This section gives a thumbnail picture of our range of instruments, both new and second hand, in the higher ‘Professional’ ranges. Top Wind has one of the finest selections of instruments for professionals and conservatoire level students. Many of the instruments are available from stock, where not then they are available to special order. The section is arranged by manufacturer, with details of particular features offered by each maker.
Hand Made Flutes
Japanese Altus
These instruments are designed by Mr Shuichi Tanaka and made at the custom built factory at Azumino in Japan. Mr Tanaka has vast experience of flute design and manufacture having spent many years with Muramatsu, Miyazawa, Takumi and K.H.S. Musix (where he was involved in the design of the Jupiter and Di Medici flutes). He was inspired by older instruments, such as the Louis Lot, and, in collaboration with William Bennett, has aimed to produce a modern Japanese flute with a complimentary range of tone, resonance, intonation and accuracy of mechanism.
Also see ‘Mid-Range Flutes’, ‘Alto Flutes’, ‘Bass Flutes’ Altus 1407 Series Flute
This is the first in the Altus range of hand made instruments. They have a solid tube and key work, pointed key arms, soldered tone holes and are built to a William Bennett A=442Hz scale.
Options:
Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys Open G# mechanism Reversed thumb keys E mechanism C# trill G/A trill C#/D# touch piece rollers B Foot joint 18K Gold plating (red or yellow) Platinum plating Light, medium or heavy wall thickness Altus 1507 Series Flute
These have the same high quality design features of the previous Altus model but this model has a solid ‘Britannia’ material tubing.
Options:Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys Open G# mechanism Reversed thumb keys E mechanism C# trill G/A trill C#/D# touch piece rollers B Foot joint 18K Gold plating (red or yellow) Platinum plating Light, medium or heavy wall thickness Altus 1607 Series Flute
This has a unique feature for a modern instrument – the seamed tube. The flutes have a ‘Britannia’ quality tube, as in the 1507 Series, but made by a seaming technique similar to that used by the Louis Lot company in the last century.
Options:
Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys Open G# mechanism Reversed thumb keys E mechanism C# trill G/A trill C#/D# touch piece rollers B Foot joint 18K Gold plating (red or yellow) Platinum plating Light, medium or heavy wall thickness Altus also offer customised quality flutes, with drawn or soldered tone holes, in many materials options.
Miyazawa
Masashi Miyazawa established Miyazawa Flutes in 1969 having previously worked in the Muramatsu flute factory. While many players and makers have experimented throughout this century with different materials, Miyazawa have developed the combination of materials to create new alloys for flute making. Experiments during the 1970’s led to the PCM alloy, which is a combination of 65% silver, copper, gold and palladium. In the hand made ranges Miyazawa offer a ‘Gold-Silver’ Alloy option (10% Gold, 85% Silver and 5% other semi-precious material). One notable advantage of this alloy is the resistance to tarnish given by the high gold content.Miyazawa are also noted for the range of head joint styles offered in every range.
Also see ‘Mid-Range Flutes’ ‘Alto Flutes’ Miyazawa Classic I Series Flute
This range is built with drawn and rolled tone holes and pointed key arms. They are available in several materials options.
Options:
Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys E mechanism C# trill G/A trill C#/D# touch piece rollers B Foot joint 23K Rose Gold plating 0.015” or 0.018” wall thickness (Solid models only) Miyazawa Classic II Series Flute
This range is identical to the Classic I but with soldered tone holes.
Options:
Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys E mechanism C# trill G/A trill C#/D# touch piece rollers B Foot joint 23K Rose Gold plating 0.015” or 0.018” wall thickness (Solid models only) Other material options available Pearl
The Pearl Company has been making flutes for over 50 years. They have two factories, one specialising in ‘Student Flutes’, the other specialising in ‘Mid-Range’ and ‘Hand Made’ instruments. The unique feature of the Pearl Company is that they utilise a ‘Pinless’ mechanism in all models, including student flutes. This mechanism gives greater strength and is less prone to corrosion by body acids and also allows easier maintenance.Features :
- Selection of embouchure designs in all ranges.
- Pointed ‘French’ key arms on most models.
- ‘Pinless’ mechanism as standard.
Also see ‘Mid-Range Flutes’
Pearl Hand Made Flute (Drawn Tone Holes)
This is solid throughout with drawn tone holes. Tube thickness is 0.40mm standard.
Options:
Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys E mechanism B Foot joint C# trill G/A trill E mechanism On/Off clutch D# roller Other wall thickness to order
Pearl Hand Made Flute (Soldered Tone Holes)
This is solid throughout with soldered tone holes. Tube thickness is 0.40mm standard.
Options:
Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys E mechanism B Foot joint C# trill G/A trill E mechanism On/Off clutch D# roller Other wall thickness to order The soldered tone hole model is available in a variety of material options for tube and key work. Head joints are also available with yellow/red risers and/or lip plate.
