This hardwood is one of my favorites for turning into a flute. The length is 25-3/4 inches overall, with a one inch bore diameter. Materials used for the mouthpiece include SE Asian amboyna burl between layers of copper and African ebony, capped with the huangana negra. The flute has an endcap of African ebony and additional amboyna burl. Lastly, the fetish is cut from huangana, with wing overlays of two different paua abalone varieties, and addl. ebony. Oklahoma red cedar is bonded to the material as a base. Inlay begins at the mouthpiece, with an 8x11mm Mexican boulder opal, flanked by 4.2mm turquoise cabs. The fetish ties run through the flute, allowing for unobstructed inlay to the compression chamber. This consists of 18mm disks of amboyna burl, a simple pyrographic design backfilled with Arizona chrosocolla, and Afghani lapis, Arizona malachite, and Sleeping Beauy mine turquoise from Globe Ariz. There’s a hint of Ethiopian jasper, but it was switched for the turquoise as it was barely visible. The area forward from the fetish block includes a 6x11mm abalone diamond, as well as a dome cut 17x23mm Mexican crazy lace agate. The finger holes are accented with six 4mm abalone dots, and a 7x12mm abalone diamond. Lastly, the fetish block has a 1ct, trillion cut, 6mm Brazilian azotic topaz set to the crown, and two 2.2mm faceted black African diamonds, set as eyes.
The flute was tuned at 72 degrees F, w/ 64% humidity, at sea level.
Note: The fetish need not be completely removed from the flute for drying purposes. The ties can be simply loosened, and the fetish pulled to the side overnight.