After reading someone’s feedback, curiosity drove me bought one.

Don’t be confused Metal Fife with Piccolo, Whistle… and whatever flute and even wood Cooperman fife, wooden Sweetheart fife or piccolo, and especially we shouldn’t have compared a fife with a whistle.

This Metal fife is worth many times than what I paid. I have several fifes (wood, metal, plastic), 2 piccolos, 4 flutes and some other kinds from to about ,000.00 This Metal fife is what some people said it sounds weak (why didn’t you compare an electric guitar with an accoustic guitar). I don’t have problem to play 3 octaves with this some guys said CHEAP metal fife. It is as loud as the metal Sweetheart Cooper Fife, the Geo Metal Fife and also the 0 Peeler Metal Fife.

Don’t forget: THIS IS MADE IN USA. We should buy more “MADE IN USA” to create more jobs. God Bless the USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ordered this for my six year old son, who wanted a “flute” for Christmas. I wanted something that was a good learning instrument, but not at the price of a full fledged flute. The flute/fife was shipped quickly and packaged well. It arrived within a few days. I showed it to my friend who plays oboe in several area symphonies and teaches music at the local college. He was very impressed by the fife/flute, commenting on the lip plate and sound. He also informed me that this was exactly the type used for introductory lessons. I was very glad to hear that (especially since I am not musically inclined and wasn’t really sure what I was looking for). My son loves it and will be starting lessons this week.

My background: Strictly an amateur but can play fife and flute a bit.

Why I bought: I wanted an inexpensive (and hopefully physically tough) traditional fife for practice/having in the car/camping/general amusement. Yamaha makes a plastic piccolo (half flute, or maybe flucorder) which they call a fife. It’s nice, I own one, I like it, it isn’t a fife. A fife has six holes, the Yamaha has eight. I own several fifes including a nice rosewood Cooperman but I don’t like hauling ’em around and beating ’em up.

The good: It’s a fife. Traditional fingering. It’s physically heavy and seems very stout if that’s important to you. It’s short compared to the traditional Bb fife.

The bad: Just about everything, actually. It sounds thin. It is hard to get a clear tone. It is hard to control, especially in the upper registers (where fifes normally thrive).

So here’s the bottom line for me… the fife is actually a bit of a pill as instruments go. Not just this thing – all fifes. Modern flutes are far easier to play well, they are loud and high pitched. And I’ve got to admit I’m being kinda unfair, comparing a fife to a 0 fife. But, acknowledging all of that, I’m having a hard time recommending this thing. I suspect a first-time fife player will find this more frustrating than I would. An experienced fife player would have an easy (easier?) time playing it, but I think they’d be disappointed too. That said, I’m not going to return it, and I will use it as I planned, as a camping toy.

If you want a fife to play, find a Cooperman or equivalent. More $$$ but far far FAR better.

If you want a small, light, toss-about flute-like instrument and aren’t hung up on tradition get a Yamaha.

If you want a light “casual” instrument, want to be a bit retro but the idea of metal appeals to you, get a Clarke Pennywhistle…it doesn’t have the dynamic range of a fife but it sounds better than this thing, is smaller/lighter/easier to play, and costs about the same amount.

If you want a challenge, by all means get this…but don’t be surprised if it never sounds very good.