Thanks for your interest…
I’m a one person operation and I travel quite a bit, sometimes I tour as a performer as well, so I’m in and out of production at times.
I’m usually hard at work on a new batch of several different keys when I get back to the workshop in VA (USA). If you have any questions about a particular key, feel free to ask.
Flute prices including case:
Low Bb $120.00
Low C $95.00
Low D $85.00
Eb $85.00
F $65.00
G $65.00
A $57.00
Bb (fife) $50.00
C (pic.) $50.00
D (pic.) $50.00
Shipping USPS Priority is $8.00 in the continental US and includes tracking and insurance. International air mail averages about $17.00 to $22.00. No online tracking is available on international shipments at this time without spending as much as I charge for my flutes. A US customs form number will be provided as proof of shipment and will help if it gets lost. (I’ve had no trouble as long as the address is correct on your Paypal account.)
I prefer paypal and can invoice you. Rather than have a “click to buy” option I’d rather respond to your personal emails to make sure we are on the same page as to your particular needs or preferences, and also that I have that particular key in stock. Once you are invoiced, it means I’m ready to ship. I don’t tie your money up that way.
You may get faster response by e-mailing me direct at billymiller(at)swva(dot)net. (I don’t type the code in to avoid spam robots, so insert the @ and “dot” yourself, thanks.)
My internet access can be sporadic at best when I’m traveling, so if I don’t get in touch right away, don’t panic!
Thanks again.
Cheers, Billy
William Miller
Windwood Flutes
333 Music Road
Floyd, VA 24091 (USA)
Greetings, Noticed bamboo flute in above picture, one with shushi mat in background! Do you have any flutes in low D with bamboo similar to this pictured? Or maybe a blank stock not made yet. Looking for one with such natural coloration and markings. P.S. I enjoyed your spot on the cars and the Presidential race, I voted for Obama . Hope we can clean up our mess……………….. MERRY CHRISTMAS !
Hi Billy
I play the whistle but would like to learn to play the flute and your instruments interest me and the sound is beautiful.
I would like to order a high D (pic), F, G and low D which I believe would come to $260 plus p&P. I am happy to pay by PayPal.
I am away from mid January to mid March 2010.
Can you give me a likely completion date for all three please?
Kind regards
Mike
Hi Billy – we have talked before – basically about my inability to commit to key/tuning. Then a little ADHD kicks in and I’m off the subject. For the last six months I have been working on a PVC Anastasia Brad Youg made for me to see if I could/would spent the time learning plastic before he made me a nice one out of wood.http://4windflutes.homestead.com/index.html
so far – so good
Any way I want to talk again about what I want and what you think should want. I have been playing Native American Flutes for several years now and while I am certainly no Nakai, Mary Youngblood, or Peter Phippen – I am getting better all the time. I had asked about having you tune a flute pentatonic but I believe you wisely steered me away, something about I could play it pentatonically by a certain fingering pattern? Wise choice – why would I have you make a flute with less potential?
The other issue was what key I should get first. I really like the deeper flutes so I would like a low of key and can play and afford. I’m 5’6″ tall with rather normal length for my height. When I put my fingers on a ruler I have about a 6 inch finger spread.
Let me know what you might have available, with the prices, and I’ll be back in touch
feel free to use my regular email:
dkreitzer@woh.rr.com
peace,
David
Hi Billie. Per our email exchange just now, I’d like to try one of your low D flutes (I play a bit of Irish music, but also like other types of woodwind music). If you have an especially nice sounding/looking piece of bamboo, I’d greatly appreciate it! (I’m sure all your clients ask the same thing!).
You can ship it to my work address:
Prof. Jay Dougherty
Loyola Law School
919 Albany ST.
L.A., CA 90015
My cel is 310-694-6666 if you need it.
I assume you’ll invoice me on paypal in due course when you’re ready. I’m okay waiting a while if you’ve got a really nice piece of bamboo in your new load…
I am a musician looking for a new sound! I majored in flute in college, and own (and play) a flute, piccolo,oboe, sax, a nice (soprano) recorder and a harp. Playing with others is important!
Yesterday I received one of ‘those’ bamboo flutes. The holes are huge! and almost impossible to cover, not to mention that the left hand is ….well, painful to reach.
I think a (low) D flute would correspond most closely with the fingering patterns I know.
Do your flutes have the thumb-hole like a recorder?
(I know there are websites with cross-fingerings out there, so if not, this is not insurmountable!)
My first requirement is intonation. My second is intonation. My third is being able to reach and cover the holes!
