Description
The Seaman Model Fife
This fife became the new wave of the fife in the US in the 1960s. Original concept by John McDonagh who approached Roy Seaman, piccolo maker, to develop this new fife. It was a marked change from the historical and traditional models everyone was playing on, and it enabled corps that played upon it to up their game in musical composition and performance. After many years, Roy decided to hang up fife-making and focus on his piccolo business, leaving a former employee Larry Trout to continue making the model. Roy later retired, selling his piccolo business and his brand name to Gemeinhardt flutes; still later, itching for something to do, he opened a little shop under his wife’s maiden name – Wilson, thus Wilson Woods – and made fifes again for a time. Cooperman Fife & Drum Co were making this model for a while, but after several years of people placing custom orders and assuring us that Coopermans no longer makes the model, we have decided upon offering it as part of our regular lineup. With instrument grade African Blackwood (often called Grenedilla) still being relatively expensive to obtain, we have decided to make these in Katalox (say “CAT-a-loash”) wood, unless you specifically request the Blackwood (higher price) or another wood. You should take the time to read this page on Ebony and African Blackwood. I have replicated these from original Roy Seaman made models I obtained in the early 1980s and hold in my collection. The joint will normally be exactly as Roy had done his, but for a couple of people, I have made it with the internal cork design. It is offered as a standard 6-hole (Roy’s “J-Model”), 7-hole (for those who wish a D# option), “Basler” 10-hole (Roy’s “L-model” with no thumb hole on the right hand, double hole for F#/F-nat, and left thumb hole placed higher), and “Yankee” 10-hole (like the M-model, but only single hole on the F# top rather than a double). Be aware, though, that exactly like the original model, this is A=440 (concert pitch) and therefore noticeably flat in pitch compared to the standard pitch (traditional pitch) used by most other fifes! We are experimenting with staining Katalox for a more black tone. This will provide the “black look” while keeping the price down and using a more sustainable wood.
