Share About Your Current AND DREAM Flute or HeadJoint...

[flutego12]

They didn't have the DX, but we are talking Christchurch NZ, here. And they only opened a week ago. I did try an altus (model?) of similar $, but was not even close to being as nice, so didn't really play it any more attention. Savings account now has a definite goal (might take a couple of years, but...)

Hey I was just at your neck of the woods last November - was briefly in Akaroa as the port at Lyttleton was damaged from the quake. We simply love your country (as we untypically don't really care what goes on with the footy All Blacks) and we send you our best wishes for the amazing rebuilding work there. U guys are amazingly resilient & creative peeps and good on the flute shop for opening up up the road!!!
Yeah? I am really curious now which altus you tried. I love the Louis Lot sound and Altus is supposed to sport that sound. I've watched a couple of YouTube footages of the higher end Altuses - most were great but there was one which was pretty lacklustre and it an NFA performance too. I have a used 807 which Boehm's Caprice No 16 sounds divine on - at my playing stage it doesn't appear to have the power of the Muramatsu GX but whOA love love love the expressive voice or what little I can coax out of it so far at pp to mf.

You were silent re the GX ... you mean it was so ... not even a glance?

[flutego12]

Current flute is my dream flute:

Williams 14K Rose Gold HJ with Platinum Enhanced riser

14K Rose Gold Brannen body with 14K rings and toneholes, silver keys. Low-B, C# Trill, Split-E, and D# roller.
I really like the buttery feel of the Brögger pinless mechanism.

Backup Flute - 1970s Haynes, soldered-toneholes, Low-B. The C# Trill and Split-E were added by the factory later.

Camping/Outdoors Flute - Gemeinhardt 3KSB, silver body, plated keys, 12K gold springs

That's a great place to be! Sounds like you have the same headjoint as Pied Piper. Isn't it incredible that these high end flutes cost way more than a new car? The new VeeDub UP! here is retailing at under 13k. When do you find the C# or D# roller becoming useful - I must do a bit more research on this.

[flutego12]

I'm so happy to anounce you that. My current flute is actually my dream flute as well.

I've got my All 14K Gold Nagahara!!!

It's sooooo amazing!

And I'm pretty happy in being here in Vermont at Landell's course (rapairing, maintenance and building!)

Cheers!

CONGRATULATIONS! The Nagahara sounds ethereal and heavenly, I've watched Japanese flutist play a piece called Earth by Muramatsu (the composer and not the flute) and was amazed at the sound. A lot of projection and colours, what else, PLEASE tell us your playing experience and comparison with your old flutes... Lucky you about being at Landell's... I've heard its a helluva winter this year, my friends were just over in Maine in the New Year for their young daughter's wedding and froze their asses off (pl excuse the language) in the deep freeze. It was like minus 20C! with the wind chill. Delicate work flute works, hope your fingers are still warm and nimble. Do share your experiences. Would love to do something like that, but I think, I must get proficient at playing first. Otherwise limited in knowing how to calibrate the tones. Very happy for you but just a tad YES PLEASE TELL US MORE ZEVANG.

[pied_piper]

How cute and original indeed! Sounds like you're on to a winning combo Williamatsu! What an alchemy of precious metals too (drool...) - how does each element add to the tone/ response etc etc? Really curious to know. What made you choose that?

What lovely crowns, are you a metalurgist, do you craft them yourself? Love the royal piggy and dragonfly - in that order.
We now know where to get them now. Thanks for sharing.

Well, it is indeed a winning combo for me. Everyone is different though and what works well for me could very well be atrocious for someone else. I don't know that I buy into the notion that specific metals make much (if any) difference to the sound. Science (acoustic theory) seems to show that material makes no difference although there are a lot of players and flute makers who say otherwise. I chose my headjoint based upon the sounds I was able to produce and the response that it offered me. I did not choose it specifically because of the materials.

Regarding the crowns, no I am not a metallurgist. I am a computer system architect, former band director, and originally a saxophonist who now plays a pretty mean flute in multiple styles and genres. When I was teaching, I also ran a musical instrument repair shop and still do a bit of (mostly flute) repair work for myself, friends, and musical associates. With my repair background, I started experimenting with custom crowns and have made a number of different ones for myself and my flutist friends. Most of my crowns are assembled from stock flute crowns and I add sterling silver art that I purchase from various jewelry suppliers. Once assembled, I can add 24K gold plating as an accent to the crown ring and/or art. I also have a metal lathe and can make a complete crown from raw metal stock if needed, but that costs more because of the additional work required.

