Some Details…

Style & Pitch

My flutes are based on the Pratten style which is commonly used in Irish traditional music. The most common pitch is “Concert D” (A440) but I can make flutes in other keys, as requested. There may be additional fees, depending on what is requested.

Woods

Options depend on availability but typically my flutes are made from African Blackwood or Mopane

Keys & Mounts

All my keys are made from Sterling silver with coil springs and leather pads. I am currently using wooden key mounts which are intrinsic to the body of the flute.

Joints & Rings

I use half-round Sterling silver for rings. This is not just for decoration - these rings provide support and strength. For the joints, I use cork sheet, which I find to be a little more consistent and reliable than waxed hemp twine. From time to time this needs to be replaced (due to regular wear and tear). I can perform this maintenance if desired but it is also easy to do yourself. I will post a video to show you how.

Pricing

A range of pricing options is available, depending on the wood type, pitch, number of keys, grip style (e.g. piper’s grip) and special requests (e.g. head cap). All my prices are listed in Canadian Dollars.

“Base” Model

The price for a keyless flute with no key mounts is $1,200.

The price for a keyed flute

Keys

Choose the keys you would like (for a D-flute, this would be any or all of the following: Fnat, Bb, G#, Cnat, XYZ) - the cost per key is $500. This may fluctuate a little with the price of Sterling silver

Cases

I am currently trying out a number of different case styles and, as such, don’t have a huge stock of different options. This will change over the coming months. Currently your options are Gator, Consort and soft-shell. I can also order Northwind and am looking at the feasibility of my own design made from local hardwoods.

Warranty and Exchanges

The materials I use are of the highest quality and I am a meticulous craftsperson, however, I do recognize that sometimes unexpected things can happen. XYZ…

Also, I realize that sometimes people change their mind and might want to exchange their keyless for a keyed flute. This is generally not a problem and I will consider all reasonable cases and situations.