Carved Tones is a small one man shop making historically inspired woodwinds. The woodwinds being made now are medieval whistles, intended for use at Ren faires, SCA re-enactments, sessions or just personal enjoyment. Here are 5 under construction:
The upper one is based loosely on the Tartu recorder found in Estonia. It is not an exact reproduction, but the Tartu recorder is a good example of medieval woodwind design and construction. Below it is a similar medieval woodwind. The 3 blanks below are narrow bore and will become standard D penny whistles suitable for play in modern sessions, but using medieval design acceptable for use at a Ren faire or SCA gathering. The light wood is maple and the dark wood is cherry. The fipple blocks in the two nearly complete instruments are beech, as that was what was used in the Tartu recorder. Cherry was also often used and is what I will use in the darker woodwinds. I choose to use historically accurate wood choices, but will substitute Western red cedar for the fipple blocks on request.
At this time, I don't have stock to sell nor enough references to request commissions, but I would make a woodwind to order with the right of first refusal. Use the email link at the top of the page to contact me. Currently, I am limiting this to instruments within a few inches of 1', one piece, cylindircal bore with 6, 7 or 8 holes on top and an optional thumb hole beneath. Whistles and fifes typically have 6, recorders have 7 with the thumb hole below and flutes have 8. I can optionally make one sideblown. Major keys in modern tuning is recommended for ease of playing (and there is historical evidence of whistle being tuned that way quite early) but I can make a whistle for early music gatherings as well. There are options in wood choices and finish.
If you are underwhelmed by my site at this time, please check back again in the future. I will update it with pictures of completed instruments, sound clips and set prices, which will undoubtably be higher than what I offer people who custom order a whistle or fife/flute before then. The way the right of first refusal works is fairly simple. You custom order your medieval woodwind and I give you a price and time frame. If you find that agreeable, I make the instrument with no deposit and email you pictures and sound clips when done. If you are satisfied based on that, you will purchase the instrument using PayPal. I will ship it to you and you will have 30 days after it arrives to request a full refund should you find it unsatisfactory.