[pied_piper]

I'm so happy to anounce you that. My current flute is actually my dream flute as well.

I've got my All 14K Gold Nagahara!!!

It's sooooo amazing!

And I'm pretty happy in being here in Vermont at Landell's course (rapairing, maintenance and building!)

Cheers!

Congrats on the new Nagahara. I tried a couple of them at the last NFA convention and was very impressed by them. I'm sure you will love it.

Please give us a report on your Landell flute course. Should be most interesting...

[flutego12]

How cute and original indeed! Sounds like you're on to a winning combo Williamatsu! What an alchemy of precious metals too (drool...) - how does each element add to the tone/ response etc etc? Really curious to know. What made you choose that?

What lovely crowns, are you a metalurgist, do you craft them yourself? Love the royal piggy and dragonfly - in that order.
We now know where to get them now. Thanks for sharing.

Well, it is indeed a winning combo for me. Everyone is different though and what works well for me could very well be atrocious for someone else. I don't know that I buy into the notion that specific metals make much (if any) difference to the sound. Science (acoustic theory) seems to show that material makes no difference although there are a lot of players and flute makers who say otherwise. I chose my headjoint based upon the sounds I was able to produce and the response that it offered me. I did not choose it specifically because of the materials.

Regarding the crowns, no I am not a metallurgist. I am a computer system architect, former band director, and originally a saxophonist who now plays a pretty mean flute in multiple styles and genres. When I was teaching, I also ran a musical instrument repair shop and still do a bit of (mostly flute) repair work for myself, friends, and musical associates. With my repair background, I started experimenting with custom crowns and have made a number of different ones for myself and my flutist friends. Most of my crowns are assembled from stock flute crowns and I add sterling silver art that I purchase from various jewelry suppliers. Once assembled, I can add 24K gold plating as an accent to the crown ring and/or art. I also have a metal lathe and can make a complete crown from raw metal stock if needed, but that costs more because of the additional work required.

That's great advice - pro flute shop advice but nevertheless true.
It's ingenious of you ... evolving a hobby into something on the side. The thought has occurred to me due to the forbidding costs of flute maintenance but I have quite a few hurdles to clear yet.

[evrmre]

They didn't have the DX, but we are talking Christchurch NZ, here. And they only opened a week ago. I did try an altus (model?) of similar $, but was not even close to being as nice, so didn't really play it any more attention. Savings account now has a definite goal (might take a couple of years, but...)

Hey I was just at your neck of the woods last November - was briefly in Akaroa as the port at Lyttleton was damaged from the quake. We simply love your country (as we untypically don't really care what goes on with the footy All Blacks) and we send you our best wishes for the amazing rebuilding work there. U guys are amazingly resilient & creative peeps and good on the flute shop for opening up up the road!!!
Yeah? I am really curious now which altus you tried. I love the Louis Lot sound and Altus is supposed to sport that sound. I've watched a couple of YouTube footages of the higher end Altuses - most were great but there was one which was pretty lacklustre and it an NFA performance too. I have a used 807 which Boehm's Caprice No 16 sounds divine on - at my playing stage it doesn't appear to have the power of the Muramatsu GX but whOA love love love the expressive voice or what little I can coax out of it so far at pp to mf.

You were silent re the GX ... you mean it was so ... not even a glance?

Actually, the shop got too busy to really continue... I'm thinking of going back there another time... just to try the other ones, of course I'll see what the altus was then, but where it failed was playability, not sound. The EX was nicer sounding, with a sweetness I loved, where the altus was a little more thick, as I recall. Since I'm already playing a flute that has a great deal of depth (gold riser and internal gold plate in headjoint give a curious variance to the sound), I'm looking for something that is a little more crisp, but not thin, and with a little less resistance (the gemeinhardt has a little more resistance that I would prefer). The altus was about the same for resistance as the gemeinhardt, and actually lacked the same depth of sound. It was a touch cleaner, and very nice, but nothing I would pay that sort of $ for. The EX, however, was in the 'how soon can I save enough?' category. It was almost too easy to play, and had a tonal quality to die for. I will have to find both the DX and the GX to try at some point, but it's hard to imagine anything that could actually be better for me right now...

