Why on earth would I buy a polymer flute when I could have a perfectly good wood flute for twice the price?
Polymer flutes can actually be superior in some regards to exotic wood flutes. Don’t believe that? Well, did you ever hear of a little magazine called Scientific American? Yep, the one that publishes articles by Nobel prize winners and stuff. Well, how about checking out this article, then c’mon back and we’ll talk…
So, as you now know, within reasonable limits, the material that a flute is made of has little to do with the sound, except to the extent that it limits the practical dimensions of the instrument and the type of finish you can put on the flute. A wood flute will never sound like a metal flute because it is impractical to make a wood flute with .016″ wall thickness. And since our polymer flutes have generally the same dimensions and finish as traditional Irish wood flutes, the sounds are quite similar. Not exactly the same, mind you, since no two flutes have exactly the same dimensions, but the difference in sound is not primarily because of the difference in material. The difference in sound comes primarily from the art and skill of the flute maker.
OK, so polymer can sound as good as any wood, but why can a polymer flute be superior to wood? Four reasons:
- #1 – Consistency – Polymer doesn’t swell or shrink with changes in temperature and humidity, so the sound is consistent under all conditions. This includes changes caused by playing, or by weather conditions.
- #2 – Durability – Polymers do not warp or crack like wood. They are virtually indestructible under reasonable playing conditions, and they require no special care whatsoever, except an occasional washing in warm water and dish soap.
- #3 – Cost – Polymer is a less expensive material than exotic wood, and because of the consistency of the material, there is less scrap and waste in the machining process. This means that an excellent sounding flute costs less to make.
- #4 – Environmental – I know it’s hard to believe that something pumped out of the ground is more environmentally friendly than something that grows out of the ground, but you read the Scientific American article.
Now, there are probably a lot of folks who don’t want to believe that polymer can be superior to exotic woods, and there are probably even some people who don’t want you to believe this. And since how you feel about your instrument does, in fact, have a great influence on how you play, there surely is something to the romantic mystique of an African blackwood flute. (Except that it requires someone to saw down an almost extinct African blackwood tree. Other than that, it’s pretty romantic.) But in any case, Michael Cronnolly makes excellent polymer and wood flutes, period.