Sankyo
Kikuo Hisakura established the Sankyo Flute Manufacturing Company in Sayama-city in August 1968. The aim was to produce ‘Flutes of Ideal Sound’ by offering high-class instruments that are built from high quality materials to an exacting quality standard.Much design work has been done on head joint design and Sankyo produce a range of lip plate styles, including both the ‘Raised Shoulder’ series and ‘High Wave’ (i.e. reform lip plate or winged lip plate).
Sankyo have also introduced the ‘NEL’ as a standard option on all models. This is, in fact, an adaption of the ‘E Ring’ principle but incorporated in the tone hole design i.e. by making the tone hole of the lower G smaller the venting for third octave E is improved, giving an alternative to the traditional E mechanism. Sankyo offer several versions of this with both ‘normal sized’ G key and ‘small’ G key.
Sankyo flutes are particularly favoured in France where the internationally renowned player Alain Marion is their chief advocate.
See also ‘Mid-Range Flutes’ ‘Alto Flutes’ Sankyo HMDN - Hand Made Model Flute (Drawn Tone Holes)
This is solid throughout with drawn tone holes and pointed ‘French’ key arms. White metal springs are used as standard and the standard tubing thickness is 0.38mm
Options:
Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys Range of head joint styles ‘NEL’ E mechanism C# trill G/A trill C#/D# touch piece rollers B Foot joint Gold plating 0.42mm or 0.46mm tubing Sankyo HMSR – Had Made Model Flute (Soldered Tone Holes)
This is the top of the line Sankyo flute which is solid throughout with soldered tone holes and pointed ‘French’ key arms. White metal springs are used as standard and the standard tube thickness is 0.38mm.
Options:
Open or closed holes with offset G keys Open holes with in line G keys Range of head joint styles ‘NEL’ E mechanism C# trill G/A trill C#/D# touch piece rollers B Foot joint Gold plating 0.42mm or 0.46mm tubing These flutes are also available in a variety of densities of ‘yellow’ or ‘red’ material.
Yamaha
The Yamaha Company has been in business since 1887 and, without doubt, their student flutes are the best selling in the world. Yamaha have invested in the best technology and materials and, coupled with an excellent quality control, produce consistently reliable and popular flutes. The following range is made by Yamaha in their factory for hand made instruments, in a separate building to the student instruments.Features:
- Range of embouchure styles.
- Pointed ‘French’ key arms on all models.
- Soldered tone holes on all models.
Also see ‘Mid-Range Flutes’ ‘Piccolos’ ‘Alto Flutes’ ‘Bass Flutes’ Yamaha Flute YFL814
Closed holes with E mechanismYamaha Flute YFL874UK
Open holes with offset G keys and E mechansimYamaha Flute YFL894UK
Open holes with in-line G keys and E mechanismOptions:B foot joint
Range of head joint stylesUnited Kingdom Flute Makers
Allen
Mike Allen trained officially as a jeweller and silversmith. He has made about 1,000 head joints and approximately 40 flutes. He is known for some of his radical design ideas, including such diverse things as gold rings on top of the tone holes, fully automatic split F# mechanism and a quarter tone alto flute. He is currently working with 99.9% heat hardened silver.Bigio
Robert Bigio is most noted for his work with wood and experiments with crown assemblies. He is acknowledged as an expert on Rudall Carte.Cooper
Albert Cooper, the foremost flute maker of the 20th century, trained at Rudall Carte where he started by sweeping floors and making tea at the age of 14. Albert left Rudall Carte in 1959 and set himself up as a repairer but soon turned to flute making. In total he made 94 flutes, including 8 alto flutes, 2 C foot piccolos, 3 bass flute and one flute in B. Albert’s main contribution has been to the ‘scale’ of the flute, through reviewing the general position and size of the tone holes. With few exceptions, most makers today, make flutes using The Cooper Scale. Albert continues to work today, mostly re-tuning old flutes on to new tubes, but with plans to retire soon he is hoping to find time to redesign the piccolo!Flute Makers Guild
FMG was established when Boosey and Hawkes Ltd moved Rudall Carte’s workshop in the early 1960’s. Mostly making metal flutes in the beginning (including one 1867 system, by special request), until recently they where swamped with orders for wooden flutes – the experience gained early in their careers at Rudall Carte being called upon again to satisfy the renewed interest in wooden flutes. Many makers have been through the FMG workshop, including Ewen McDougall and Howel Roberts.Oxley
Andrew Oxley trained as a flute player at the Royal College of Music and is largely self-taught as a flute maker. He now specialises almost exclusively as a head joint maker .Simmons
Willy Simmons is largely self-taught, coming to the profession later in life he is acknowledged as one of the finest repairers of flute mechanisms. After specialising for a while in the making of G treble flutes, he now has a commanding reputation as a head joint maker and a growing reputation for his concert flutes.Wessel
Stephen Wessel was one half of the ‘Webb and Wessel’ team before 1990. Much of his work today is based on the work that he and John Webb did together between 1983 – 89, the most significant feature being that of his stainless steel mechanism, aimed at making the keywork as light and reliable as possible. Wessel flutes are made with a seamless tube (unlike those made in collaboration with John Webb which had seamed tubes) and using William Bennett scales at both A=440 and A=442 pitches. Like most handmade instruments he offers each individual player options such as the half closing G#, offset, half offset or in-line G keys, E mechanisms, B foot and hand engraving. He does not make head joints.
