Does anyone here play or have tried a Drelinger headjoint? I have an opportunity to pick one up used for a really nice price (or so it seems) but would need to get it resized to my flute to actually use it, so a trial isn't particularly feasible. What do/did you like best about it? Least? How resistant is yours? What style? TIA!

I have tried several on trial and didn't like any of them. They were all too bold and straght forward for my taste. I like the more Brannen/Powell sound.

I have never tried a Drelinger headjoint. I would like to travel the 2 1/2 hours to the nearest city on his 'tour' next year to try some. This year I was too sick.

For an interesting article about one man's experience with Drelinger himself and selecting a headjoint, go to http://voxflute.port5.com/drelinger.htm

If you are able, borrow a flute with a barrel large enough to accommodate the Drelinger HJ so that you can try it. If the HJ is really a steal of a deal, buy it and have it sized for your flute, and sell it if you don't like it. Before you buy it, ask a good flute tech to measure your flute barrel, and the Drel. HJ tenon, with a digital caliper. The tech can tell you if the HJ can be resized easily.

I always enjoy having a well made headjoint to try out. Very often it takes two or three days to really get the best out of the new headjoint. Even if you don't buy this headjoint, you will probably notice some 'new' things about your old headjoint. Those properties were always there, but you have learned new embouchure flexibility from the 'new' headjoint that translates to the old one. I attribute a lot of the improvement in my tone, and flexibility with different sounds on both piccolo and flute, to having, and using, two very well made, but different headjoints. (I have a Prima Sankyo NRS-1 silver headjoint and a Powell Philharmonic cut grenadilla headjoint.) I couldn't play the Powell very well when I first tried it, but now it is my favorite.

I take any opportunity I can to play a professional, handmade and well designed headjoint. For me, it is like getting free flute lessons.

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Mr. Drelinger makes a LOT of different styles of headjoint, whereas many makers have at most four or five different headjoint cuts. Some people have compared trying Drelinger headjoints to Harry Potter's selection of a magic wand. What I'm trying to say here is that the headjoint that you have an opportunity to buy may or may not be to your liking, and the only way to know is to play it.

Yes, but she said that it is really cheap and sounds then like it would be used and not new. That being said, you can resell it. Just be aware that selling headjoints is not so easy.

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Just re read the first post. It is indeed a used one.

Micron,

I posted that link precisely because any other internet info that I have found is heavily slanted toward Drelinger headjoints being the 'miracle' that makes a person play much better.

Mr. Drelinger is indeed a very good marketer. I must qualify that this statement makes NO reference to morals and selling with scruples. That I do not know, although I do think that you are right to be suspicious.

In fact, we don't know what he does with his 'discards'. If he were, by my husband's business school training, interested in quality control, he would melt them down... and then advertise the fact that he does! But perhaps he does practice quality control, but he doesn't want anybody to think that he ever makes a discard!

I don't think that I have seen a Drelinger headjoint sell for less than $500 or so on eBay. Has anyone else seen one cheaper? If the headjoint was up for sale for $450 or so, this would cover expenses of turning it around and selling it on eBay, allowing a trial and a sale if it isn't what this player likes.

My point was that it is always an opportunity to play a well made headjoint for a week or so, especially if it is different from your own.

Just wanted to say thanks for everyone's suggestions. My computer was out of commission for a few days (hard drive failure), so I wasn't able to follow the thread until now.

I think I'm going to test it on a loaner flute and see what it can do.