This blog is dedicated to the sublime instruments called nose flutes and which produce the most divine sound ever. We have chosen to discard all the native models from S. Pacific and Asia, for they need fingering to be played. We'll concentrate on "buccal cavity driven" nose flutes : the well patented and trademarked metal or plastic ones, plus, by a condemnable indulgence, some wooden craft or home-made productions.

Aug 26, 2011

Review : Pfaff Nasenpfeife


Designed and conceived by Bernd Kaltenbach, owner of Pfaff-3D in Schonach in Schwarzwald (Germany), the Pfaff Nasenpfeife is a new hi-tech nose flute. First models date from 2011 and the patent is still pending.

The model is really new and modern. It's a flat 3 layers sandwich : a stainless steel plate with cut-outs, the core in translucent colored plastics, and a facing in steel or wood. 12 colors are available for the plastics, and 3 woods (pear, walnut and maple), plus the steel option. That gives 48 possible choices.

Mr Kaltenbach found a motto for his Nasenpfeife : « pfeift-wirbt-öffnet » (it whistles, it advertises, it opens). Indeed, the Nasenpfeife is not only a nose flute.
Pfeift : because of its shape, one can use it as a simple whistle.
Wirbt : the flute has a little ring which makes it usable as a keyholder. More, the facing is forecast to wear your logo.
Öffnet : last but not least, the mouth hole features a bottle opener to quench your thirst between to songs.

« -- pfeift-wirbt-öffnet --
Dieser Slogan trifft diese Weltneuheit am "Werbemittel-Himmel" sehr Präzise. Dieses kleine Instrument kann "Jeder" innerhalb nur 10 minuten spielen, ohne Notenkenntnisse oder Musikalische Vorbildung! Garantiert! Das macht Fun und kostet nicht viel. Der integrierte Flaschenöffner und Schlüsselanhänger dient zudem im Alltag für Erleichterung. Die 12 verschiedenen "Trendfarben" sorgen zudem für Abwechslung. Die Nasenpfeife ist 100% Lebensmittelecht aus hochwertigem Kunststoff und Edelstahl gefertigt. Mit Ihrem persönlichen eingravierten Logo ist die Nasenpfeife ein ganz besonderes Werbemedium ! »


The nose flute itself has a very sharp beveled plastic labium, a quite small mouth hole (4 mm high), and a very thin 3.3 cm long tapered air duct (2 mm at the nose to 1 mm or so at the mouth). At usage, the result will depends on your nose configuration. If your nose is quite flat and soft at its base, it should work fine for you. But if, like me, your nose has its separative cartilage salient underneath, an hermetic joint is simply impossible. Hence, air leaks, seriously impinging the loudness of the sound. That's a major ergonomic defect.

The Pfaff nose flute can currently be purchased for €10.95.

The Pfaff Nasenpfeife is a beautiful hi-tech gadget, very handy if used as a keyholder. If you intend to use it mainly as a nose flute, think of it twice...

Here is a sound sample (thanks to the Nosy Diva Miss Birdy K.) :



Official website : pfaff-3d.de
Nasenpfeife.de presentation video

4 comments:

  1. Are "Pfaff Nasenpfeife" and "THOMANN NOSE PIPE" the same?

    http://www.thomann.de/de/thomann_nasenpfeife.htm

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello,

    No, they are absolutely different nose flutes ... The one that is sold at Thomann is generally called "Swann logo" (because it has no nale and a swimming swann on the top), and is 100% plastic.

    All the best,

    Antoine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you!
      But, from the photo of the web page, it looks as if made​of metal and plastic.
      What the difference of the performance?

      Delete
  3. Ho!!! I'm sorry!!! your are absolutely right!! It's a new product at Thomann, and I thought you were speaking of the "Schwan" nose flute... Sorry!

    YES, it is exactly the same product than the Pfaff.
    It is a Pfaff, branded for Thomann.

    All the best to you

    Antoine

    ReplyDelete