I purchased one of your flutes, bamboo, Key of “D” (Tonic “G”). I would like to order a bamboo flute in Key of “C”, (Tonic “F”), but I’m concerned as to the hole spacing as I have small hands along with short fingers and a bit of arthritis in my right hand. (Ya can’t get everything, Huh? At least I can still pucker).
Could you tell me what the hole spacing would be? The flute of yours that I have now is playable but I’m concerned that the reach might be too much in a “C” flute.
Thank you so much
Jim Whitehead
Hello Billy,
I’ve been playing various flutes for my own enjoyment for years and now would like to own a low D made by you. I like the information you provide on your blog and look forward to hearing from you as to the time frame it takes to produce the instrument and invoicing.
Robert
Hi Billy,
I have so much about the good quality of your flutes. I am somewhat of a beginner on playing transverse flutes. I have been playing NAF , Anasazi, Mohave and Xiao for a while now and want to try one of your flutes. I have a D on order from another maker right now. If I had known about you I would have ordered it from you. So what would a second key choice be for a beginner? Also I play left handed? Do you have any flutes in stock for a lefty? Thanks So Much. Mike
Hi Mike,
I think we’ve be chatting directly now via my email [billymiller(at)swva(dot)net] but to make this public, I’d like to state that I really prefer F or Eb as alternate keys if you already own a “D” … with G being a close third. Most of this depends on your needs… the key of G is easily gotten on a D flute (yet the key of C is easily gotten on a G flute so…) but if you are looking for greater key range/variety… F or Eb are are the keys to choose.
G is right in the middle and is one of the easiest to play for the novice, so is what I steer beginners toward.
On the lefty issue, I normally don’t stock them but will make them with about a 4 week waiting time. The smaller flutes (G and under) are universal as I don’t do the finger-hole off-set, but larger flutes have a slight off-set to the finger-holes to help with the reach, normally set for holding the flute to the right with the left hand closest to the mouth hole. I can cut the holes off-set lefty style but it may take a month (or 2 at most if I’m traveling).
Thanks so much, Billy
Hi Billy. Do you make flutes in E? If so, I would like to order E, F and A flutes, please.
I’ve had my bamboo flutes stolen (including a D Olwell) and would like to replace them. I use my Chris Wilkes Blackwood D flute for gigs now.
Looking forward to your reply,
Regards,
Anthony Quinn
Hi Anthony, Sorry to hear of your loss. I can help you out and am sending you a personal email so we can chat more about it. Thanks! (Oh, and the answer is “yes”)
Hello Billy!
My name is JangIk Son from Korea.
I got an email from you saying that I just paid for the flutes by paypal but not mentioning which key I want and also my mailing address.
But I actually did. I emailed you with those information soon after I paid. Though I sent an email once again.
My email says that you haven’t checked my emails yet.
I wonder if my emails went directly into your spam box.
So please check your spam box.
If you can’t find my emails there, please let me know.
I’ll email you with the information again.
Thanks very much.
Dear Billy
My name is JangIk Son from Korea.
I am very interested in playing many kinds of musical instruments.
and nowadays I am very much into learning bamboo flutes.
I was so happy when I found your website.
I have just registered “paypal” in order to buy some flutes from you and paid 215 $US for
1 Low D, and 2 G.
I wasn’t sure if I had to add the shipping cost together or not.
So, please let me know how much exactly is needed to ship to Korea (my email ->
sji0347@hanmail.net). I will send that postage by paypal again.
What I have ordered is 1 Low D, and 2 G.
I want both of them to go over 2 octave(I’m not sure how to say that in English, hope you unerstand what I mean.),
and to sound clear.
I’m looking forward to receiving the flutes.
If my request is not clear to you or I made any mistakes, please email me and make sure before you send me the flutes.
Thank you.
JangIk Son
Hi Billy!
I wonder if you haven’t checked emails from me and my friend(HeaYoung). I ordered 3 flutes and left my mailing address and which keys I want also. please check your email including your spam box(my mails might have gone to your spam box). Hope you get back to me soon. Thanks.
Hi Janglk Son,
You speak English quite well, no problem (I, unfortunately do not speak Korean).
You are right about the spam filter. I am getting these (woodpress) messages from you but not your direct emails. I delete my spam notices after looking through many ads for viagra and the like.
I’m currently on the road playing music for a Renaissance festival in N. Wisconsin so my I have no daily internet access, but I check it about once a week at a cafe (so I have a slow response time currently).
I can still send you the flutes you want (2 G and 1 low D) but need to check with the US postal service for shipping prices. I think it will be about $15 to $20 for all 3.
