How does a boxwood flute sound different from one in ebony?
Any answer to this question only means anything if you are comparing two otherwise “identical” instruments in different woods. If you compared a boxwood Denner with an ebony Lot, for instance, the diffence in the designs themselves would be far, far greater than any difference in the wood. The best way to find out the difference is play them yourself. Many people find that a boxwood flute is more suited for chamber music because of the way it blends with other instruments, while ebony has a more cutting sound, very good for orchestral work and concertos. But people use both woods for all kinds of playing, and it all comes down to personal preference in the end.
