G'day jill,

I have a number of quite good quality bamboo 'flutes' ... mainly Chinese traditional styles ... bought in and around Sydney (Australia)'s Chinatown. These are meant to be played with an additional resonator ... a thin bamboo membrane stretched over a hole, between the whistle mouthpiece and the fingering holes ... but it a rather Chinese intonation!

Obviously, almost anything that passes through the "tourist" circles will be made for appearance ... not orchestral excellence!

There are SouthAmerican groups ... some, around here in Sydney, NSW, Australia, that I've helped find sources for their Latin-American styles and they play some very strong music from their traditions!

Not all bamboo flutes are low-grade tourist rubbish.

Regard(les)s,

Bob