I noticed that you’ve requested a refund on the paypal payment and that is O.K., the money will go back to your account.
I can send you an invoice via paypal when we have all the details worked out. I still have no mailing address for you and had no idea what keys you were interested in as that information was not included in your paypal payment.
Just let me know what you’d like to do.
감사 – 당신 Thank-you, Billy
Hi Billy! I’m relieved that you finally got back to me. I’ve waited for your reply for many days.
Yes, what I was worried about was right. My emails went to your spam box. Now that you know what happened to us, please check your spam box too. I emailed you with my mailing address. Thank you.
Hello!
Haha Yes, it surely is frustrating! ^^
It’s better to write any messages right here rather than your email. I thought that last time too, but I kind of didn’t want to leave my personal address in the board which anyone else can see. but it can’t be helped anymore I think.
Here is my address.
JangIk Son
456 Samcheong-ri, Waegwan-eup, Chilgok-gun, Gyeongbuk, Korea
718-803 (zip code)
I’d like you to delete this message after your sort out everything for the shipping. Is that ok with you?
OK. I won’t pay for the postage until you tell me so.
Let me know how much and when. I’ll wait.
I’m really looking forward to receiving the flutes. ^^
I hope the music festival you are playing will be successfully finished. All the best.
Billy,
I emailed you yesterday but after reading that you often miss emails due to them being filtered to your spam I thought I would write you here.
I’m looking for a flute for my daughter to learn on. She is young… only 7 but is good at caring for her instruments. Our whole family plays instruments so she knows how to care for them.
Anyway, being a violinist myself I’m not sure what a good choice is for a first flute…whether a D or G, etc… I’m guessing something smaller would be best but I want something that she can continue to use for years to come.
Do you have suggestions? Also, do you have that available??
Thanks,
Olivia Schneider
Hi Olivia, So sorry I missed you. I know this has taken a while to get back to you. I’ve been on the road all summer with very sporadic internet access. Still making flutes but have been performing a lot this year. (The good news with that is that the more I play, the better I get, and the flutes get as well!)
I think for someone her age the smaller flutes are better. Some thing between G and the high piccolo D. I would go with Bb or perhaps A, as the piccolos take a bit more control to play.
I’m going to write you and we can continue this conversation from my personal email account…
Which flute would be closest to the C flute normally played in Concert Ensembles etc?
Hi Sara, Sorry this took so long… (see my other comments)
D is actually closer in pitch to the C fingering wise, and most older wooden flutes are in D. Thats because of the different fingering systems. In other words, when you cover the main 6 keys (not counting the thumb) on a classical flute, the note you get is a D, likewise the next note up (5 fingers) is E.
On my C bamboo flutes, the actual note when all 6 holes are covered is C, five fingers down is D etc.
Hope this helps!
thanks so much for your interest, Billy
Billy,
could you email me about your flutes? I need a flute to play outdoors at a renaissance festival for 5-6 1 hour shows in early October. While most attendees probably don’t realize keys are anachronistic for a renaissance festival, I personally would prefer to go keyless for authenticity. I normally play an ebonite large hole 8 key rudall based flute. I will be playing with a group of other Irish musicians.
I’ve heard great things about your flutes, but just want to make sure the playing schedule (and with it only being a month away) won’t hurt the flute.
I sent an email, but wonder if it was caught in your spam filters.
Thanks,
Eric
Hi Eric,
The spam filter is sometimes a problem but I’ve simply been away traveling with no access.
Check your email. Thanks
Hi Billy, hope you’re well.
I tried to send emails to your private address, but saw a conversation with you and someone about emails getting caught in your spam filter, so I thought I’d try here again.
I’d like to order 2 flutes: 1 each in E and A please.
I’m so impressed with the F flute, I enjoy playing it as much as the one I lost.
Please let me know when you’re ready to invoice and I’ll pay you the cash.
Would it be possible for me to receive them for November 1st 2010? I’d like to have them for some gigs I’m doing in Spain later that month.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Regards,
Anthony
Thanks so much Anthony… p.s. you’ve got mail (I’ve been away way too long it seems)
Billy,
I posted on your site a while back about purchasing a flute for my daughter and needing advice on which flute would be best. I never heard anything back so I’m posting again in the hopes that we can get an order started.
Thank you,
Olivia
Hi Olivia, I’ve been traveling and away from the internet for a goodly spell. Hope you’re still interested.
I just finished up several flutes so I can ship immediately. If you want to call my home phone is 540-745-8263 or email me at billymiller(at)swva(dot)net with your home phone and I can talk to you a little more in depth about what your daughter might like.
