]. So, between that, competitions [I am starting to compete, and entry fees are pricey] and just paying for school keep the "flute collection" fund kind of low.

But, in my collection, aside from several Boehm flutes and piccs, I have soprano and alto recorders, indian flutes, tin whistles, fifes, and a rosewood irish flute in D. Most of the simple system flutes were fairly inexpensive though [nothing fancy... just good enough to get the job done when I need them..... like next semester when my university takes selected musicians and performs the Brandenburg Concerto on period instruments....

..... now THAT will be interesting to listen to.... Viols, recorders, harpsichord.... the works.....]

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:48 am

I make many of my own to keep costs down.

Native American style flutes
recorders sop, alto and tenor
Sabine flute
Fife
Bamboo simple flutes
and half a dozen saxophones to add some weight to the collection.

piccolo1991 · Post by **piccolo1991** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:00 pm

Let's see...other then my flute, alto and picc...
I have recorders (one is green with glitter inside...gag gift from my mom one christmas), pan pipes, crystal flute, clay flute, ocaranias, da-so (Korean flute...you blow it really funny), bamboo flute, two different sizes of Chinese flutes (unfortunatly I don't know where to get rice paper for them), Native American flute, fifes, etc.

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:12 am

You can use a small piece of celephane tape in the place of rice paper in a pinch.

I forgot, I also have a few ocarinas and several sizes of recorders as well.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:07 pm

::gasp:: I forgot about Ocarinas! My taiwanese friend gave me one from Taipei.

binzone · Post by **binzone** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:14 am

@piccolo1991

You can buy rice paper (dimo) online from this site www.eason.com.sg
I bought it for around $4 from their online ebay store- www.ebay.com.sg

You must try playing dizi after pasting the dimo... if you have done that the right way, your dizi would sound heavenly... you get transported to ancient China.

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:09 am

fluttiegurl wrote:You can use a small piece of celephane tape in the place of rice paper in a pinch.

I definitely would avoid using any type of tape as a substitute. At best, the tape could leave a gummy residue and at worst it could pull off the lacquer finish when you remove it.

It's best to use real dimo, but if you run out, a reasonable, safe substitute is to use a small piece of clingy plastic wrap (like sandwich wrap). It won't give you the true, pure dizi sound beacuse it's much more flimsy than the dimo, but it's better than nothing and will add a bit of "buzz".

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:03 pm

I have been using tape for years with no problems. This was a tip told to me by a player who specialized in these ethnic flutes and teached ethnomuciaology in Texas. Of corse, rice paper is much better and is pretty easy to get, but I am very careful to remove the tape after each time and have had no problems with the finish of the flutes. I could never get any kind of plastic wrap to stay on long enough to play.

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:22 pm

Fluttiegurl - Well, as the saying goes, you can't argue with success. If the tape works for you, that's great.

Success with plastic wrap depends upon the brand. It needs to be one of the "extra clingy" brands. I used a generic that came from Sam's Club and it definitely stays put.

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:35 pm

That is one I have not tried. I will have to try it out as well.

Lycoris · Post by **Lycoris** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 6:12 pm

actually i collect them as well
well..native wind instruments...
collecting the concert flute is way too costy for me since i'm still a student
Right now in my collection i have a few chinese wind instruments

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Collecting flutes as a Hobby

Collecting flutes as a Hobby

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