Question:
Seattle Flute Fair
The Seattle Flute Society is holding a flute festival on Sunday April 15. There are going to be several flute vendors there, so it will be a good opportunity for anyone with GAS:)
I'm in the market for a piccolo, probably around the $1.5K range. So based that I would be interested in any thoughts about any of the following vendors/makers.
Altus Flutes
Brannen Brothers Flutemakers, Inc.
Burkart-Phelan, Inc.
Carolyn Nussbaum Music Co.
Eppler Flute Co.
Flute Arts
Flute Center of New York
Flute Exchange
Fluteworks
J.L. Smith
Little Piper
Miyazawa Flutes, Ltd.
Muramatsu America
Pearl Flutes
Ted Brown Music
Weissman Music Co.
Williams Flutes
Assuming you had 4 hours to spend among the above vendors which ones would you choose?
It is going to be hard to resist looking at some flutes and alto flutes as well, so if you have any recommendations for those that would also be of interest. But I really need to get a piccolo first.
There's more info on the Flute fair
Thanks

Answer:
You should absolutely check out the Pearl Piccolo. It only been out for around 2 years and I've heard some good things about it.

Answer:
Have fun at the flute fair. I went to the NFA convention in San Diego a couple summers ago, and it was great. I tried headjoints and flutes for 3 of the 4 days.
Of your list of vendors, I would recommend Carolyn Nussbaum and J.L. Smith. I spent a lot of time at each of their booths, and I ended up buying a Goosman headjoint from Nussbaum. The representatives at both of these vendors were extremely helpful. If you go to these booths, they will have several models on display, so you can try multiple brands instead of just one.
As far as piccolo brands, $1,500 won't get you into the top of the quality range, unless you can find something used. A Yamaha 62 might be available for somewhere close to $1,500 - that's what I play and I'm very happy with it. Pearl might have something in that price range.
Of the listed brands, Burkharts and Burkhart-Phelans are very highly regarded, but probably over your budget. I like the Miyazawa flutes, but I'm not familiar with their piccolos - same with Altus (I don't even know whether they even make a piccolo).
You might have better luck in the $1,500 range with a used piccolo instead of new, if they have used instruments at the fair.
Have a great time at the fair!

Answer:
Miyazawa does not make piccolos, but their US distributor (Westwind Music) is also the distributor for Hammig piccolos, which are very good, but very out of your price range. Altus also does not make a piccolo.
The cheapest Burkart picc is the Global, and you're looking at close to 2 grand for that one. (It's well worth it, though)
In that range, new, you're looking at the Pearl, a Yamaha 62 (great picc), and the Sonare, which I absolutely love and highly recommend...and it will cost you less than $600, for which you get a piccolo whose body was machined at Powell, with the Powell scale, and a headjoint that is handcut by Powell. I own one, and I absolutely adore it.
You should also stop by the Flute Center of New York booth and see what Phil's got. (And tell him Josh sent you ;-) ) He very well may have something you might like and could afford...(I know he stocks the Sonaré piccs, as well as the Globals, and he may have a used Yamaha or two laying around.)
Good luck with your search, and let us know how it goes!

Answer:
Originally Posted by Ken I would be interested in any thoughts about any of the following vendors/makers.
...
Carolyn Nussbaum Music Co.
...
Carolyn Nussbaum is great and unlike many dealers she's not afraid to tell you what she really thinks. :) I've bought a couple of flutes from her and she remains on my "A" list of people to call when GAS/GAF syndrome strikes.
As for a piccolo - I think the Yam 62 is one of the best in a factory production model. Anything beyond that and you're entering custom fab territory. If that is your route then I would be particularly interested in the Burkhart Phelan because I believe in Jim Phelan's experience and no-BS scientific approach to flute making.

Answer:
Ok, thanks. It's been a while since I looked at piccolo prices so it looks like I might have to modify that to around $2K.
The models I want to check out are definitely Yamaha 62, Sonare, Burkhart-Phelan Global, Pearl, plus Boston Legacy, Powell Signature, and Roy Seaman.
Has anyone tried a Jupiter piccolo?

Answer:
Originally Posted by Ken The Seattle Flute Society is holding a flute festival on Sunday April 15. There are going to be several flute vendors there, so it will be a good opportunity for anyone with GAS:)
BTW that looks great! My daughter is on vacation from school that week and I live nearby so I might hop a trip over to the mainland and check it out. And Robert Dick will be there too - incredibly cool!
Isn't it a bit of schlepp halfway across the world for you?