And don't worry... I lack the 'rugby' genes also...

[flutego12]

You were silent re the GX ... you mean it was so ... not even a glance? [/quote]

Actually, the shop got too busy to really continue... I'm thinking of going back there another time... just to try the other ones, of course I'll see what the altus was then, but where it failed was playability, not sound. The EX was nicer sounding, with a sweetness I loved, where the altus was a little more thick, as I recall. Since I'm already playing a flute that has a great deal of depth (gold riser and internal gold plate in headjoint give a curious variance to the sound), I'm looking for something that is a little more crisp, but not thin, and with a little less resistance (the gemeinhardt has a little more resistance that I would prefer). The altus was about the same for resistance as the gemeinhardt, and actually lacked the same depth of sound. It was a touch cleaner, and very nice, but nothing I would pay that sort of $ for. The EX, however, was in the 'how soon can I save enough?' category. It was almost too easy to play, and had a tonal quality to die for. I will have to find both the DX and the GX to try at some point, but it's hard to imagine anything that could actually be better for me right now...

And don't worry... I lack the 'rugby' genes also... [/quote]

From what I've read (hindsight) the EX makes a great choice. The time I tested it, which was 1.2 years ago, I was still too wet behind the ears to do anything meaningful, and there was only one EX available for testing. I should have insisted for the GX headjoint to be swapped to the EX for testing. The EX I played was airy and thin compared with the GX on a different hj - in hindsight it could have just been the headjoint cut. I will certainly trial EX again, this time with different hjs when there are a few in stock. The plated bodies are great in that they are so much lighter to grip. Full silver in my experience had greater volume (could be HJ) but heavy as ...(!).

I like the sound of your Gemeinhardt, just wondering what you mean by a lot of depth, did you mean not thin?

[Kaylyn]

Current Flute: 1985 Prima Sankyo Silversonic
Outdoor/Backup flute: Early 2000's Yamaha Japan YFL-221

Not sure what my dream flute would be; I like the one I have but would have to play a lot and see what works best for me. My Sankyo was one I have wanted for years, so right now that one definitely serves its purpose!

[fluteguy18]

I'm so happy to anounce you that. My current flute is actually my dream flute as well.

I've got my All 14K Gold Nagahara!!!

It's sooooo amazing!

And I'm pretty happy in being here in Vermont at Landell's course (rapairing, maintenance and building!)

Cheers!

Congrats!!!!!!

I currently play a Miyazawa 202 with 14k riser, C# trill, Split E Mech, and D# roller. I had a tech friend of mine re-balance the mechanism however so that it's actually a lighter action than any other flute I've ever tried (Brannen included).

Dream flute? Not sure. I am looking to upgrade soon and I'm looking at Miyazawa, Brannen, Burkart, Powell, Muramatsu, Altus, and MAYBE a Haynes (maybe). All I'm looking for in my new flute is solid metal construction (no plating), offset g, c#trill, and split e mech or the e facilitator. I know that at the shop right now there's a really nice Powell that I like, a 14k Brannen that I like, and a Burkart that I like too.

I also really like those Guo flutes too.... There's just something about my sound on one of them that is really nice. Woody but powerful with a LOT of color. If only I could get one with an offset g. :/

[flutego12]

I'm so happy to anounce you that. My current flute is actually my dream flute as well.

I've got my All 14K Gold Nagahara!!!

It's sooooo amazing!

And I'm pretty happy in being here in Vermont at Landell's course (rapairing, maintenance and building!)

Cheers!

Congrats!!!!!!

I currently play a Miyazawa 202 with 14k riser, C# trill, Split E Mech, and D# roller. I had a tech friend of mine re-balance the mechanism however so that it's actually a lighter action than any other flute I've ever tried (Brannen included).

Dream flute? Not sure. I am looking to upgrade soon and I'm looking at Miyazawa, Brannen, Burkart, Powell, Muramatsu, Altus, and MAYBE a Haynes (maybe). All I'm looking for in my new flute is solid metal construction (no plating), offset g, c#trill, and split e mech or the e facilitator. I know that at the shop right now there's a really nice Powell that I like, a 14k Brannen that I like, and a Burkart that I like too.

