Handcrafted Fifes Drumsticks
Woods
Glens Falls Fife uses woods of various quality and specie. For the beginners, we offer fifes in hard maple, hickory, and rosewood. For the serious fifer, we offer African blackwood and cocobolo - whose tonal quality is unmatched for instruments.
This page offers a bit of information about these woods to help you shop for a fife that's 'you'.
An Example:
African Blackwood is probably best known for its excellent tonal qualities, as well as its impressive strength and durability. The wood is particularly well suited for making woodwind musical instruments because of its ability to withstand changes in temperature and humidity. African Blackwood is resistant to stresses typical to instruments thanks to a combination of hardness, denseness, close grain, and natural oiliness. Because of these qualities, African Blackwood is highly regarded by the makers of a variety of woodwind instruments, including clarinets, oboes, wooden flutes, bagpipes, and fifes, among others. The wood is also valued by woodturners, wood carvers, and fine furniture makers.
- Fifes made from this wood are professional quality and are the most expensive. Glens Falls Fife's price is typically $115.
Mopani - Colophospermum mopane
An Example:
Mopani produces high quality furniture and is also used for inlays in light colored wood. It has been used for many years for flutes, piccolos and other traditional instruments. The tone is as rich as Blackwood, as powerful, but is a little bit warmer. It resembles the tone of the Cocus wood used on flutes until that wood became commercially extinct. Its high density, light sound and workability make it an attractive alternative to Blackwood, especially in very dry and humid countries where Blackwood has tendency to split.
- Our price for this type of fife is typically $95
Cocobolo - Dalbergia retusa
An Example:
Cocobolo is an exotic wood native to
- Fifes made from cocobolo are my personal favorite. The tonal quality is excellent and the finish gives each one a unique look that is truly worth seeing in person. These are professional quality but priced fairly around $75.
Purple Heart - Peltogyne spp
An Example:
Puple Heart is a dense, straight grained wood with a fine curly figure and fine texture. It is moderately hard to work but takes a glossy, lustrous finish. The purple -violet color comes from oxidation of the wood with air. A lacquer finish will best preserve the color. It is most used for industrial construction, flooring, tool handles, accessories, and flooring. Pruple Heart is also called Amaranth.
- These fifes are eye catching and fun but often are a little more difficult to play than the African Blackwood and cocobolo models. I would classify them as intermediate models that aren't for everyone - certianly not for the historical reenactor! These fifes typically cost around $60-$75.
Hard White Maple - Acer saccharum
An Example:
Made in the USA (and Canada). Also called Hard Rock Maple or Sugar Maple. Produces sweet sap used to make maple syrup. Matures at heights of 90-120 feet with a trunk 24-36''. Maple is known for its durability and strength and it has excellent turning properties, a fine, even texture, and natural luster. Somewhat difficult to work due to high surface hardness. Paints and finishes very well. Typically used for furniture, flooring, and industrial parts.
- As an instrument wood, it is not ideal, however, it is affordable and when treated properly can be quite effective. This material is for beginners. There again, the material in 'cheaper' fifes often makes them more difficult to play. You can find a fife like this in a museum gift store but think twice - those are mass produced and virtually useless. These sell for around $30.
Hickory - Carya spp
An Example:
Also made in the USA. A large tree with a massive trunk reaches heights of 160 feet with 6-7 feet diameters. Has a very long life - up to 350 years. Extremely tough and resilient. May be somewhat difficult to work but finishes nicely. Good turning wood. Typically used for implements, handles, furniture, sports equipment, cabinetry, flooring, musical instruments, and turnery.
My favorite domestic hardwood. More ideal than hard maple, but still a beginner model. These also sell for around $30.
Custom wood orders accepted at no additional charge.