Answer:
My favorite on the list of piccolos that you mentioned is the Burkhart-Phelan Global, though, I have not tried the Sonare and have heard all wonderful reviews on it.
My favorite vendors that I have bought from in the past are JL Smith and Flute center of NY. Phil from Flute Center is awesome an I just love that guy! You can also tell him that Kate sent you. :) Then there is Liz from JL Smith who is also an outstanding person to work with.
I hope you have a fun time, as I am sure you will. I would love to go but it is not in my area. I think that I would be tempted to spend more money though, so that is a good thing. I certainly don't need any more toys right now.

Answer:
Originally Posted by MRC01 BTW that looks great! My daughter is on vacation from school that week and I live nearby so I might hop a trip over to the mainland and check it out. And Robert Dick will be there too - incredibly cool!
Isn't it a bit of schlepp halfway across the world for you?
I've heard about Robert Dick but haven't heard his playing so that should be pretty interesting. As I recall, he plays improvised music but not necessarily jazz.
I'm living in Seattle right now.
BTW, someone from J.L Smith was good enough to email some info on the vendors:
Altus Flutes
Brannen Brothers Flutemakers, Inc. Flutes only , Orders only
Burkart-Phelan, Inc Orders only
Carolyn Nussbaum Music Co Good selection
Eppler Flute Co. Wood flutes and Headjoints
Flute Arts Repair
Flute Center of New York Good selection
Flute Exchange Used instrument
Fluteworks ?
J.L. Smith No piccolos come say hello
Little Piper Sheet music
Miyazawa Flutes, Ltd. piccolos
Muramatsu America
Pearl Flutes I've heard good things about this piccolo but haven't played it
Ted Brown Music local
Weissman Music Co.
Williams Flutes Flutes only taking orders.

Answer:
Well, that was fun. It was amusing when I first got there to hear a continuous cacophony of flutes playing in the exhibition room. How the exhibitors can put up with that for the whole day I don't know. My basic requirement was a piccolo that I could play all the notes on. (On my existing piccolo I cannot get anything above a high F).
I first went to the Flute Center of New York stand. I turned on my recorder and blew my piccolo for a bit, then tried a Pearl, used Yamaha 61, Berkhart-Phelan Boston, B-P Global, Powell Signature, Jupiter, and Sonare. I liked the B-P Boston best, although it was out of my price range. The others didn't seem to play well, and another flautist that I was with tried them and reckoned they were out of adjustment.
I then went to the Carolyn Nussbaum stand and tried their Sonare. That was the easiest playing piccolo yet. I stll couldn't get all the notes but was able to get up to double-high A. Just then my friend told me to try a piccolo at the B-P stand. A B-P Global with a wave head. As with the Sonare I was able to get up to double-high A but it also had a better sound and was less breathy. The improvement in sound was more noticeable in the second octave and below. Above that I thought all the piccolos started to converge in their sound i.e. became shrill.
I also tried my friends Hammig which was also good, but probably out of my price range.
So based on this the B-P Global with Wave head and the Sonare SP500 are on the short list. The Sonare looks to be great value for money and probably perfectly fine for my purposes, especially ensemble playing. But with the B-P Global Wave I would probably never need to think about upgrading. Another option could be to upgrade the head on the Sonare as I would assume any Powell head would fit.
It was a shame that most of the other piccolos I tried were seemingly out of adjustment. I feel like I need to try them again for a valid comparison.
BTW, Josh I mentioned your name at the Flute Center stand but it didn't ring a bell with the guy there. I didn't get his name but he had a moustache :)

Answer:
Originally Posted by Ken It was a shame that most of the other piccolos I tried were seemingly out of adjustment. I feel like I need to try them again for a valid comparison.
That's a common problem at these events. There might be hundreds of people playing on the same instrument - no wonder it goes out of adjustment. At the San Diego NFA convention, some of the booths had repair people working on their equipment, trying to keep things in as good adjustment as possible.
When I tried Powell flutes at one of the booths at the convention I wasn't super impressed - Miyazawas were making a better impression on me. Later, I went to the same vendor (she is located near me) and tried Powells, Burkharts, and Miyazawas. These were all in perfect adjustment, and the Powell sold itself to me.
I hope you enjoyed the flute fair experience - I thought the convention I attended in San Diego was great. Did you hear Robert Dick play? I heard him in San Diego, playing a transcription of a piece that was originally written for a different instrument than flute (don't remember more details). He was a great performer, but I didn't hear any of his experimental-type playing. Also on the same program was Jeffrey Khaner, who played his transcription of the second Brahms' Clarinet Sonata. It was tremendous, and it was really interesting to hear it interpreted by someone who didn't play the piece on a clarinet.

