In April 2017, Ralph Sweet decided to retire. Rather than close his doors, he handed the master key over to Joseph to continue the legacy but under Joseph’s own business name; Ralph took Joseph to several instrument maker conventions and introduced him about as the successor to Sweetheart Flute – and here we remain in the Ralph G Sweet Workshop on the Sweet Family Barn property in Enfield, Connecticut, USA. Read about us here!
Click here for a Memorial Page for Ralph Sweet put up by our friend Hatao
PLEASE READ BEFORE GOING FURTHER.
All our wooden instruments are made here at the Ralph G Sweet Workshop and are subject to availability. We make them by hand (tool and machine assisted) and therefore do not usually make large runs… Often your order will be in stock but sometimes it must be made to order and therefore will require 6 to 10 weeks or so. Some custom pieces may take a few months or so due to a backlog. It doesn’t hurt to ask! Quality requires time and attention and these instruments are not mass produced in factories or in countries paying pennies for unskilled labour; I think you will easily discern the difference in quality and service. In the words of a many-time repeat customer, “Great art takes time!!!”
Our Japanese customers – 日本にお住まいの場合は、ケルトフルートショップの優れた友人から注文する方が簡単かもしれません。 ただし、ご希望であれば、直接お客様に発送いたします。
Our Korean customers(대한민국 고객) – 대한민국에는 우리 제품을 유럽악기(한독인터네서널)에서 판매하고 있으니 구입하여 주세요. 링크: www.euromusic.co.kr
If you are in Switzerland or Europe in general – Wenn Sie in der Schweiz sind oder es für Sie bequemer ist, sind unsere Produkte bei Musik Müller erhältlich.
***Due to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) convention having taken place 24 Sept – 5 Oct 2016, beginning on 1 Jan 2017 ALL Dalbergia species have been listed as “CITES II”. This does not remove African Blackwood and Honduras Rosewood from the market place, but the red tape, time, and thus the expense resulting from all this makes it just a bit more expensive to obtain and prices will reflect our costs to obtain the material – it will be can be more than the standard instrument price, be warned. Hard exotic woods are notorious for not taking a stain, so it is difficult to blacken them, and we’ve long ago given up trying. If you have any questions, please contact me before you purchase, especially if you reside out of the United States.*** Please go to my orders page and listen to the news story about this issue.
A short video of me making your flutes/fifes/whistles… Thank you, Yi and Hayley!
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Another interesting story related to rosewood
And a worthwhile article from Yale 360
And regarding African Blackwood – sometimes called Grenedilla (as opposed to Granadillo, which is from South America and generally looks more like mahogany).
An idea as to why African Blackwood is so expensive.