New flute help!

[AnsweredPrayers]

Hello there!

I'm brand new to this site, but I was wondering if I could get some help and opinions from you lovely flutists! I'm going to be a sophomore next year in the DFW region, which is HIGHLY competitive for flutes and band in general. I'm going to be upgrading my instrument this summer (I currently play on a Yamaha 371) and I'm trying to make the smartest decision for my future as a flutist! I very well might be going into Music Ed for college. The flute that I end up choosing likely won't get me through a music based college (or maybe it will, I don't really know) but it's going to last me all the way through a very very competitive high school.

I went to a flute store in my area to test out which flutes I sounded best on, and I ended up playing really well on an Azumi AZ3 SRBEOC (Which is solid silver with a silver plated mechanism, b foot, gizmo, spilt E, and a C# trill key) It seems to be really really good for it's price of $3,000 when you look at all of it's features. Does anyone know the pros and cons of this flute, and would you advise for or against it as being my best option?

Also, if you'd like to see how I play/if it'd be helpful to see my skill level before responding, I have a practice account on instagram which is full of videos of me playing. It's: power.of.practice

[pied_piper]

At the $3000 price point, there are a number of good flutes you can consider. The Azumi is a good quality step-up flute and could be a good choice. I always recommend trying as many different flutes as possible in your price range. You've made a good start. When flutists ask about which flutes are good or which flute is best, I always reply that there is no best flute, there is only a best flute for you. If you stick with the major flute makers, it is hard to go wrong with any of them. One way of looking at it is that flutes are like shoes - you need to buy what fits YOU! If you like the feel and sound of the Azumi, then that may be what is best for you.

[AnsweredPrayers]

Thank you for your reply!

I'm currently looking at buying the Azumi I mentioned before used. I have found one for a wonderful price of $1,600 on reverb. (which is almost half of the price new) It says that it was a demo, and had only been played on twice. It's the exact model I'm looking for with all of the bells and whistles. I'm not too sure if it'd be a good idea to purchase it, as the site doesn't accept returns after 7 days. In the picture, I can't really see the pads, so I don't know if they'd need to be replaced. I also don't know if there's any damage on the flute, as with being the cons of buying online. Can anyone give advice as to what I should do? Also, worst case scenario, if it needed a complete overhaul, about how much would that cost?

[cebrul]

Thank you for your reply!

I'm currently looking at buying the Azumi I mentioned before used. I have found one for a wonderful price of $1,600 on reverb. (which is almost half of the price new) It says that it was a demo, and had only been played on twice. It's the exact model I'm looking for with all of the bells and whistles. I'm not too sure if it'd be a good idea to purchase it, as the site doesn't accept returns after 7 days. In the picture, I can't really see the pads, so I don't know if they'd need to be replaced. I also don't know if there's any damage on the flute, as with being the cons of buying online. Can anyone give advice as to what I should do? Also, worst case scenario, if it needed a complete overhaul, about how much would that cost?

Let me know how things go with your purchase and your experience with your new flute! I'd like to hear about it!