(CLICK ON PICS TO ENLARGE)
Following up on Monday's post of the new Green Heron flute, the other new one is my "Thunderbird" flute. Like the heron flute, the bird-beak design body is figured Black Walnut with turquoise accent inlays...
...and it's a mid G flute with a bold, clear voice. While the block is large and looks heavy, it's actually quite lightweight. The piece of Claro Walnut I used for the Thunderbird had been drying for decades and is surprisingly light.
Makes for a nicely balanced flute when held, it does.
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It's been a while since I got to see, hold, and play Jonah, now in a private collection. Once I get it back from judging, I'm converting it to a 6-hole for the owner, which is fairly easy to do...just no room for error!
I chose to keep the whale more simplistic in design and not painted, so as to mimic it swimming upward from the briny depths. The block can be turned either way, so I turned Jonah backwards to make it look like the whale is coming up from behind - poor guy never saw it coming! Too, I didn't use my glossy finish on this flute, instead opting for a hand-rubbed oil and wax finish.
It's no fluke that I designed the whale to wrap around and over the end of the flute like it does. OK, it IS a fluke, and I DID design it that way...and I love it! The wood is Makore (African Cherry), and I've said it before and I'll say it again: it is a phenomenal tone wood to use for instruments. All my Makore flutes kick proverbial tail, and this one is no exception.
While Jonah (Spruce) is not proportionate to the boat, the boat was designed from drawings I found online of period Gallilean fishing boats (Peruvian Walnut). Just an overall fun 'theme' flute that still makes me smile. FYI, the owner who commissioned 'Jonah' plays right-over-left, hence the lower finger holes curving left as opposed to right.
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Time for some Carolina storms to get attitudes later today and tomorrow...but the cooler, fresher air coming in by Sunday into next week will be well worth it! Double-shift days like today and tomorrow make me glad I'm hourly! ;-)
...and it's a mid G flute with a bold, clear voice. While the block is large and looks heavy, it's actually quite lightweight. The piece of Claro Walnut I used for the Thunderbird had been drying for decades and is surprisingly light. 
Makes for a nicely balanced flute when held, it does.---------------------------------------
It's been a while since I got to see, hold, and play Jonah, now in a private collection. Once I get it back from judging, I'm converting it to a 6-hole for the owner, which is fairly easy to do...just no room for error!
I chose to keep the whale more simplistic in design and not painted, so as to mimic it swimming upward from the briny depths. The block can be turned either way, so I turned Jonah backwards to make it look like the whale is coming up from behind - poor guy never saw it coming! Too, I didn't use my glossy finish on this flute, instead opting for a hand-rubbed oil and wax finish.
It's no fluke that I designed the whale to wrap around and over the end of the flute like it does. OK, it IS a fluke, and I DID design it that way...and I love it! The wood is Makore (African Cherry), and I've said it before and I'll say it again: it is a phenomenal tone wood to use for instruments. All my Makore flutes kick proverbial tail, and this one is no exception.
While Jonah (Spruce) is not proportionate to the boat, the boat was designed from drawings I found online of period Gallilean fishing boats (Peruvian Walnut). Just an overall fun 'theme' flute that still makes me smile. FYI, the owner who commissioned 'Jonah' plays right-over-left, hence the lower finger holes curving left as opposed to right.----------------------------------
Time for some Carolina storms to get attitudes later today and tomorrow...but the cooler, fresher air coming in by Sunday into next week will be well worth it! Double-shift days like today and tomorrow make me glad I'm hourly! ;-)
2 comments:
Wowee, Bobaloo. I will be shocked --SHOCKED -- if those guild people don't break your door down for autographs! We will keep the faith.
Rita
Thanks! And thanks for your hormone chart - got a LOT of response from folks picking up their butts they'd laughed off! :-)
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