Wilkes flutes, then and now

[Etruscan]

Hi guys,

anybody is aware of the differences between flutes made by Chris Wilkes along his life? Fourteen years ago I ordered a flute to him, which is almost ready, and I would like to know how different it would be from a flute made by him, I say, twenty years ago. I had the opportunity to try a Wilkes flute many years ago: it was a beatuful instrument indeed, but I don't know if similar to the flute he's making presently.

Many thanks for any advice,

Simon

[LorenzoFlute]

Fourteen years

[benhall.1]

Well, I can tell you that he says that they're better than ever. And he's got a pretty good idea of what he's on about. I have had a chance to play a couple of his more recent flutes, and they are totally and utterly superb. The things just spring to life under the lightest breath. Unbelievable.

I've got one on order myself, but I'm only about 4 years in ...

[char less]

I got mine in, let's see now.. 1989. I'll swap you if you like!

[jemtheflute]

Well, I can tell you that he says that they're better than ever. And he's got a pretty good idea of what he's on about. I have had a chance to play a couple of his more recent flutes, and they are totally and utterly superb. The things just spring to life under the lightest breath. Unbelievable.

I've got one on order myself, but I'm only about 4 years in ...

Seconded. When I visited Chris a few months back I got a toot on a couple of almost finished keyless ones. Like Ben says. One of them in particular blew me away tone-production wise. I've called in briefly in passing twice in the last few days as he's done a small job for me , and he was busy working on pewter plug keyed foot joints for fully keyed flutes, but my visits were fleeting and I had no time to try flutes.....

[Etruscan]

During the last ten years, I have been playing a Grinter flute (old model). I like the instrument, its tone and response, through it I discovered the beauty of the Rudall style (I know what it means: I started twenty years ago with a Pratten...), but I find a little bit difficult to play it in the proper way: I mean, with a Grinter are not you who choose how to play, is the flute. I hope it will be different with a Wilkes...

P.S.: Lorenzo, do you find funny a fourteen years waiting list???

[LorenzoFlute]

P.S.: Lorenzo, do you find funny a fourteen years waiting list???

Oh no, that's perfectly normal, isn't it...

[jemtheflute]

....... with an xxxxxxx it is not you who chooses how to play, it is the flute. I hope it will be different with a Wilkes......

The couple of Grinters I have tried have been, at short acquaintance, flexible and responsive. But ultimately any particular flute will have its own character, propensities, strengths and weaknesses to which an accomplished player will have to adapt his/her playing in order to get the optimum performance out of the two elements, flute and player. No simple system flute, however well designed and made and suited to the player is not still going to have some quirks and limitations.

[Etruscan]

That's true for sure... but in terms of flexibility, I find my Grinter doesn't give it's best if you don't blow through it at the maximum of the instrument. If you do so, the tone springs out full of harmonics and the tuning is perfect, but if you loose control or if you want to give sweetness to some parts of the melody you loose everything. You have to play straight on: that's my impression. People used with Wilkes flutes told me they are more flexible, just that.

[benhall.1]

No simple system flute, however well designed and made and suited to the player is not still going to have some quirks and limitations.

Sorry. Could I have a translation please, Jem?

I tried Bing Translator, attempting to translate it into English. This is the result:


"그러나 아니 간단한 시스템 플 룻, 잘 설계 하 고 만든 플레이어에 적합 하지는 여전히 몇 가지 단점이 및 제한 할 것"

[an seanduine]

I dunno, Ben, it seems clear enough to me. When I ran it through my translator this is what came out:

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Bob

[jemtheflute]

Simple double negative. Bad style, sure, but no problem conceptually.

[psychodonald]

Really???? Fourteen years on a waiting list!!!! I certainly admire you folks who are willing to wait fourteen years for an order to arrive, now that's patience, in spades. My hat is off to you, I couldn't/ wouldn't do it. If I ordered a flute this evening and there was a protracted waiting list, such as the one suggested, I doubt that I would live long enough to even see it, let alone play it. Of course, I've been ridden hard and put away wet---so to speak.

[benhall.1]

Simple double negative. Bad style, sure, but no problem conceptually.

OK. I got as far as this: if you have no flute, then there will be no quirks and limitations.




... that's it, really. Couldn't get further than that. Seriously, what did you mean? (Just in case you had a serious point in there that I've missed.)

[david_h]

.... but no problem conceptually.

If what you meant was not a conceptual problem for some people then many discussions on the forum would be much shorter. It should be in a sticky.

When Ben has extracted a clearer version...

edit: typo fixed