About Emerson L. DeFord

Emerson L DeFord started his flute career with the late W T Armstrong the owner and founder of the now famous Armstrong Flute Company. Through his years there, as Chief Engineer, he designed and personally manufactured many of the high quality Armstrong flutes.

He left Armstrong and started out on his own making the DeFord flute, which after a financial setback was compromised in its quality by those imposing financial limitations on the manufacture of the fine flutes Emerson would have liked to produce.

Financial considerations finally spelled the death of the DeFord flute and at that time Emy DeFord set about a fresh start using his name Emerson on these flutes and with the able assistance of Mark Thomas (ex Armstrong) and the late Mel Webster, the factory quietly expanded over two decades producing the fine quality Emerson Flutes claiming the largest range of flutes in the world.

Emy sold the Emerson factory to Selmer (now owned by Steinway) and retired.

Itchy feet and the love of the flute was in Ems blood, and it was not too long before Em found the contractual restaints imposed with the sale of Emerson Plant expired and left him free to persue the craving to again make the worlds best flute. This he is now doing and it is with pleasure that I introduce to you, based on a lifetime of experience, the New DeFord Flute. You have the opportunity to be part of this success story. Enjoy