What is Ebonite?

Ebonite is the trade name for natural hard rubber. It is made by mixing natural latex rubber with sulfur and linseed oil, that go through a heating process (called vulcanization) and resulting in a material that is rigid, tough, dimensionally stable, waterproof, with a smooth and polished surface.

Ebonite was highly regarded in the late 19th and early 20th century for flute making and considered by some to posses superior tonal qualities than wood, but possibly due to the popularization of metal flutes in the same period it never became widely spread, though great examples from the time are still found today, often in remarkable conditions.

There are several advantages in using this material for flute making:

• no matter the climate, the headjoint will not crack.
• more stable intonation compared to wood, meaning that the flute it will stay in tune under all playing conditions.
• very lightweight, which reduces the stress on your hands and arms.
• made from natural materials.