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Available flutes
The flutes below are currently available unless otherwise stated. Note: flutes marked UNDER OFFER have been sent out but I am still waiting the approval from the customer that the flute suits them; if the flute is returned, it will be put back on this page again. Please make sure you refresh this page after it has re-loaded so you get the up-to-date situation and not an old page loaded from a cache.
Each flute is made to the same exacting standards and quality as all the custom ones I have made over the past 21 years. Each is unique and handcrafted on my guiding principles that the quality of the sound of the flute is paramount, as is the voicing, how responsive and expressive the flute is, how easy it is to play, and how it's energies work with player and listeners. With one exception below, I am for the moment only making blocks from my basic list of standard blocks (see the Artwork and Blocks page), simply because much of the lung and throat health-related problems came in part from hours spent carving intricate custom blocks, which, enjoyable as it is, no amount of industrial mask and dust extraction systems can ever wholly mitigate. However, I will hopefully come back to full custom flutes very soon.
I have given a basic description of each instrument below, and a main image which, when clicked, will open a gallery of images in a separate viewer. I have also included a brief three-section sound clip of each flute: the first section is'dry' (as it might sound in a carpeted room), the second is 'wet' (with added reverberation), and the third has a simple orchestral backing so anyone thinking of recording with it will have an idea of how it might sound. I am no great flute player and the recordings here are quite basic; however, several of the orchestral pieces will be full length on my forthcoming second CD, Swans (the first CD is available here.) If you are undecided on choosing a key and wish to hear the full range of keys and voices, just go to the Hear the Flutes page. All SVF flutes respond to the slightest breath so playing is completely relaxed. All flutes below are tuned at 440Hz (A) unless otherwise stated.
Each instrument comes with a serial numbered authentication card that details the flute's wood origins and energies, it's sound and playing characteristics, and a full set of playing hole tuning charts. A fleece flute sleeve and a Starter Pack of tutorial and information sheets are included. Flutes are sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery; packing and shipping usually works out at around £12 for UK mainland postal areas. Overseas shipments are priced according to customer location, but please be aware all flutes are sent out with insurance and tracking, and for some overseas countries this can be a significant addition to the cost. In the event of a flute proving unsuitable, it should be returned within 10 days in its original condition (customer pays return postage, flute must be tracked and insured).
If you are interested in one of the flutes below, please email me on dc@secondvoiceflutes.co.uk and we can take it from there. I will gladly supply more information and answer queries if necessary. If you want to send me your handprints (for details on doing this see the Contact and Ordering page), I can advise you on whether the hole spacing on your chosen flute should be comfortable for you to play.
January 2025 UPDATE: As you can see, all the flutes below are sold but I have left them here to show the sorts of flutes I have been making. However, as I have explained on the front page of this website, I WILL NOT BE MAKING ANY FLUTES IN 2025. If and when I do get back into the workshop I will post here to let people know. In the meantime, I have to thank all of those who bought the flutes since 2023; I have been able to donate over £2000 to the Isabel Hospice and over £300 to CRUK.
Before we start though, a word about Black Limba (aka Afara or Korina) which is used in four of the flutes below and may be unfamiliar to some. This is an African 'hard' wood, although it is lighter in weight than most. It has been used in quality musical instruments, particularly guitars, for many years and is revered for its tonal qualities. It is wonderfully resonant, being somewhere between Honduras Mahogany and English Walnut, although the sapwood of some trees is so open grained and pitted that it can come close to Western Red Cedar in feel and tone. Most importantly, it is not on any CITES appendices or the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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F in Black Limba TAKEN
This flute is unusual for an SVF flute in that it has a flat nest and is therefore particularly suited to indoor playing and creative recording. There are two blocks, an arch-fronted, slipper-based Lime block that gives a mellow, full voice that expresses the wonderful resonance of the Black Limba, and a unique SVF design Walnut chimney block with a diffuser plate in the base which gives a rich, variably breathy (not windy) tone to the voice but which needs only the same lightness of breath to play. All of this gives a responsive, expressive flute with very distinctive tones and which is perfect for meditative playing or recording. The relatively large playing holes are offset for a right-hand as bottom-hand player, and the Walnut endcap gives a much smoother, more durable mouthpiece than Black Limba would.
E in Black Limba and Hornbeam TAKEN
A beautifully grain-patterned, well balanced SVF Signature flute with Hornbeam mouthcap. The Hornbeam arch-fronted block uses the unique SVF dual flue design, with airflow channels in both block and nest floor; this better directs airflow and means the flute responds to the slightest breath, and can therefore be very expressive in the hands of an experienced player. When played gently, this block gives a mellow contemplative voice, but when 'pushed' with more air, the flute gives an authentic, bright, almost reedy sound similar to traditional NA flutes. In contrast, the Ash chimney block has the unique SVF diffuser plate system in its base giving a variably breathy voice; by setting this block up to 5 mm from the soundhole edge, and varying the playing breath pressure, the flute can produce a wide range of tones, from slightly breathy to rich, husky and atmospheric. Furthermore, as it can often be an awkward finger stretch to play a mid E flute, the playing holes have been kept as close together as possible and offset for a right-hand-as-bottom-hand player, but it must be noted that this will be less suited to players with small hands or limited finger reach.
