Originally we were a repair shop that specialized in woodwind and sax restoration. We’ve been in business since 1953 and have had the same owner since 1963. Wichita Band Instrument Company is a small musical instrument emporium located in the center of the USA. Keeping inb mind Bickford's early years with Powell, it seems obvious that the decision was made to copy Powell's popular (but hard to get) flute.
In any event, our flute is a fine player that is, in our estimation, almost identical to a Powell 'commercial" flute from the 1960's. We call these early Brannen-Green-Moore flutes "First Generation Armstrong Heritage", in an attempt to minimize confusion. "Heritage 60B" flutes were in production for several years, are the same as the earlier "Emeritus 60B" instruments. The "Emeritus" name was dropped and the "Heritage" name was given to the flute previously stamped "Emeritus". He and his brother founded Brannen Brothers Flutemakers in 1974.Īt the same time the Heritage models were in production, Armstrong also produced a similar "Emeritus" (model 60 / 60B) flute: solid silver body, head and keys, but heavier and without the attention to workmanship the was found in the Heritage models.īy the early eighties, Armstrong was absorbed by King Musical Instrument Company and later by Conn-Selmer. Brannen began with Powell in 1962, joined Armstrong several years later and returned to Powell in 1970. Jack Moore and Tom Green worked in the Heritage department and, for several years, so did Bickford Brannen. The Heritage flute was marketed as an instrument of equal quality but more readily available to the buyer. In the late sixties Haynes and Powell were both quoting three to five year delivery times. The Heritage department at Armstrong was a separate division within the factory, dedicated to producing a high-quality instrument to compete with the best Boston makers.
Gold springs, all new pads, modern leather covered case with case cover.
Extruded tone holes, Y-arm pad cup construction. Sounding length is 436 mm (A=440), the embouchure measures 10.3 X 12.1 mm. It's a superb instrument made in the Armstrong (Elkhart) workshop in the late 1960's. Armstrong First Generation "Heritage" solid silver flute #H-1267.
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