Amadeus AF-900 (Haynes)

[fluteguy18]

I just bought the same flute for my daughter who is switching from a Yamaha. The Haynes Amadeus AF-900 we picked up today has been in their stock since October 2010, so it has been there for awhile. They had it at $2360, but I was able to get it for $2000 even. It has the head piece EIT the Haynes Amedeus label. When we tested it against;
Gemeinhardt 33SB $2530
Amadeus AF900 $2360;
Sonare SF-705 $2300;
Yamaha YF-481 $1775;

My daughter, her teacher and I all felt the Haynes AF-900 stood out as the winner. The one we bought has the C foot, not B.

Do you still have your AF-900 and have any new feedback a year or so later? Please let us know. Thanks!!!!

I haven't really read the above posts so forgive me if this comment seems offhand and irrelevant. I'm glad that she likes the Amadeus. Out of that lineup the Sonare was really the only comparable instrument and they've been having quality control issues lately. But Amadeus seems to fairly solid right now so she should do well with it (hopefully... Haynes themselves have been having QC issues lately but Amadeus has seemed unaffected).

[andy957]

Do you still have your AF-900 and have any new feedback a year or so later? Please let us know. Thanks!!!!

Hi Radhibillah.

It's actually a sad story (well, kind of anyway). Believe it or not, I was not able to find a flute teacher in the city of Toronto who has a progressive plan of teaching, meaning they don't know pieces/exercises in a graded fashion. They asked me to tell them what I want to play, when I said don't you have a set method of teaching, not one of them could answer positively. So I went from teacher to teacher, looking for someone who could really guide me in a graded fashion, with no success. As a result, I completely lost interest.

In addition, and also another 'believe it or not', there are no competent flute technicians in the entire city of Toronto, and the flute needs a complete going-over (pads weren't seating completely fully, the mechanism was a little 'gummy' at times, etc.), so I hope to send it to JB Weissman for a servicing, but it's expensive and tough from Canada.

So unfortunately I cannot answer any of your questions. The flute hasn't been opened in almost 8 months.

I hope your daughter enjoys hers.
'
In the meantime if someone reading this thread is interested in purchasing mine, please contact me via private message here.

Thanks.

[Phineas]

Believe it or not, I was not able to find a flute teacher in the city of Toronto who has a progressive plan of teaching, meaning they don't know pieces/exercises in a graded fashion. They asked me to tell them what I want to play, when I said don't you have a set method of teaching, not one of them could answer positively. So I went from teacher to teacher, looking for someone who could really guide me in a graded fashion, with no success. As a result, I completely lost interest.

Interesting. When I wanted to learn the flute, I had an Idea of what I wanted to play. Unless you are in a program that has certain requirements, it would be hard for a teacher to just come up with something you would like to play.

As far as exercises go, the best way to handle this is teach the student, but push the curriculum. Different students have different needs to reach the same goals. I have one student that use to have problems with rhythms. I have another student that has issues with double tongue technique. They both play at the same level, but I give them individual exercises to work through these issues.

If you are grading the teacher based on them not steering you in the right direction, that is unfair in my book. Learning, playing, and keeping interest is something a teacher your teacher can only do for you as a guide. You have to do the rest!

In addition, and also another 'believe it or not', there are no competent flute technicians in the entire city of Toronto, and the flute needs a complete going-over (pads weren't seating completely fully, the mechanism was a little 'gummy' at times, etc.), so I hope to send it to JB Weissman for a servicing, but it's expensive and tough from Canada.

I find this hard to believe. I know of several professional flute players in Toronto (Bill McBirnie for one!). There has to be one up there somewhere. If you are still interested contact Bill and see where he sends his flutes Bill McBirnie extremeflute@look.ca Not only is he a great player, he teaches as well.

So unfortunately I cannot answer any of your questions. The flute hasn't been opened in almost 8 months.

It is too bad you lost interest. Maybe it is just plainly that. There are lots of players in way worse conditions, with way worse instruments overcoming obstacles to play the flute. Good luck to you!

Phineas

[andy957]

If you are grading the teacher based on them not steering you in the right direction, that is unfair in my book. Learning, playing, and keeping interest is something a teacher your teacher can only do for you as a guide. You have to do the rest!

Totally disagree with you. I'm paying them to guide me in a specific way, i.e. starting off easy, progressing through studies, pieces, etc. They didn't even know of some of the studies I found ON MY OWN (Gariboldi, for example), which absolutely stunned me. And these are RCM "professors".

I find this hard to believe. I know of several professional flute players in Toronto (Bill McBirnie for one!). There has to be one up there somewhere. If you are still interested contact Bill and see where he sends his flutes Bill McBirnie extremeflute@look.ca Not only is he a great player, he teaches as well.

Well it's true. Sorry you felt the need to criticize my findings.

