Irish flutes and inflation

[altivo]

It has been many years since I purchased a musical instrument. I've settled for playing the ones I own, which is fine, but leaves one out of touch with current market prices. Lately I've been having a creeping desire for an Irish flute, though. I'm still a pretty advanced amateur on the classical flute, so it shouldn't be too difficult for me to learn; and we have friends who play other instruments with whom I could join in. Sure, I could play Irish style on the silver orchestral flute, but it does sound different. The breathy, warm and woody sound of the Irish instrument is part of what attracts me to it.

I finally pulled out my mate's instrument catalogs this weekend to see what might be available. Gack! The plain wooden flutes in the Irish style, with no keys (and therefore missing some of the accidentals and not well suited to modern music) start at $250 and up. You can find them for a little less if you settle for plastic or laminated wood, or if you think an "Irish" instrument made in Pakistan will be adequate. EBay isn't very promising either, looks much the same, and with no warranty in most cases.

I have played keyless flutes before, and they are hard on my hands. The Irish Pratten design has large holes, which contribute to the sound quality but make it essential that your hands give good coverage. I can probably manage the six holes all right, but I should really have keys for the accidentals rather than using half-holes and forks. A four or five key instrument from John Sweet will run $1800! I must be living in the past.

My silver flute cost nowhere near that. Or did it? I got it when I was in high school. I believe it cost about $400 then. So I checked what similar new orchestral flutes sell for, and sure enough, they are in the $2000 range now. I'm glad mine is old and worn and not that valuable to anyone but me now.

I still think I want an Irish wooden flute, but I'll have to find a better price than that. Fortunately, a friend of ours has one and has offered to let me borrow and try it to see how it works for me.

...wanders off to make a bumbleberry pie and get it into the oven...

Comments

[drelonek.livejournal.com]

Yes, musical instruments in general are crazily expensive. :/

[kamodragon.livejournal.com]

There are are a couple places locally that I know of that have awesome deals. If you really need something, I will give you their phone number. If they won't ship it to you I will. I was a merchant on eBay for 4 years so I know all about it!

As for something local to you or nearby, try www.craigslist.org and select your nearest city. That website is a circus of good deals!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'll check into that. I prefer to stick with merchants I know for purchases like this though. Lark in the Morning and John Sweet are the best candidates in that respect. I won't be spending $1800 though, no matter what.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I guess. The last one I bought was my Wurlitzer organ and that was over ten years ago. That one seemed cheap for what it is, but they are out of fashion and there's no market for them.

[drelonek.livejournal.com]

Then again, probably anything over about $150 is "expensive" to me. :P

[altivo.livejournal.com]

It is for me too, though obviously we can't buy a house or a vehicle for that. I expected prices around $100 for these. Ah well, living in the past is the curse of the old geezer, they say. ;p

[farhoug.livejournal.com]

Hmm, not exactly penny whistles, those. But I guess quality instruments jump to their own price range. Though even those made in Asia tend to cost an arm and some of the leg...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

No, not even half-crown whistles. There is some cheap stuff but I'm sure they are more suitable for hanging on the wall than for making music with.

[murakozi.livejournal.com]

Every now and then I think about how much I enjoyed playing the bassoon way back when and start looking at prices online.

Makes me wish I'd bought one instead of renting back in school. Even a student model is beyond being able to justify.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Oooh, yeah. Double reeds are all in the high priced range. In fact, a friend of mine from high school who played bassoon now does custom repairs on them but doesn't own one himself.

About nine years ago I got a craving for a clarinet and was a little surprised at the prices then. Things have jumped much higher since, apparently. Ebay solved the clarinet problem though. I got two of them for under $100 total. Bassoons, unfortunately, are a lot bulkier and scarcer.

[hrrunka]

I occasionally wander along to the Early Music Exhibition to take a look at the weird and wonderful instruments available, and listen to some of hem being demonstrated. I did once cave in and buy a small harp...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Only once? Your resistance is noteworthy. :)

I know I'm going to spend money on this, the question really is how much?

[pioneer11.livejournal.com]

This reminds me. Beyond getting the large midi keyboard
with the pitch bend wheels (sucha deal!) I've been meaning
to get a cheap plastic recorder like kids play (or used to)
in middle school. Hmm. Thanks for reminding me.

*sniffs at pie* Yum!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Heh. Judging by what I've been looking at, there's probably no such thing as a "cheap" plastic recorder any more. You mean those Tonette thingies, I imagine. I remember that from fourth grade. I think we paid like 50 cents for them. Certainly less than a dollar.

But from what I've seen this weekend, they probably cost 20 bucks apiece now. I can't believe $120 for a "penny" whistle, but there it is.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

You could just play a normal flute with an Irish accent ^.^

Yes musical instruments are expensive, although one can get certain good instruments secondhand, not sure about a second hand flute though.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Oh sure, second hand wind instruments are all over the place. I'm looking into the possibility.

Using a metal flute will give the right notes, but not the right sound. The wooden instrument has a different timbre and expressiveness.