Copley Delrin Flute--review

[jim stone]

I bought the Copley delrin flute Mark Maxwell listed. I have never liked delrin flutes, I've played a number of them (though not all of them), owned several. I haven't liked the sound of the delrin flutes I've played, the stuff seemed to deaden sound. I bought this just to travel with. Well, I want to say that this flute is very good. It's the bottom of the line, no rings or other metal. It has ergonomically placed finger holes that I find make it quite comfortable; this one has an oval embouchure, which I personally prefer to the rounded rectangle. The delrin tuning slide seems entirely adequate and easy to use. Most of all I'm impressed with the sound. There is very good volume, for one thing, and the flute is sweetly in tune. It sounds slightly different from wood, at least under my ear, but solidly good in a different way. There's something there one wants to explore. Dave seems to have designed/crafted the flute to bring out the acoustic value of delrin; it isn't just a flute made of delrin. This is for me something a bit spectacular: a professional level flute for well under 400 dollars new.

[Feadoggie]

Jim, you're a little late to the party I'd say. But ... welcome to the party.

I haven't liked the sound of the delrin

Dave seems to have designed/crafted the flute to bring out the acoustic value of delrin

I play two Copley flutes, one in blackwood and the other in delrin. Both have the rings, slide, long foot, etc. They play and sound substantially the same. I've also owned the simpler Copley three-piece, all delrin flute. Dave Copley makes good flutes.

And I have owned a lot of other delrin/ polymer flutes. Some are darned good flutes, others not so much. It is not about the delrin, AFAICT. It is about how well the flute is designed and how well it is made.

Feadoggie

[jim stone]

I play a Copley wooden flute of the sort you describe, and I owned for awhile the delrin counterpart of the sort you describe and didn't like its sound. The same for several other delrin flutes. Which is one of the reasons I'm so happy with this particular flute. But you know, I may have missed something others have experienced and reported. I do think Delrin makes a difference to sound and also that Dave has put his always extraordinary engineering and craftsmanship to good use with the stuff. And I did want to say, after many posts in which I suggested the opposite, that delrin, with the right design, can be good flute-stuff. Merry Christmas.

[gariwerd]

I have a Francois Baubet delrin flute and my professional opinion of it is wowowowowowowowowowow!

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

gariwerd: That's what Kevin Crawford and Brendan Mulholland said too about mine

[Sillydill]

Been quite a while since I've done a flute review!

Those that know me, know I was quite the Flute Philanderer during my day! I've probably owned over 150 different flutes.

After all the flutes I've tried the one that was a "KEEPER" was a Copley! Dave was kind enough to make me one out of two pieces of Blackwood (Simple). It was quick and easy to grab and put together and play when ever I wanted. It wasn't a conscious decision to only play the Copley, it just got to a point where I didn't really enjoy playing anything else as much!

So I settled down and raised alot of little notes with the Copley.

Good Yule!

[Steph7]

I have a Francois Baubet delrin flute and my professional opinion of it is wowowowowowowowowowow!

Baubet and Vincenzo di Mauro's are the main delrin flutes actually. Really impressive!

[Loren]

I have a Francois Baubet delrin flute and my professional opinion of it is wowowowowowowowowowow!

Baubet and Vincenzo di Mauro's are the main delrin flutes actually. Really impressive!

Hmmm, I can't agree with that.

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

I have a Francois Baubet delrin flute and my professional opinion of it is wowowowowowowowowowow!

Baubet and Vincenzo di Mauro's are the main delrin flutes actually. Really impressive!

Hmmm, I can't agree with that.

I take it you have tried both?

[Loren]

I take it you have tried both?

I will answer your question directly in a moment, but first, my point was more about the fact that whenever someone starts saying one flute or another is best, then I can't agree with that premise. And, at that point when someone makes the statement that some instrument is the best, the most pertinent questions become, how many other flutes have you played and how many flutes from each of those makers?

To answer your question: I have owned 2 Baubets - one older and one made within the last 6 months. I found neither of them to be among the top flutes I have tried, Delrin or wood. This includes being sub par on craftsmanship, consistency from flute to flute, playability and customer service - things I consider to be what make up the top flutes. I don't want to turn this into a thread about Baubet flutes, so I will simply leave it at that.

I haven't played a di Mauro flute, so I have no direct opinion on his flutes, but if someone equates them with Baubet, and if the comparison is accurate, then I can't agree they among the top flutes. But then we come back to the question of what is the posters frame of reference for saying such flutes are among the best.....

[Peter Duggan]

Something I typed up the other day and didn't post, but saved 'just in case' and am now prompted by Loren's post to submit...

I have a Francois Baubet delrin flute and my professional opinion of it is wowowowowowowowowowow!

Baubet and Vincenzo di Mauro's are the main delrin flutes actually. Really impressive!

But this is Jim's Copley review. And, without doubting that there are good alternatives, it's maybe turning into one of these C&F threads where folk start suggesting everything else.

FWIW, I like the sound of Baubet's flutes on his videos and elsewhere, might have considered them if I hadn't found Dave Copley first, but have subsequently found the only one I've tried (which belongs to a friend) quite awkward in terms of both embouchure and keywork. So, sure, part of that's probably familiarity, but there's no way I'd swap my Copleys (custom Solomon blackwood four-key and Delrin D/Eb keyless) for anything!

To which I might add (today) that I can see some reasonable grounds for introducing make B into a review of make A. But perhaps those doing so might support such intervention through a variation of the 'Pepsi Rule' ('I like make B and recommend it to those considering make A because of X'?) where unqualified praise of B is little more helpful than unqualified criticism of anything.

[Julia Delaney]

I have played and sold hundreds of flutes, ranging from cheap plastic Dixons to cocus Olwells. Among the best flutes that I have played are those made by François Baubet, whether made of Delrin or wood. His design is based on a flute made by Chris Wilkes in 2003.

Baubet's flutes, as you might expect, play very much like flutes made by Chris Wilkes, who such accomplished players as Jean-Michel Veillon and Claire Mann recognise as one of the finest makers ever. While Baubet is often behind on his list -- like nearly every other skilled maker -- this does not constitute bad customer service. Everyone who has ever dealt with him agrees that his attention to detail and his relationship to a player matters enormously to him. He is a single father with a demanding job and limited time. He is generous to a fault and is himself a fine player.

I cannot believe that anybody would say about Baubet that he is "sub par on craftsmanship, consistency from flute to flute, playability and customer service." I have played more than a dozen or so Baubet flutes and have sold five or six to satisfied players. Baubet's flutes have been consistently in tune and have been eminently playable. Gordon Gower, who is highly accomplished and who is one of the finest players in the States, is delighted with his Baubet Delrin flute and claims that he will never sell it.

Sorry Loren. I don't mean to pick a fight or engage in a flaming war. But I think that Kevin Crawford, Brendan Mulholland and Gordon Gower have it about right.

[libraryman]

Well that is high praise indeed and while I am sure it is deserved, I will go back and agree with the OP that Copley delrins are awfully good flutes. They do seem to be designed to compliment the material and have a nice warm strong tone. My D has the rounded rectangle and my C the more oval shape. I actually like the rectangle, but think I am in the minority on that.

[eilam]

i'm sure Copley is great and at the price range is hard to beat, and i have always liked Delrin and ebonite flutes. one of my favorite flutes is my Delrin large hole R&R.
i agree with Loren that flutes being such a personal instrument, that saying one is the best is a false statement right from the start.