A.D. Geoffrey Flutes 

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A.D. Geoffrey Guo is an outstanding young and innovative flute maker from Taiwan. His flutes are unique and very special. He has researched the manufacturing techniques and the different styles of flutes made by Louis Lot and discovered many of the great French master's secrets. He has implemented many of them into his designs and has developed many of his own special features.

A special feature, available only on flutes with soldered tone holes, is the slow burnishing process head and body and, in the traditional model, also the keys. This very time consuming process produces a tube that is hard on the outside but soft on the inside, like a piece of bamboo, and this gives sound and response of each flute an ideal combination of properties otherwise rarely achieved: a sweet and warm quality with tremendous strength and projection. To further improve the resonance of each note the beautifully made European style keys with pointed arms are also individually burnished and virtually tuned to each note. This and the superbly precise mechanism allows the player to feel the flutes' vibrations and to achieve the perfect balance of air pressure that produces a strong yet totally relaxed low register, a clean and vibrant middle register and a beautiful singing quality in the high register, a clean and vibrant middle register and a beautiful singing quality in the high register.

To suit different styles of playing, the range of head joints to choose from is considerable and includes Guo's own special design of a winged lip plate and many different cuts and riser styles. The latest developments in head joint design are reflected in his "Mach" and "Louis Lot" style designs.

The Mach style lip plate has small wings that make for a very easy response while the Louis Lot style head joint is virtually a true facsimile of the great master's design with some ingenious modifications, giving this head joint an almost unbelievable flexibility in colours. Naturally as an inventor of many unusual mechanisms he is happy to make flutes to any specification including semi offset G, pinless mechanism, under-slung E mechanism, convertible and extra long foot joints.

Guo timeline

Geoffrey. F. Guo formed Guo Flutes MFG Co. in 1988 in collaboration with brothers Arthur and David, and Michelle (Geoffrey's wife).

1989-
Designed adaptable riser and lipplate. Sample given to Albert Cooper and Jack Moore.

1989-
Designed new Gismo (Long roller) with Mary Louise Poor.

1990-
Designed new Open G#.

1991-
Designed adjustable pinless Mechanism suitable for extreme changes in temperature.

1992-
Designed new C# Trill Key.

Headjoints: After extensive research the team at A.D. Geoffrey have developed three basic types of headjoint.  

Type A: Suitable for playing contemporary music. Easier for response of notes above 3rd octave.

Type B: Suitable for players with flat lips.

Type C: More diversity of tonal color, faster response, smaller blow hole creates greater resistance thus enabling player to play longer passages in one breathe.

The headjoints can be made according to the needs of the player.

• Silver tube with silver lipplate, silver riser or with 14K gold lipplate and riser.
• Complete 14K gold
• With engraving to prevent sliding
• Crowns of different weight can be changed.
  

 

Guo - a reputation for innovation