Well, I finally did it. I got my piccolo! I'm very happy since I am a performance major and have never owned a piccolo before. Instead, I've been using a friend's Emerson EP-6. Which, by the way, dont buy one because the tone quality is horrendous. Anywho, after many questions and trials, I chose a Burkart-Phelan Global with the Lillian Burkart Clarion headjoint. It was more affordable than the standard B-P and with the upgraded headjoint, the Global sounded much better than it's more expensive cousin. However, Kara mentioned to me before that the Global mechanism was "sloppy". I noticed this as well (the tension was very uneven). However, after a small adjusty mment, the key action was amazing. I do wish, however, that the quality of the wood was better (the wood used for the Global seems to be from the outer edge of the tree whereas the wood used for the B-P was in the middle of the edge and the heart. the wood used for the Burkart Custom/Deluxe was heartwood. I guess that's the price you pay when jumping from an $2000 picc to a $5000 picc). I am very pleased with my purchase and cannot wait to pick it up on Wednesday! (I have to put the rest of the money down since my parents bought it for me as a gift and my dad gets paid Tuesday)

WOO HOO!!!

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adjusty mment?? that should say "adjustment"

wow, am I impaired today...

Congratulations! I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Congrats! After everything you went through this year, I am glad to see you did end up getting your piccolo in the end.

When I owned my Global, I sent it to the Burkart factory to see if they could regulate that slop a little bit. They told me it was supposed to be like that and didn't do anything but try to get me to buy the handmade one from them instead. I am glad that you were able to get yours tweaked. I played on the same headjoint as you chose also and do miss it. The Pearl piccolo that I have now has a wave head on it and that is the only thing that I wish I could change with it.

funny, i spoke with someone at the burkart factory over the phone (also about the mechanism) and they said the global was handmade.

http://www.burkart.com/files/PiccoloDiffernces.doc

maybe its the amount of "handmade" in each model.

The Global is handmade to an extent. They body is made in the US by Burkart, but the keys work is made and one over seas. That is the way they can cut down the price on it and that probably explains why the mechanism isn't up to pare as on the other Burkart line of piccs. I thought that they step up Burkar/Phelan piccolo from the Global sounded almost identical. The only big differnce to me was in the key action. Both aweseom piccolos! I do miss mine, but do not want to go back to playing wood again.

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Should read..
The body and keys are made and DONE over seas. Sorry I type fast and bad at that :)

thats ok.
i am not against any instrument from overseas. i play on a japanese flute so i would be contrdicting myself.

however, ive noticed that chinese instruments have followed the same trend: poor quality. not necessarily the case all the time though.

we shall see. im almsot certain that this wont be my last piccolo, but only my first. i think for the money, i ended up with a nice instrument. the only instrument that even came close (and it surpassed it) was the B-P. and it was over $1000 more. the powell signature didnt even compare, surprisingly.

I didn't care for the Powell Sig that much either. As far as overseas go, the Burkart's mechanism is being made in China. I was not at all implying that it wasn't a great piccolo because of this, I was just letting you know the facts about it. I did a lot of research before I bought mine, that is why I know this stuff. I don't have much of a problem with any flutes or piccs being made over seas either, but I do tend to get weary when China is involved only because of the poor reputation and previous experiences.

Japanese flutes are wonderful and are some of the best built flutes today, but my style of playing does not agree with them as they tend to run sharp for me. I prefer the scale of American made flutes is all.

The China made flutes are getting better and not all are bad. For the price the Global just can't be beat. My opinion of course as I am somewhat partial to Burkart piccs anyway.

Congratulations on your new piccolo!

I was wondering if the French flute-makers "Marigoux" is the "standard" for wooden piccolos?

When I talk to piccolo players, that name always seems to come up.

Just wondering why? But congrats on your new piccolo. Enjoy! I'm confident that you made the right decision.

Best of luck to you! Regards, Jim

I think that's "Marigaux," Jim -- as your own thread taught us a couple of months ago! ;-)

congrats, you will get lots of miles from that picc...