Answer:
Originally Posted by saxfreak ...Did you hear Robert Dick play? I heard him in San Diego, playing a transcription of a piece that was originally written for a different instrument than flute (don't remember more details). He was a great performer, but I didn't hear any of his experimental-type playing... Yes. He played a few of his compositions, and then gave a masterclass.
He used extended techniques throughout. Two note multiphonics, sometimes with voice added. He played with different tonal shadings like making the instrument sound like a bamboo flute. He also created melodic percussion effects by drumming on the keys, as well as just breathing down the instrument into a microphone.
I enjoyed it. It showed the possiblities that are available on the flute, and as he said, not just for virtuoso's, but also available to any intermediate player.
A list of his set gives you an idea of what I would say is his eclectic but accessible style.
-One of his early pieces written during his college days
-A Rock and Roll inspired piece written for a high school performance to get the kids into flute
-A dedication to Indian flautists
-A dedication to Seattle home boy Jimmy Hendrix
-A dedication to a science fiction magazine from the '50s called "If" (played with bass flute in F)

Answer:
I should have given you my last name...there's a few more than one Josh in NYC ;-)

Answer:
Fluteworks ?
Hi, this is Courtney Westcott of FluteWorks in Seattle. I do primarily repair but am a dealer for Miyazawa and Hammig plus have instruments on consignment. No piccolos at the moment. I would recommend you try out the Boston Legacy. You can find them in the Seattle area at Akright's Music Center in Lynnwood (425) 775-7172. You can tell him Courtney sent you. There's only one of me in Seattle that he knows!

Answer:
Courtney...you certainly have an awesome location in downtown Seattle!! You can walk to the ferry!!

Answer:
Ken, forgive me for being forthright, but with all the trouble you are having with high notes, and with the state of a piccolo having rather little effect on high notes, I have to wonder if what you really need is some serious practice guided by an experienced piccolo player. Notes above F are no problem on a Yamaha piccolo for a piccolo player.

Answer:
Originally Posted by saxfreak That's a common problem at these events. There might be hundreds of people playing on the same instrument - no wonder it goes out of adjustment. ...
If an instrument is adjusted in the first place, it should have no problem in staying adjusted for a few hundred hours playing, no matter who is playing it.

Answer:
Originally Posted by Courtney Fluteworks ?
Hi, this is Courtney Westcott of FluteWorks in Seattle. I do primarily repair but am a dealer for Miyazawa and Hammig plus have instruments on consignment. No piccolos at the moment. I would recommend you try out the Boston Legacy. You can find them in the Seattle area at Akright's Music Center in Lynnwood (425) 775-7172. You can tell him Courtney sent you. There's only one of me in Seattle that he knows! Thanks Courtney. Actually, I was with a pro flute player at the fair who mentioned you name for repairs.
Originally Posted by Gordon (NZ) Ken, forgive me for being forthright, but with all the trouble you are having with high notes, and with the state of a piccolo having rather little effect on high notes, I have to wonder if what you really need is some serious practice guided by an experienced piccolo player. Notes above F are no problem on a Yamaha piccolo for a piccolo player. Gordon, it wasn't just me who found the piccolos hard to play up high though. The flute player I was with is a pro who plays a Hammig pic, and he also found the same thing.
What I probably really need to do is to get my current piccolo adjusted. It's a no-name "Calloway" model probably from Taiwan or China. It also has a scratch in the bore caused by the metal cleaning rod which had a jagged edge at the eyelet where it had snapped off. So even with adjustment it may not play that great anyway.
So I'm thinking just upgrade to a better piccolo, and then start serious practice on that.
But even without practice it seems clear to me that if I can currently get higher notes (double-high A) on a certain model over others then that is an easier playing piccolo up high and will continue to be so even after practice.

Answer:
Originally Posted by Ken But even without practice it seems clear to me that if I can currently get higher notes (double-high A) on a certain model over others then that is an easier playing piccolo up high and will continue to be so even after practice. Cork position makes a HUGE difference on piccolo response in the top octave. On flutes, the ideal cork position is usually 17.3mm right at the cleaning rod mark, with very few exceptions especially on modern flutes. But on piccolos I find MUCH more variation - some like it pulled out or pushed in. After I played around with mine to find a more ideal position, the top octave intonation improved AND I found it easier to play all the way to high C.
Something to consider...