American Flute Makers
Abell
Chris Abell has an international reputation for his wooden flutes. He worked for many years with Brannen-Cooper and at this time he was combining his love of Irish music with his skill in wood turning to make superb ‘Penny Whistles’. This led to setting up his on his own making modern wooden flutes with solid mechanism. One of his greatest advocates is Patrick Gallois, who has helped make Chris’s flutes extremely popular in Europe.Almeida
Edward Almeida was a former owner of the flute company Powell and most respected as a toolmaker. He left Powell in the 1970s and in his peak was making about 50 flutes a year. He felt that silver was a more consistent material than gold. Since his death in the early 1990s his flutes have been much sought after as used instruments.Brannen-Cooper
The company was established by Bickford and Bob Brannen who both had experience at Powell. They have confirmed themselves as leaders in the hand made flute industry today by helping to develop new ideas. In the late 1970s, Albert Cooper’s scale and head joint designs were incorporated and since then the Brogger™ mekanik, the Brogger™ acoustic and the Kingma system quarter tone flute have become part of their designs.Brannen-Cooper flutes are available with a extensive range of options and specifications such as:
BroggerTM Mekanik BroggerTM Acoustic B foot joint with or without gizmo Convertible B/C foot joint E mechanism C# trill D# roller Kingma System mechanism
All flutes are available in various pitch and material options.
Please contact us if you require more information.
Deford
Emerson Deford was a shoemaker where he formed his longstanding reputation as an extremely hard worker. He joined the Armstrong Company working with Jack Moore in producing the 'Heritage' line of instruments. He is responsible for creating both Deford and Emerson student flutes, both of which companies he sold. (The latter was sold to the Selmer Company, who also bought the French flute makers Barbier). After losing a finger in a press, he is very safety conscious in his workshops.Emanuel
Emanuel Arista comes from a Peruvian family of flute makers. He has trained at Powell.Landell Jonathan Landell trained at Powell, now working independently; his latest flute is made from Titanium! He also runs schools for people wanting to learn about and gain experience in making flutes.
Lopatin
Leonard Lopatin was principal piccolo player of the New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and started his flute-making career later in life. He is one of Brannen-Coopers top stringers, and is most noted for his square tone hole and square key design flutes.Lunn
John Lunn started making flutes with the canadian Jack Goosman, he later trained at Powell leaving there about 10 years ago to establish himself independently. His original idea of ‘cherry and stem’ designs have developed into the Vanguard flute, an artist approach to flute making in which no two flutes are identical.Moore
Jack Moore is most noted for collaborating with Alex Murray on the Murray system flute. He makes drawn tone hole flutes by choice and is better known in Europe than in America.Williams
David Williams is another former employee of Brannen-Copper and is a well- respected member of the flute making community and also one of the ‘up and coming’ young makers. Already well known in America he is a name to look out for in Europe in future.Historical
Haynes
William Sherman Haynes (1864-1939) was trained as a silversmith and was a self-taught flute maker. He established his company independently in 1900, after working with his brother George Winifield. It is reported that he was making silver flutes in 1913, gold in 1914, aluminium in 1913-14 and platinum in 1935. Many makers have also worked in the Haynes factory including Powell and Gemeinhardt.Lebret
Louis Lebret worked for L.Lot and established his own workshop in 1888.Louis Lot
L.Lot established his independent workshop in 1855, coming from a large family of instrument makers. He was trained by his father Thomas and later married into the Godfroy family (also flute makers) whom he had worked for since the early 1830s. During the 1860’s he was the official supplier of flutes to the Paris Conservatoire, while Dorus was the Flute Professor. It was during this time that the L.Lot model with larger tone holes and closed G# (different from Boehm’s design) became very popular throughout Europe.Powell
Verne Q. Powell started as a jeweller, engraver and flute player, he made his first flute in 1910 from silver teaspoons, watch case and silver dollars after hearing Barrere performing during a tour of America. He worked for W.S. Haynes as foreman and later manager from 1913, but established himself independently in 1926. He retired in 1961/2 selling his company to four employees. Many of todays fine makers have worked at Powell including Dana Sheridan, Lillian Burkhart, John Lunn and Jim Phelan.Rudall Carte
The Rudall Carte company began as Rudall & Rose in 1821 by J.M Rose and George Rudall, they acquired the manufacturing rights to Boehm’s 1832 and 1847 system flutes. In 1852 Carte joined the partnership and in 1872 Rose’s name was dropped from the title. Rudall Carte flourished as makers of flutes and other military instruments; their flutes included systems by Boehm, Siccama, Rockstro, Radcliffe and several others. Boosey and Hawkes Ltd bought the company in 1944.
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