I also really like those Guo flutes too.... There's just something about my sound on one of them that is really nice. Woody but powerful with a LOT of color. If only I could get one with an offset g. :/

Personally - I have a lot of respect for the Miyazawa 202. I personally happen to believe there is a place for the plated flute in one's amoir, ok collection. It had always boiled down to the 202, EX or 807. I'm curious though what a Heavy Wall 202 would sound like though v often its found with the 402 or 602. Great features u have on yr 202!

[flutego12]

Current Flute: 1985 Prima Sankyo Silversonic
Outdoor/Backup flute: Early 2000's Yamaha Japan YFL-221

Not sure what my dream flute would be; I like the one I have but would have to play a lot and see what works best for me. My Sankyo was one I have wanted for years, so right now that one definitely serves its purpose!

I definitely must try a Sankyo after all the good things I've heard of them, how would you describe its sound signature and playability?

[evrmre]

From what I've read (hindsight) the EX makes a great choice. The time I tested it, which was 1.2 years ago, I was still too wet behind the ears to do anything meaningful, and there was only one EX available for testing. I should have insisted for the GX headjoint to be swapped to the EX for testing. The EX I played was airy and thin compared with the GX on a different hj - in hindsight it could have just been the headjoint cut. I will certainly trial EX again, this time with different hjs when there are a few in stock. The plated bodies are great in that they are so much lighter to grip. Full silver in my experience had greater volume (could be HJ) but heavy as ...(!).

I like the sound of your Gemeinhardt, just wondering what you mean by a lot of depth, did you mean not thin?

By depth, I'm referring to the harmonics. Every sound as it's main tone, but it is the harmonics around it that create character and richness. The Gemeinhardt has a very rich tone for it's price bracket (I only paid about $700 US. Because of it's rep, they just don't sell for anywhere near their RRP, thankfully). It isn't as vibrant as some of the better flutes around (eg: the EX), but has a warmth and body that certainly allows for that 'step up' moment where everything comes together and you shift up a gear. For a brand that is generally dismissed these days, I'd have to say they got something right with this one... even if I still want the EX...

[flutego12]

From what I've read (hindsight) the EX makes a great choice. The time I tested it, which was 1.2 years ago, I was still too wet behind the ears to do anything meaningful, and there was only one EX available for testing. I should have insisted for the GX headjoint to be swapped to the EX for testing. The EX I played was airy and thin compared with the GX on a different hj - in hindsight it could have just been the headjoint cut. I will certainly trial EX again, this time with different hjs when there are a few in stock. The plated bodies are great in that they are so much lighter to grip. Full silver in my experience had greater volume (could be HJ) but heavy as ...(!).

I like the sound of your Gemeinhardt, just wondering what you mean by a lot of depth, did you mean not thin?

By depth, I'm referring to the harmonics. Every sound as it's main tone, but it is the harmonics around it that create character and richness. The Gemeinhardt has a very rich tone for it's price bracket (I only paid about $700 US. Because of it's rep, they just don't sell for anywhere near their RRP, thankfully). It isn't as vibrant as some of the better flutes around (eg: the EX), but has a warmth and body that certainly allows for that 'step up' moment where everything comes together and you shift up a gear. For a brand that is generally dismissed these days, I'd have to say they got something right with this one... even if I still want the EX...

Gotcha!

[Zevang]

I'm so happy to anounce you that. My current flute is actually my dream flute as well.
I've got my All 14K Gold Nagahara!!!
It's sooooo amazing!
And I'm pretty happy in being here in Vermont at Landell's course (rapairing, maintenance and building!)
Cheers!

Congrats !!! I am so happy for you as I know you waited a long time for your flute to be made.
Please tell us more

Indeed CFlutist, this was a 3 year process, because all gold flutes from Nagahara are made exclusively by Mr.Kanichi Nagahara. There are a few employees that do the other types of flutes. Mr Nagahara makes all the headjoints. They put my name on a list. 2 years and a half later they reached me. It takes 4 months for Mr. Nagahara to complete a flute. Actually he makes two flutes at the same time.
Mine is all 14k gold, with a C# Trill key. I already owned the Nagahara headjoint since 2006, so he made only the body for me as an exception.
Thanks a lot for your support!