Flute Shopping

FlameDesire · Post by **FlameDesire** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:07 pm

Hey,
I'm planning to buy a new flute probably by my senior year, but hopefully sometime during my junior year. Saving money for a flute sure is hard when a decent one is around a thousand.

I've been playing for about 5 years now, but seriously only 4. This being my 4th year. A step up flute was recommended to me about a year ago, but I held off since our family was busy relocating. I suddenly found a desire to play the flute that I have never experienced. I'm practing a couple of hours a day instead of my usual half heartedly 1 hour.

I'm still looking around for a private teacher here since I relocated. Can anyone recommend private lessons around the San Jose are in CA. I'm still trying to find some by word of mouth, but I might just see if my local music store has anyone or my band director.

I'm basically looking for a couple of things; offset G, french keys, silver headjoint, while the rest can be plated.
Not so much for the split e, gizmos and etc, but if the price range allows, that'll be awesome. Doesn't matter if it's B or C foot, but I favor the B so I can tear down that b scale I've been tackling for on my friend's flute. Anything else worth checking out?

I'll probably purchase from fluteworld, but I'll google to see if there's any large flute shops around here so I can test them out personally without shipping charges. I'm picking out the flute models and brands by the list prices on fluteworld, but I'm willing to budge if the next flute up is worth it.

Looking at Jupiter, Pearl, Yamaha, and Trevor James. Any other brands worth checking out, but I'm not looking for any used ones. I already got a Selmer for marching and it'll last through high school.

My budget is around 1,000, but I'd throw in a hundred or two if it's really worth it.

Some models I've looked at, care to give some opinions on them?

Yamaha: 261, 361, 381H, and maybe, a very little chance of the 421.
I heard that the Yamahas aren't really worth going up the models until the 500 series. Correct?

Pearl: 505RBF, 505RE, 525RBF, 665RBF

Jupiter: 611RBES, 611RBSO, 711RBES, 711RBSO, 711RES

Trevor James: JJF-CAB
I'm unsure of the TJ brand...I'm not really getting how they organize their flutes. Can anyone shine some light on that and give some recommendations for some TJ flutes?

I'm not really interested in Geimeinharts since I had a friend that has one, but I didn't really like the sound or the feel of Geimeinharts. It seemed too bright and the octave jumps weren't so good while the tone wasn't what I wanted.

FluteFellow · Post by **FluteFellow** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:44 pm

Your band director and the local music store are good places to start, I would also check out the local conservatory of music.

My #1 recommendation for anyone considering buying a flute (regardless of their playing level) is to try as many flutes as possible. You would be surprised by the variation between flutes even of the same make and model. And if you find one that you really like, make sure you get that exact one, not just one of the same make and model.
I've always purchased flutes "in person," partly because I'm very picky when it comes to flutes. But Fluteworld does have a good reputation so I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem with them.

I would recommend Yamaha flutes for your price range, but others may disagree with me. I had a Yamaha 481 which was great (silver head & body, nickel-silver keys), it got me into college for music (about 8 years ago). I think they have changed their models around since then, so I'm not sure what the equivalent model is today.

vampav8trix · Post by **vampav8trix** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:42 am

FluteFellow wrote:Your band director and the local music store are good places to start, I would also check out the local conservatory of music.

I really wouldn't recommend the band director unless he or she is primarily a flute player.

My flute teacher is appalled with some of the flutes that schools have recommended as a step up flute.

Find a good flute teacher or talk to someone at a conservatory like flute fellow has suggested.

I would stay away from the band director.

andy957 · Post by **andy957** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:03 am

vampav8trix wrote:I would stay away from the band director.

I agree. They're most likely to recommend Bundy or some awful brand that the school buys in bulk.

FluteFellow · Post by **FluteFellow** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:52 pm

I don't think my reply was very clear, I meant that the band director/local music shop would be good places to start looking for a teacher. I agree with the other posters that the band director would probably not be the best person to recommend a flute (I wouldn't necessarily trust the people at the local music shop for recommendations either, keep in mind they want to make a sale). Trust your ear, and if you can bring a musically knowledgeable friend along that would be helpful as well.

