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Custom flutes
More and more frequently I am having people coming to me with very specific requests for a Custom flute to be made. Below are a few such, with their attendant stories....!
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I start with a client who had already become a good family friend through me making him flutes for recording and stage performance. His first request was relatively straightforward...could he have a high D flute in yew with ebony endcaps and an ebony bear claw block. The result is below.
His second request was more ...unusual....could he please have a bass flute with inlays and a totem block that was a carving of our pet Bearded Dragon's head (with whom he has a great rapport)!
The choice of wood here was English Lime - very pale and perfect for setting off bead inlays, and light and resonant enough to make a good C sharp bass flute. The result is shown below, and really got me into carving animal totem blocks.
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| The beaded inlays are actually set into grooves lathed in the flute barrel, and lie flush to the barrel for a cleaner effect; this also avoids them dislodging during transport and in concerts! |
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I recently had a client email me and ask if I could make a high B flute that would play in a gale on the North Yokshire Moors AND on a clifftop, AND at the same time be clear and crisp enough to play miked in his local folk club AND record with, AND have an interesting wood grain AND have a Heron head block! Yes, this one did take a little development, but the outcome was a great success
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English flame cherry high B with a Grey Heron head flat-based block for indoor playing, and a deep-chimneyed channel-base Purple Heron block for playing on a cliff in a gale>
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The last one here is a favourite, if only because I collect Green Men heads (Jack-in-the Green) and because the Crow family of birds (Corvidae, or 'Jacks') is much maligned here in Britain. I had a client who is a Storyteller ask me to make a 'Jacks' flute - a very English-spirited flute. After much discussion and inspiration, the result was an English Oak in E with a Magpie flat block for indoor playing and a Cornish Chough chimney and channel block for outdoors, and a Green Man image burned and painted at the bore base. A gorgeous looking and sounding flute that took quite a while to make, but was worth every second! A special thanks to my Spirit Guides here.
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| The oak was cut across the heart and sapwood to reveal a lovely patterning to what could otherwise be a rather plain grained wood. |
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Please feel free to call or email if you would like any more details on the above flute range. And remember, this range can be customised to your own requirements. Prices for Custom flutes can start from £115 (inc. cloth case) plus shipping, and then escalate depending on how carried away you get!
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The Owlhouse • Milford • Surrey • UK • dc@secondvoiceflutes.co.uk
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© Second Voice Flutes 2005-2008
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