Gemeinhardt issues

ollopa · Post by **ollopa** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:10 pm

I bought a Gemeinhardt 3SB a few years ago and I feel like it's caused me to develop some bad habits. The keys are not level over the tone holes and the pads don't seal well unless I press hard. So I've developed the habit of pushing hard and I think my hands hurt too much after extended play.

I haven't been in a band in a long time, but I've been thinking about joining and now I need advice about what to do.

I don't know what it will cost to have it repaired but I could send it out to be overhauled. I'm not sure if the instrument is _worth_ that service, however. I've heard a lot of bad things about the engineering of Gemmys.

The other option is to upgrade and I'm not against that, but I don't have a lot of funds (less than $2000) and I don't want to end up with a total compromise instrument like this Gemeinhardt seems to be.

In my price range, I was thinking about Yamaha or possibly Armstrong, however my instinct is that the Yamaha's quality and durability are better.

Should I just have the Gemeinhardt fixed?
Are the sub-500 series Yamaha's good enough to keep me satisfied as a hobbyist?
Is the Armstrong 800b a viable candidate or should I spring for the Yamaha instead?

Thanks,
Rick

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:34 pm

Should I just have the Gemeinhardt fixed?

That's really up to you. I would ask a tech to take a look at it, and see what kind of cost they expect would be necessary to fix it (most techs will do this for free). Even if you upgrade, if it's fixed up, it can serve as a back up or outdoor flute, so have it fixed up might not be a bad idea. What kinds of maintainance have you given it over the years you've had it? If it hasn't had it's yearly COA, then that could be a substantial part of your problem with it right there, and you might save a lot of money simply by have it worked on a bit.

Are the sub-500 series Yamaha's good enough to keep me satisfied as a hobbyist?

They absolutely could be, but that will really depend on your current level, how much work you're putting into your playing (which will impact how much progress you make), what your musical goals as a hobbyist are, etc. If you go for a sub-500, at least in my opinion, you should stick with the lowest model number that matches your list of specs, as the headjoints are the same cut (the CY) on all sub-500's, so they play much the same. The only real differences are the amounts of silver (which doesn't really matter), and the B foot and openholes (which most likely won't be used anyway), so you can save a good deal of dough. The 500's are where the EC cut heads (and thus a noticeable difference in how the flute plays) are the standard, so if you're looking to get into an introductory pro model, that's where I would start.

Is the Armstrong 800b a viable candidate or should I spring for the Yamaha instead?

It's a solid flute, and would be worth investigating, but there are plenty of other makes out there in your price range that you should look at (and playtest) as well, like Sonare, Amadeus, Azumi, Pearl, etc.

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:32 am

I agree with everything flutepicc06 said. As for the Gemeinhardt issues, It seems as if yours have been problems that have developed over time and use. Depending on what kind of maintenance has been done to yours, it could simply be due an overhaul. For an avid hobbyist, your 3SB should certainly be fine. However, if you desire a different sound or feel in a flute, by all means, maybe it is time for an upgrade. Ultimately, that has to be up to you.