Thanks for your patience, Billy
Hi Billy. Hope you’re well as I haven’t heard back from you.
Could you please confirm whether or not you can complete the order for an E and A flute I made on 11th September by this Friday Oct 1st 2010? If I haven’t heard from you, I’m afraid I’ll have to cancel the order and reluctantly look for another vendor as I need the flutes by 8th November 2010 at the latest.
I look forward to your response.
Take care,
Anthony
Sorry for the delay Anthony. I’ve been on the road. I have something ready for you now. Check your email. Thanks so much, Billy
Check your email. Thanks Anthony
Billy,
My wife and I bought one of your cassettes about 20 years ago at a faire in FL. Finally copied it onto a CD a couple years back and now have the tunes on my IPOD. It reminds me of our first years of marriage. Thanks for the great music and for the flute, sorry to say I don’t play it much better than I did back when I got it from you.
Jim
Okay, this is an incredible long-shot or just a shout into the void, as Jim’s comment is 12 years old, but I’m trying everything I can to get a copy of “Billy Miller – Pipe Dreams”. If the OP, or Billy, or anyone else sees this message who has any leads on how I can find a recording in any format, I would greatly appreciate it. I, too, have important memories tied to a Billy Miller recording from decade ago, but was not lucky or smart enough to burn a CD of it before the cassette died or disappeared.
Thanks Danny. Things have gotten so completely complex now. I appreciate your comments and feedback. I had a stroke recently and my computers think I’m not me. But this is me 👌🎶
Billy,
I would like to purchase 3 flutes: C, F, and low D. my email is Scottman642209@sbcglobal.net
Hi Chris, I’ve been off-line for a bit. Look for a personal email and I can tell you the waiting time is about 3 weeks at present.
thanks so much, Billy
Hi Billy,
Hope this note finds you well and that your summer music is a flowin’. When you get back to making I’d like to get one of your sweet ‘G’ Flutes. I’ve got an ‘F’ right now and it’s my favorite. I’ll drop you an email too to place my order.
thx,
Dave from Kittery
I’d just like to say how great playing and sounding your flutes are Billy. I bought a low D back in 2009 and an F some time later, and they are both amazingly great sounding, and very reasonably priced. Thank you for your caring work. Are you back at it? If so, I may have to try another key. In any event, just wanted to post here what wonderful instruments you make. Best, Jay
Billy, I sent you an email about purchasing a flute in F a few weeks ago, but I assume it went in your junk folder by accident. My email is sklewtchkin AT hot mail DOT com. Thanks.
I’ve been at the Bristol Ren. Faire (near Chicago) all summer. Performing, and with a flute shop. It’s been hectic. The show is over, and I have been working on a new batch of flutes here the last couple of weeks (I have a small workshop in the back) since the show is closed. The bamboo I’ve been working with is keen. Harvested myself from selected spots in FL. I have something for you and will connect via my email address.
That’s great! Many thanks for the swift reply. I eagerly await hearing back from you. Hope all was well with the fair and flute shop
I have a bamboo flute 23 ” long with your brochure. wondering if you can tell me how old it is? Original cost according to the brochure was $24.00 plus shipping.
That Flute is in D and was one of my earlier designs. Most likely made in the mid 1980’s from the brochure price. The flutes have gotten better (and “slightly” more expensive at $85.00 for a D at present). Glad to know the flutes are withstanding the test of time. My “maker’s mark” on the flutes has changed since then as well. Thanks, and I hope it’s still getting played. All the best, Billy
Hi Billy,
I wrote an email last week, so I thought I’d check in with you here. I’d like to buy one of your flutes in low D.
Thanks!
Hi Rob, thanks for the heads up. You may have gotten lost in spam and such. Sending a PM.
Your entire post, “Prices/ Ordering | WINDWOOD FLUTES” was in fact worth
commenting on! Simply just desired to say u did a wonderful
work. Thank you -Tatiana
Hi Billy. I want to order Flutes from you. Are you available??
Yes, I’ve been away for a bit dealing with family stuff, but I’ll be working on a new batch of flutes here very shortly. I contact you via email. thanks.
I want to start with your Low Bb Flute. I think my email was getting caught in your spam filters. I sent several emails with no response. So if you could email me from your end, then, I think things would begin to work. Thanks.
