The Irish Flute Store (mentioned above) has a section dedicated to used flutes, and usually has many different models for sale. If you’re not able to buy locally, there are a few online options. Buying local means you can see the flute in person before you buy, try it out, and ask the seller questions. Many of the local online classifieds like Craigslist, Gumtree, Donedeal, Kijiji et al. If you’re looking to buy used, it’s always best to buy from a fellow player. In both cases, all they’re looking for a good flute.
An Irish flute is an Irish flute, and there’s no distinction between what a professional might use and what a student might buy. A lot of cheap flute makers use flowery language to describe their instruments. There’s no such thing as a “Professional” flute.Don’t expect to pay any less than about $400 for a wooden Irish flute, even used. If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.There may well be some very good Irish flute makers in Asia who aren’t well-known yet, but most Asian-made “flutes” are cheap and poorly made. The vast majority of badly built “flutes” come out of Pakistan, with some coming from China and Taiwan. Be careful with Asian-made “Irish flutes.” The vast majority of Irish flute makers are based in Europe and North America, with a few notable examples elsewhere.If the flute you’re looking at has a brand name rather than a person’s name, it’s likely to be bad. Usually, they build flutes under their own name. Irish flute makers are master craftsmen who usually work alone. They may have an apprentice or a helper around their workshop, but they don’t run a big production line.There are a number of budget-friendly options for beginning Irish flute players that are made by well-respected flute makers. They may seem like a good deal to start with, but they don’t play well and have little to no resale value. To save yourself some money and frustration, stay away from FSOs. You may not even be able to get a sound out of them! Their embouchure, bore, and toneholes are usually crudely done at best, and tuning and basic playability are horrendous. They’re usually made of cheap wood painted or stained to look exotic. In other words, they may look like a flute, but that’s just about it. While even a keyless Irish flute from a well-respected maker might cost upwards of $1,000, these can be had for $300 or less, sometimes even less than $100! A bargain, right? A common listing for a cheaply made “Irish flute” for sale on eBay.Ī lot of players call these “flute-shaped objects,” or FSOs for short. They’re often billed as “Professional,” and supposedly made of exotic woods like ebony, blackwood, and rosewood. If you look on eBay, Amazon, and other online retailers, you’ll find a number of very cheap “Irish Flutes” for sale.
The McGee flute model he sells is a copy of the antique flute Larsen plays, and was made specially for him.
Hobgoblin USA and UK – Both sites sell Tony Dixon flutes as well as the cheap mass-produced flutes I’ll talk about below.When in doubt, search the brand name and see what information you can find on the maker. They’re cheap, but these are not very good flutes for reasons I’ll detail a little later in this article. One thing to be aware of is that they also sell a few mass-produced flutes that are not made by expert flute makers. They have a decent selection of Irish flutes for sale, including ones made by Joseph Morneault, Casey Burns, and Tony Dixon. Lark in the Morning is one of the largest retailers of folk instruments in the US. As you’ll find, there are a lot of great makers out there, and lots of strong opinions from players as to which are the best! Looking through discussion forums like The Session and Chiff and Fipple is a great way to get a sense of which makers other flutes players really like. The Irish Flute Guide has a handy searchable list of flute makers that you can use to find makers near you. There are too many great flute makers to list them all here. In fact, for most makers this is the only way to buy a new flute! Very few makers offer their flutes through online retailers, but most have websites with prices, information on what they offer, and contact details. Communauté Francophone des Flûtes Irlandaisesīy far, the best way to buy a new Irish flute is directly from the maker.Where to Find Used Irish Flutes For Sale.