ISO Eugene Lambe-style metal headjoint trad flute

[joneill]

Anyone out there who makes trad flute bodies for modern Boehm headjoints à la Eugene Lambe? Or who makes a complete flute with a metal headjoint and keyless body?

[kkrell]

Just to clarify:

While there are makers who make or have made metal headjoints for traditional (what we often call Irish flutes), those headjoints are not the same as those used for Boehm flutes.

Most Irish-style flutes have cylindrical heads, conical bodies, the reverse of Boehm flutes (supposedly parabola head, cylindrical body).

What is your interest in a metal headjoint - allergies to wood, or being unlikely to crack in extreme conditions? Seems as if a Delrin headjoint would suit those purposes.

Eugene Lambe is certainly one of those makers who has supplied them on his export flutes - blackwood body w/Silver-plated head w/ebonite embouchure plate. The headjoint is in the style of German reform flutes, except fits his standard conical body.



I had one, but sold it, and replaced it with another of his flutes that was all wood. I've also seen some charanga flutes (usually 5-key) that had the metal headjoint & a wood body. Also sold previously.

Another maker was Brendan McMahon, although Eugene Lambe may have been involved in sourcing the lip plates. Quoting from some posts on thesession.org, 9-11 years ago:

Donal’s father is Michael McMahon (RIP), a wonderful flute player from Miltown Malbay who very unfortunately passed away in 2009, and his uncle is Brendan McMahon (RIP), another wonderful flute player and maker from Ennis who left us in 2007.

I don't know if Donal uses that type of headjoint at all. He has run some workshops/displays in that area together with repairer Jon Dodd (info circa 2016).

Donal McMahon
Ennistymon Road
Milltown Malbay
Co. Clare, IRELAND
Tel: 087 6336390

https://www.facebook.com/donal.mcmahon.545
The Flute Maker: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=234173891676910

[Mr.Gumby]

He has run some workshops/displays in that area together with repairer Jon Dodd (info circa 2016).

Jon Dodd has long since moved back to the UK.

[kkrell]

He has run some workshops/displays in that area together with repairer Jon Dodd (info circa 2016).

Jon Dodd has long since moved back to the UK.

Thanks, I had meant to add that at the end of my message. Doesn't mean they're not still in cahoots.

[joneill]

Thank you all for your replies and explanations. From the pictures of Lambe flutes, I was intrigued by the idea of sticking with the sound and embouchure of my Boehm flute head joint, which I prefer over the wooden sound, while ditching the keywork (And, yes, I do live in an extreme environment and know that I would never care for a wooden instrument properly, as our guitars can attest). Looks like it's not what I thought. Ah well.

[Flotineer]

Like this one from Terry’s site:?

http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/clint-India.htm

[Steve Bliven]

I confess that I've always been intrigued by Eugene Lamb's metal head flutes. Maybe it's the steam punk vibe, maybe that it's just different but I've always wished I could try one. I checked with my local music shop but they don't have one for rent...

Best wishes.

Steve

[Terry McGee]

Thank you all for your replies and explanations. From the pictures of Lambe flutes, I was intrigued by the idea of sticking with the sound and embouchure of my Boehm flute head joint, which I prefer over the wooden sound, while ditching the keywork (And, yes, I do live in an extreme environment and know that I would never care for a wooden instrument properly, as our guitars can attest). Looks like it's not what I thought. Ah well.

It's an idea that has merit, but involves a few catches. First, the merit.

A lot of potential players have had previous experience with metal flute, and might even have a metal flute from school days taking up space in the cupboard. They wonder about Irish flute, but aren't yet ready to make the jump. Can I learn new fingering? Can I make the stretch? Does it matter if I'm not Irish? Wouldn't it be good if they could just get hold of a 6-hole body that would go onto their existing Boehm flute head joint to give them the experience of playing keyless.

And the catches?

Firstly, not all Boehm heads have the same dimensions, i.e. they are not interchangeable. And a metal-to-metal slide is a very fussy union. A smidge too large and the head jams hopelessly. A smidge too small and it rattles around uselessly. Where is Goldilocks when you need her? Getting a slide "just right" is not something you can do by measurements and email. A possible solution would be to have a "compliant" receptacle for the head to plug in to. EG, made from a compliant polymer, or cork lined.

Secondly, I suspect that fitting a keyless wooden or poly body to an existing Boehm head might not be quite as simple as having a plain cylinder bore. Boehm's keyholes are ideally (acoustically) placed, whereas ours have to be within human reach. His holes are big, whereas ours have to be coverable by human finger pads. I'd suspect that a wooden/poly body for an existing metal Boehm head might require some bore tweaking to get right.

I'm not saying these are knock-out blows - I'm still attracted by the potential merit. It just wouldn't be a stroll in the park.

Just to show it's not unachievable, here's a full wooden Irish flute I made using Boehm's bore. Boehm tapering head, cylindrical body sections:



You can see the head on that flute is much longer than a typical Boehm head. But that extra length could be added to the top of the LH section. Or be provided in the form of a barrel such as you see on the Lambe flute image further up.

All food for thought......