I can’t believe i found you!!oh my dear friend of the fine tuned flutes… 25 years ago I bought a lovely d flute at Black mountain festival from there I sold them or a short spell in Charlotte and Black Mtn…. I can’t believe it but my 25 year old baby has seen it’s better days been banded and fixed by lutheriaries several times… playing with lots of friends and although i have mostly figured out the different keys on that one flute f is still a bitch…. hehehe.. would love to visit and purchase a new d…. and maybe build on the keys i need for playin with my friends…. just so you know everyone is in love with this beauty of flute and the sound it produces..tried many others over the years and they just don’t have it.. I want another couple ….I hope you are well brother! please get back ASAP I would love to hook back up!
I am so sorry for not getting back sooner Nancy. I get overwhelmed as I’m still a one person operation here. Get back to me at billymiller (at) swva (dot) net if you need another. Glad you are still enjoying! 🙂
Hi, I can’t afford one of these yet, but I am very interested in them. I watched your videos and they sound great!
Much thanks! 🙂
Hello Billy,
Do you also make flutes in E minor?
do you ship to the Netherlands?
Regards,
Han
Hi Han, So sorry for not getting back to you sooner. You must of gotten lost in the emails.
The key of E minor is played on D major “simple system or early system” flutes. Yes, all those Celtic tunes you hear in Em are done on a D major flute. It’s a relative key to G major which is also played on a D flute. Trust me, or do some research. The chiff and fipple link on my site has some great info on this. Thanks 🙂
No problem shipping to the Netherlands by the way. All the best, Billy
Even though you indicate on your homepage that you produce concert-tuned flutes (A=440Hz), can you also make them in A=432Hz?
Yes, but it will be a while before I will have a chance to get to it. I have several flutes in stock at A=440Hz but I won’t be returning to the workshop until this Spring. Email me at billymiller at swva (dot) net and we can discuss further.
Hi Billy,
I had a chance to play some of your bamboo flutes at my local world music shop and they were wonderfully in tune, just not in the key I was looking for. The owner directed me to your site. Here, I watched the video demos of you playing, all in an Irish style. Would your flutes also function as a bansuri? I’m looking for a Hindustani classical 6- or 7-hole, not Carnatic 8 holes. I’m a bit ignorant on the differences between Irish and Hindustani bamboo flutes. Are the keys similarly stepped? Are you labeling the key of your flute with 3 fingers down, all down, or all open holes? And can your flutes bend or ‘meend’ notes?
Thanks!
The short answer (” Would your flutes also function as a bansuri? “) is yes. On a six hole system, the main differences between a 6 hole bansuri and “simple system western” early flutes have more to do with finger-hole size and bore size (as well as approach). A six hole Bansuri flute is essentially set up the same way scale-wise as an “simple system” wooden flute or Irish tin whistle, but a bansuri will take it’s “key” from 1/2 way down (3 holes covered) rather than from the “bell” note (the note the instrument makes with all holes coverd… essentially, the note before holes are inserted). Bansuri will also have much larger finger-holes and bore. Technique-wise, the holes are covered with the 2nd pad of the finger and the approach tends to be with more bends (like a fretless bass or an oud).
That much said, in early European music and near Eastern music, bends were and are used all the time, and are much more accessible with an open holed system. Tonal centers are more defined on my flutes, (smaller finger-holes than a bansuri, but usually a bit larger than on a wooden flute, it’s a bit of a hybrid) but are still “blurrable” using 1/2 hole or even 1/4 hole coverings. Also, much of what we think of as “eastern” or “western” style music has to do with the “mode” or drone note (what I think of as the “home base” within the diatonic scale) we pull and resolve from as well. All these approaches still come from this basic universal diatonic scale. Celtic music is perhaps “mostly” where my roots lay, but as a citizen of the world I can’t help but be influenced by hearing it all. By accident or by design I will “emulate” (not steeped enough to say “play”) many different styles on these flutes, and I’ve basically developed my own style from borrowing from it all.
Classical “Boehm” system flutes are great at giving us the 12 distictive notes of the chromatic scale, but suffer when applied to the ornamentation required in more ancient approaches.
for more info… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_concert_flute
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_flute
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bansuri
Cool answer, interesting facts. I would be happy to play your bamboo flutes
I need few of them for a coming show of the Cirque du Soleil in December
I sent you an order but i’m not shure if you received it!
I’m reading good things on your work
Good day,
Michel
Dear Billy,
First, forgive my bad English.
I’m a Spanish flute player. I play a Boehm flute and a Rudall and Rose flute with 8 keys. I adore your bamboo flutes.
I would like to ask two flutes: A serious Bb and one in Fa
What is the waiting time?
Greetings
Carlos
I’m sending you a PM from my email. Yo Quiero aprender más español. Gracias and thanks.