F in Black Limba TAKEN
This beautifully figured, simple Black Limba flute has a lovely clear, bright voice and is perfect for quiet contemplative playing. The relatively high nest walls also make it ideal for outdoor playing. The main Ash block uses the SVF dual flue system and gives a voice full of high and mid frequencies, making it a very expressive flute with tones similar to traditional NA flutes. This block will also suit those who like a small amount of back pressure when playing to help breath control. The Walnut block is a cut-through flue design allowing more air to flow over the top of the soundhole edge, giving a breathier tone to the flute and enhancing the lower frequencies. The playing holes are straight-lined, making the flute suitable for both right and left handed players.
F in English Rippled Alder TAKEN
This flute might be an acquired taste in that it has been deliberately made and voiced to have a breathy, husky tone using a precision, dual cut-through flue system in both arch-fronted Walnut block and Alder body. To provide the necessary resonant depth for this to work, the flute is made of Alder which is held by many as one of the best woods for flutes owing to its pitted grain and tonal qualities. Alder is a relatively soft wood with a resonance which can be used to give a very distinct tone to an NA flute; to enhance the resonance, the barrel wall is thin. However, over time the voicebox of NA Alder flutes can absorb moisture like blotting paper, even when treated with oils; therefore, the body flue and soundhole rear are faced with Sycamore to counteract this. This flute is very responsive and highly expressive depending on block position and breath strength; it plays well quietly but will also take a decent amount of air down it without the fundamental note breaking to the octave above. It can easily reproduce the haunting sounds associated with traditional flutes (as shown in the soundclips) and is excellent for playing Arabic scales. An additional chimney block is provided to allow experimentation with other husky voices.
F# in English Flame Sycamore TAKEN
This SVF Signature flute almost speaks for itself. Flame Sycamore often makes beautiful looking flutes, but when I finished the flute body it looked like reflections in water so the only thing I could do was make a Grebe block to complement and complete it. Being a relatively hard wood, Sycamore is commonly used for the higher keyed flutes as its resonance is usually full of higher frequencies. However, this piece came from Dartmoor fifteen years ago and has been maturing here ever since until it could be used for a mid key flute. The combination of a flat front to the block and a precision crafted dual flue system gives a voice which is clear, windless and has the lovely 'bite' to the fundamental note when pushed, which many professional players love. The playing holes are deliberately straight-lined so it is suitable for right or left handed players. This is a beautifully responsive, effortless to play flute with a wonderfully authentic sound for everything from meditative playing to performing and recording. The sound clips say more than words.
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F# in Black Limba TAKEN
Apart from looking stunning, being cut deliberately across heart and sapwood, this flute has been designed to sing and be heard, be it live or on recording. With the main low-fronted Ash bird block, the flute has a beautiful bright yet tonally rich, clear, resonant voice. Having the SVF dual flue system, it is very responsive to the slightest breath, but it really comes into its own when 'pushed', as the fundamental (bottom) note also has the characteristic 'bite' to it that many professional players love. In contrast, the Walnut claw block has the SVF diffuser plate system in its base, which gives a breathy voice, the extent of which can be varied using block position and breath pressure. This makes for a very expressive and versatile flute. The playing holes are slightly smaller than normal and straight-lined, making it suitable for right or left handed players with smaller finger pads. Again, the soundclips say more than words.
A in English Lime TAKEN
A very straightforward high A flute, designed with novice and experienced players in mind. The Cherry arch fronted claw block uses the SVF dual flue system to give a highly responsive flute with a clear, strong, tonally rich voice (unlike many high key flutes which can sound 'thin' to the ear). The Walnut chimney block, however, has a flue cut right through to the front, which enhances the air flow over the soundhole, giving a much more breathy (but not windy) voice which can be varied depending on block position and breath pressure. These features, coupled with the short upper chamber, the close spacing of the small, straight-lined playing holes, makes the flute very easy to play and ideal for learning playing technique and breath control. The soundclips demonstrate both blocks.
A in English Lime TAKEN
A not-so-standard Signature high A flute in that the voice box is the SVF Pro-Player design with a wider soundhole and longer upper chamber giving a much more powerful voice, and the laminar airflow in the upper half of the chamber (rather than the lower) giving more scope for advanced breathing and playing techniques. So, yes, a flute for the more experienced player. Again, the Ash arch-fronted claw block uses the SVF dual flue system to give a highly responsive flute with a clear, strong voice but in this case the higher frequencies are enhanced to give a full tonal spectrum, and the fundamental (bottom) note has a wonderful 'bite' to it when the breath pressure is increased. To complement the flute's versatility, the Walnut chimney claw block has a flue cut right through to the front, which enhances the air flow over the soundhole, giving a richer, more breathy (but not windy) voice which can be varied depending on block position and breath pressure. These features, coupled with the slightly larger, straight-lined playing holes gives a flute which is very responsive and highly expressive. The soundclips demonstrate both blocks, and I make no apologies for the full orchestral piece at the end of the clip to show off this flute's range. It's just a lovely flute to play and hear.
B in English Rippled Sycamore TAKEN
And lastly, a simple high B SVF Signature backpacker flute made from a beautifully grain-figured piece of rippled Sycamore. A highly responsive flute with a strong, tonally rich voice and a deliberate hint of breathiness to underpin the natural high frequencies that this hard wood normally displays. The fundamental (bottom) note has a lovely 'bite' to it when the breath pressure is increased. The block has a close chimney to help minimize air disturbances around the playing hole when the flute is played outdoors.
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The Owlhouse • Milford • Surrey • UK • dc@secondvoiceflutes.co.uk
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© Second Voice Flutes 2022 |
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