The mouthpiece includes laminates of Macassar Ebony, between layers of California Buckeye Burl wood. Voids in the burl were filled with crushed turquoise from the Sleeping Beauty mine, in Globe, AZ. Woods used for the fetish, begin with Paldao on a base of Oklahoma red cedar. Overlays to each side of the fetish include systemically dyed maple, wherein the tree was fed harmless colored water during the various growth cycles, then harvested and veneered. Bonded to that is Virginia walnut burl, sheet abalone, and African Wenge. The wenge impresses me as resembling feathers.

Beginning at the mouthpiece, inlay starts with a 9.5x6mm Lightning Ridge Aus. Boulder opal, flanked by 4.3mm dome cut Tibetan turquoise cabs. The fetish ties run through the flute, to create an area with sufficient wood thickness for addl. inlay. Specifically, the compression chamber includes 22mm disks of hand tinted buckeye burl, accented by additional crushed Sleeping Beauty turquoise, and a 6mm black pearl. One pearl was sawed in half to accommodate each side of the flute. The sound chamber, forward from the fetish block, starts with a 14mm dome cut cappuccino jasper cabochon, accented with pyrographics. The woodburning is then accented with crushed Sleeping Beauty turquoise, crushed Ethiopian jasper, and ten 3mm abalone dots. This is additionally accented with another 6mm Tibetan turquoise cab, and a 4.7mm solid Australian fire opal. ….. I got a little carried away. The finger holes are accented with abalone, specifically, four 4mm cabs and a 6x20mm oval. Lastly, the fetish block includes a beautiful 6mm, .85ct Brazilian azotic topaz set to the crown, and 2.4mm faceted African black diamonds, set as eyes.

Although the fetish ties run through the flute, they can be loosened and the fetish pulled to the side an inch or two, to facilitate drying the block and flue area. It is unnecessary to remove the deerskin completely from the flute. Should you wish to do so, I recommend coaxing the leather back through their holes with a wooden toothpick.

The flute was tuned at a wood temp. of 73.3 degrees, at 63% humidity. Purchase includes a protective fleece bag, a small Manzanita display stand, as well as a hard shell cordura travel case from The Flutecase Store.