FLUTES

I am a master flute maker with decades of experience.  Every flute I make is hand-crafted and I do my very best for each instrument I make. I work alone, which gives me greater control over the quality of my instruments. I find a certain "magic" happens when an instrument is made by one person for its intended player, and I know many of the flutists who play my instruments feel just that.  

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HEADJOINTS

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The WIMBERLY headjoint can be a wonderful and inexpensive alternative to a new flute by providing you with just that extra tonal complexity and projection that you seek.  A marriage of resistance and fluidity gives ease of playing and clarity even in the highest notes. Powerful, penetrating projection lets you fill the hall, even when playing the softest note.  These headjoints have the responsiveness and flexibility to let you perform with confidence, beyond what you have ever been able to do before. Sound response is quick, and volume is easily controlled to ensure that on both low and high notes, sound will remain stable, and pitch true.

 

My goals are to make head joints full of flexibility with a broad range of tone colours, enabling a flutist to stand out when they want to and to blend in when they need to. 

I have worked very hard over decades to develop and perfect my head joints so that they have the most distinctive and interesting sound possible with the finest acoustical performance - greater projection, power, response, flexibility and range of tone colour. I’m told that they are easier to play, more responsive, more expressive, and more secure throughout all registers. This adds up to a very enjoyable experience for both the flutist and also for the audience. 

By starting your buying experience with one of my head joints first, you will bring transformative improvements to your playing at a fraction of the cost of an entire flute. Also, I can generally supply a head joint in a matter of days, whereas there is a waiting list for my hand-made flutes.

A Wimberly head joint is also a very cost-effective way of improving your equipment. Even if you want an entire flute, starting with a headjoint allows you to enjoy dramatic, immediate results while your flute is being built.

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ACOUSTIC OPTIMIZATION OF YOUR CURRENT INSTRUMENT

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If you’re not in the market for a new flute, you may want to consider my Acoustical Optimization service that can yield substantial improvements to your existing flute quite economically. This increases flexibility, response, tone color, shading and ability to play in tune. I have had excellent results applying these techniques to beginner and even professional quality instruments. You will enjoy playing more as a result of these gains. The optimization works best when combined with one of my headjoints and a clean, oil and adjust or new pads. This can be like getting a whole new flute at a fraction of the cost. All of these acoustical refinements are standard on every flute I hand-make.

Recently I have been using an extraordinary new pad that has proven to bring remarkable benefits of improved response, articulation, resonance and reliability. The Schmidt Gold-Plated Pad may well last virtually forever as tests have showed absolutely no wear at three times the lifespan of the best pad with conventional skin covering. Please note that conventional skin covering is used in even the most popular “synthetic” pads on the market. The Schmidt pads take extra skill and patience (and therefore cost) to install, but is worth the extra effort.