Comments from The Session: Discussions
Comments on Martin Doyle flutes from members of The Session: Discussions. The Session is a website dedicated to Irish traditional music and particularly to the exchange of traditional tunes.
An interesting discussion regarding the tunability of Martin Doyle's flutes: Martin Doyle Flutes, tunable or non tuneable?
[Martin Doyle's] flutes are very easy to play, have a great rounded sound and prices range from as low as the mid hundreds up to the thousands. All of his flutes are great and his keyless ones are very popular not just for beginners but for lots of flute players. Great for starting off on. Cocus wood, African Blackwood and boxwood are the types he uses and all are different.
[...] Martin Doyle keyless Celtic model, which is an extremely good instrument for a modest amount of money.
MARTIN DOYLE! Great flute and wonderful service from a true gentleman. I agree with all other comments on his flute: blows easy, great power and volume, nice dark tone. I got mine about eight months ago, I only had to wait three weeks!
[...] I did try a Martin Doyle for the first time a few weeks ago and would have to say it was deffo the easiest flute I ever played to get a loud strong tone.
[...] if its power you want (agreeing with S.Doherty), Martin Doyle is your man. I have a Doyle flute and it is super easy to play and has with a big powerful tone...
I have a Martin Doyle flute... class! – and it has a tuning slide! Deadly tone from it!
They're are a great flute. I have a traditional style one in Blackwood. They have a very loud cutting tone when played to their full extent. Very suitable if you play in a Belfast or Fermanagh kind of style.
Have the traditional variety (not the celtic one) in mopane and without tuning slide. BTW, I don't miss the latter. I think it is very well made. The parts fit nicely, the bore is very highly polished. I concur that the tone is very nice and especially the bottom is strong. I have a Pratten copy as well. Same timber. The Pratten is somewhat more powerful. The tone of the Doyle is more refined, but you can push it to become quite reedy as well. Certainly a very good flute.
Excellent flute, I have a celtic style one and my sis has a black African blackwood one, the African Blackwood has slightly better tone, maybe because its older and played a lot more, for fleadhs and solo playing I always play it! Martin is a lovely man too, sorry that he moved to Clare, miss him here in Wicklow!
[...] If you go for a keyless Doyle, you will probably be surprised to learn how short the waiting period is. By all means contact Martin! He's not only brilliant maker but a very nice and helpful person.
[...] I was lucky, Martin had my flute for me in a matter of weeks. Hope you don't have to wait too long! Doyle is a very good choice.
[...] I just can't resist to add that Martin Doyle Celtic D Flute is my absolutely number one. This is exactly the instrument I've been looking for ever since I started! Perfectly in tune, easy to play, versatile and beautiful. Can't imagine anything better.
[...] I play a Martin Doyle flute and love it. I've never had much trouble with the lack of a [tuning] slide.
Brian Finnegan plays a [Martin Doyle] keyless D these days. Tried it a couple weeks ago and it's an awesome flute.
Just recently, had a chance to try out the 'Celtic design' flute of Martin Doyle (D), and I'm still under big impression – impeccable high octave, strong base, a true dream of a flute player [...]
I have a Martin Doyle keyless Blackwood and can't praise this mans flutes enough [...] Martin had the flute to me in three weeks of my placing the order. I know you are in no rush, but you can't be bad to that! The bottom end is extremely strong and very dark and rich. Tuning is precision, volume is 'session perfect' [...]
[...] I also wish to put on record here that the Doyle flute is a wonderful instrument, great value and Martin is a gentleman to do business with.
[...] buying from Martin Doyle will insure you get a great flute.
[...] I've switched from an 8 keyed to a keyless (Martin Doyle) and don't miss the keys much. [...] It has a big sound and speaks nicely. [...] Oh – and the Doyle doesn't have a tuning slide...
I purchased a Martin Doyle keyless D flute at the Doolin Music shop in Doolin, County Clare this last summer. It's made of mopane wood, a beautiful chestnut brown grained wood. It has an unlined head joint, i.e. there is no metal tuning slide inside the headjoint. As a result it has a beautiful woody tone. It is tunable still with a cork lined joint between the head and body. I love this instrument more every day I play it and I'm getting my embouchre whipped into shape [...]
[...] I am currently playing a keyless cocus wood flute by Martin Doyle and would recommend checking him out. His flutes are excellent and he is a very friendly and amenable chap.
I just managed to acquire a Martin Doyle flute from an independent seller. This is the best flute I have ever played, hands down. I love it. I would recommend his flutes to anyone. Wow, I was just totally blown away by how easily and consistently it plays. Kudos to Martin.
I don't play the flute, but my daughter does and we spent the summer trying out flutes for her as an upgrade from the basic student flute she started with. At the Willie Clancy week we stumbled across flutes by a maker in Bray, Ireland, [now in County Clare] Martin Doyle. We bought one for her which has an exceptional tone and I would highly recommend him as a maker. He does a range of keyed/non keyed instruments and ones with or without a tuning slide. The one we got our daughter has no tuning slide but is has an internal cork which can be adjusted easily with a tuning gauge which he supplies. It has been tried out now by just about all the flute players we know... most of them don't want to give it back!