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:43 pm

Geez. You folks must have had some really lousy band directors in your neighborhoods. I know a lot of band directors and most of them are more familiar with different GOOD instruments than you might think.

BTW - I'm a former band director. I'm a reed player (Sax, Flute, and Clarinet) but I learned the good brands for all the band instruments and felt comfortable recommending brands whenever I was asked.

AND - Bundy flutes are not bad (for a beginner). Really, they are pretty solid instruments as long as they are well maintained. Like a Timex, "they take a lickin' and keep on tickin'."

I started flute on a Bundy, later moved to an Armstrong 80, and now play a Muramatsu with a 14K Williams headjoint. I still have the Bundy and the Armstrong and could use either of them as a backup flute. Maybe a few pro flutists would notice, but most people would never know the difference.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:59 pm

I agree. If it is in good shape, a Bundy is pretty indestructable. Too bad they don't make them any more.... .

FlameDesire · Post by **FlameDesire** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:15 pm

Thanks,
I sadly have to agree that most band directors don't have a lot of knowledge about the woodwind section, primarily the flutes. It might just be the band directors I have and had, but a flutist will most likely have better advice to give on flutes.

Buying in person is definitely a good thing, but arriving at a flute store without knowledge of at least what you want to try out first doesn't seem very wise.

There's tons of flutes within my price range, but I haven't really hard much about Amadeus by Wm. S. Haynes Co. They have the AF600BOF on Fluteworld for 1,215. Is the Haynes headjoint worth the extra hundred if I get a Yamaha or Pearl?

Any opinions on the Azumi flutes?

vampav8trix · Post by **vampav8trix** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:54 am

pied_piper wrote:Geez. You folks must have had some really lousy band directors in your neighborhoods. I know a lot of band directors and most of them are more familiar with different GOOD instruments than you might think.

BTW - I'm a former band director. I'm a reed player (Sax, Flute, and Clarinet) but I learned the good brands for all the band instruments and felt comfortable recommending brands whenever I was asked.

AND - Bundy flutes are not bad (for a beginner). Really, they are pretty solid instruments as long as they are well maintained. Like a Timex, "they take a lickin' and keep on tickin'."

I started flute on a Bundy, later moved to an Armstrong 80, and now play a Muramatsu with a 14K Williams headjoint. I still have the Bundy and the Armstrong and could use either of them as a backup flute. Maybe a few pro flutists would notice, but most people would never know the difference.

As you stated. You are a woodwind player.

I had band directors in highschool and in Juinor High who were brass players and just told the kids to buy Gemienhardts. Every single flute player had a Gemeinhardt. I was the only flute player who had Armstrong flutes.

My mother had already bought me a step up flute back when I was in 6th grade. I had a beautiful Armstrong 80B. I think that I was the only flute that could play well in tune. HA HA

The only reason that I had an Armstrong was sheer luck. The band director at the elementary school where I learned to play the flute had a deal with a music store who sold mostly Armstrong flutes. (He was a trumpet player.)

Then one day in high school one of the really good flute players showed up with a gorgeous Haynes. No one had ever heard of Haynes flutes. ( this was back in 1984.) Haynes has been around forever but we had never heard of them.

So if you are a band director who is well versed in professional instruments, you are a gem.

I couldn't tell you a thing about brass instruments.

Amadeus flutes are made in China. I don't know a lot about them. They are very bright sounding.

I like the Haynes classic flutes.

I have never played an Azumi.

Yamaha and Pearl are very good.

I wanted a nice flute and I bought a used Muramatsu. If you want to get the most for your money, you should consider used flutes.

I will probably buy another used flute in time.

FlameDesire · Post by **FlameDesire** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:22 am

Ah, your very lucky then
Most of my classmates have Gemeinhardts and half of them don't like their flutes.

Haynes Classic are obviously out of my price range, but would a silver handcut Haynes headjoint on Amadeus body work pretty good?

Any used flutes sites that you would recommend? One that lets you try it out before paying?

vampav8trix · Post by **vampav8trix** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:24 am

www.fluteworld.com
www.flutes4sale.com
www.winds101.com