Well, no doubt that original, it is indeed. And I would say that beautifully baroque, too. Nice for playing Telemann's "Concerto a Tre" I am currently practising, for example.

But I am afraid it would be almost unplayable, heavier and with difficult fingering and worst, I would be wearing a scratched right cheek most of the time.

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But maybe being scratched by a wood nymph would be fine, after all.

John Lunn is known for creating these sorts of natural world-related flutes with respect to form and function.
They are interesting to look at but I would reserve my own comments as to playability for after I try one out. I'm not much attracted to this because these things add weight ya know. Esp. if they are 14K Gold adornments and I don't really look at my flutes much while I play them.
~bilbo

Just be sure it gets an annual COAPFF.

(Clean, Oil, Adjust, Prune, Fertilize, and Fumigate)

As Bilbo said, "no one ever told me after a concert my instrument looked beautiful during that Telemann piece".

And Musicman makes me wonder if you took a clipping, grew it a little and then kept it trimmed like a Bonzai wouldn't you be getting a free Piccolo out of the deal?

Very creative guy; builds flutes, writes novels, screen plays, builds jewlery. I wonder how long he was at Powell? I do like that he is interested in thinking outside the box. I wonder how well these flutes really play.

It would actually be really cool to own one...just to show off.
Who knows? Maybe it plays well.

I think it is indeed a interesting piece, and could possibly lack a playable quality, but then again why does one buy a purple trumpet, it's fun to play around on but not necessarily the best option.

Nice to look at. But I would be afraid of my just being in that flutes presence that it would break:D
I wanted to buy a turquoise trumpet. even tho I don't play trumpet... But i could learn:D

wow. totally beautiful! haha. some of the keys and build of the flute look like it would make it hard to play, but im pretty sure its a decent flute

I can't believe that all of you guys have never heard of Lunn flutes.

He quit making them about 8 years ago to persue a writing career.

Well, he is back.

I think he is a flautist and a jeweler. He took down everything on his old website. It had his bio. I don't remember who he apprenticed under.

Most of his old flutes were not as fancy as the one he just made. They might have a B thumb key that was shaped like a leaf and the G# key was a branch. Maybe some woody looking keys on the footjoint.

I would love to try one of his flutes.

The one he just made looks a little too facy for me. I am sure with all of my hand problems, I wouldn't be able to play it.

I look at it and my hands say "ouch!" It is certainly a work of art. I have seen other flutes of his. I love his work as I always appreciate something different than just a normal silver flute. (Even though they are all beautiful in some way or another.) I have read on another forum some time back that a lady owned one of his flutes but sold it because she said it didn't play all that well. I have heard that from other sources when doing a research on them, but I have never tried one myself so I can't make a judgment there.

Well, the difference between a John Lunn flute and a pink-lacquer flute (or a turqoise trumpet) is going to be a pretty big one- kinda like Simba vs. Miyazawa or some such.

I have always really loved the look of these flutes, but this particular one is too much for my taste. Maybe it just needs fumigating?? (LOVE that COAFPF comment!)

It does look heavy, but John Lunn did get a lot of attention working with Jean Baxtresser and others on specifically creating flutes that were ergonomically superior. I for one would be delighted to have an angled footjoint key cluster; my pinky is pretty short, and my RH gets achy from long practice days when I use the footjoint keys much. I don't think I'd like the slightly roughed texture of the D# touch though; I want my finger to be able to slide easily between C or C# and D#.



Maybe this is just a 'lets see how far we can go' kind of flute- I really love his more subtle ones. I think lots of people would like a flute with just one or two 'easter eggs' on it, like the turtle crown, or the spider embouchure plate, or some viny/woody trill keys or posts. But yeah, the whole thing is just too much for me.

Personally, I think it is a beautiful work of art. Is it practical? Probably not. There is beauty in simplicity, but after a while simplicity and practicality can get boring. Good for him for breaking the mold and creating something different.

Looks good, but you know, it's like a guitar player. There's something great about the guy who is playing up a storm on a beat up old flute that looks like it cost all of $50.

(I've been listening to a lot of club and jazz music from S. America and Africa lately - heh)

it looks quite cool but impractical, I am sure it probably sounds fine but I wouldn't get one because I would be too scared to use it, would make a nice decoration though.

Personally, I think it's amazing! The craftsmanship that went into making that is incredible! Granted,it would be incredibly awkward to play but once you got used to it, you'd have a one of a kind! Of course, I'm not sure if I'd ever play it. I'd put in a glass case too look at it! Wow! What a flute!