It is too bad you lost interest. Maybe it is just plainly that. There are lots of players in way worse conditions, with way worse instruments overcoming obstacles to play the flute. Good luck to you!

You're completely wrong. I lost interest due to the teachers. I still love the instrument, and I resent the tone of your post.

[fluteguy18]

Andy957, I'm in complete agreement with Phineas on this one. You're being a perfect example of the old saying 'you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.'

There are countless flute players out there without teachers to push them. They push themselves, do the research themselves, they record themselves, and work every day to get better. I am living proof of that right now as are all other professional flute players or adult amateurs. I practice, research, record myself, and try to be better ON MY OWN. Sure, you want and need a good teacher and I think you've probably been looking in all of the wrong places. That however doesn't fix a lousy attitude.

They can't practice for you, and they can't be blamed for YOU losing interest. If you look back at all of these teachers you tried studying with, in all reality there is only one common denominator: you. It's like Taylor Swift. When is she going to realize that after the 500th good for nothing boyfriend she writes a song about that in the end she's the only common factor between them. I mean geez, they can't all be tear-drop-staining, cheating, faux-Romeo, fairytale-fright-fests...

It's all about attitude and perspective my friend... attitude and perspective.

[andy957]

fluteguy, I resent the tone of your post as well. I was stating my findings. Pure and simple. I am old enough and have been a musician long enough to know how to teach and how NOT to teach. I was saying that the teachers I've found don't have a plan. That's all.

I've marked both of your posts as inflammatory. And I'm gone from these boards. Unreal.

[fluteguy18]

So you informed the moderators that a moderator's post was inflammatory. Gotcha. Hope that works out for you with free speech and all that.

See ya later.

[cflutist]

Wow Andy,

Phineas and FG18 have my upmost respect and are valued contributors to this board.
They were both trying to help you, but you responded with an attitude.

As FG18 suggested, I have not had a formal flute lesson since 1974 but am constantly researching things trying to improve my playing.

[Phineas]

So you informed the moderators that a moderator's post was inflammatory. Gotcha. Hope that works out for you with free speech and all that.

See ya later.

Yep... Phineas <---Moderator

Andy, I did not mean to be brash or offensive. Just challenging and possibly helpful.

Phineas

[fluteguy18]

Andy, I did not mean to be brash or offensive. Just challenging and possibly helpful.

Phineas

::sheepish look::

Well, I did... just a WEEEE bit.... But then again I try to warn everyone that I say exactly what I mean, and mean exactly what I say. Furthermore, my mouth gets me into quite a bit of trouble sometimes. I've gotten WAY better about keeping it in line, but sometimes... I just can't help myself. I rarely mean badly, but I just get carried away a bit. Sometimes I've been called short tempered. I disagree. I prefer to call it a swift and assertive reaction to bull-hockey.

[Phineas]

Sometimes I've been called short tempered. I disagree. I prefer to call it a swift and assertive reaction to bull-hockey.

Its all good. I felt a little strong about the post as well. Lord knows I had my share of hurdles when I started playing.

[MissyHPhoenix]

I hate it when the blasted egos get in the way of learning. If someone thinks they are better than all of the teachers, then they deserve what they get --nothing. It's such a shame, really, because one can learn something from just about any other player if they are willing to keep their mind open and simply TRY. I've run into this attitude in school, also, and it absolutely floors me. There is always somebody who is better than you -- stay humble and be able to see where someone else can help you. In attitude at least, if not in ability.

Y'all weren't offensive --simply brutally honest. Perhaps someone should have been more honest with the person before. Maybe then the ego could've been curbed. Yeesh.

End rant.

[fluteguy18]

Looking back I've realized that very same thing. I had a lot of ego and missed a lot of learning opportunities. Some of the greatest lessons I've learned about music (and life) have been from 'amateurs' or from less than ideal circumstances. For example: I learned to be resourceful when I had a key extension break at a competition. I learned that it's okay to play just because I love to play from my Dad when I was really struggling to identify myself last year. He can't read music at all and doesn't have any training of any sort but he can play the heck out of an acoustic guitar. I learned from working in retail that you don't have to be paid to play your instrument in order to find your work fulfilling. I learned from a co-worker there that what you DO for money is not WHO you ARE.

The best teachers out there are those who surround you if only you have the humility to listen... I heard a quote recently that went something along the lines of: 'Small people monopolize the talking. Big people monopolize the listening.'

How true.

[PurpleShadow]

Looking back I've realized that very same thing. I had a lot of ego and missed a lot of learning opportunities. Some of the greatest lessons I've learned about music (and life) have been from 'amateurs' or from less than ideal circumstances.

The best teachers out there are those who surround you if only you have the humility to listen...

There is always somebody who is better than you -- stay humble and be able to see where someone else can help you. In attitude at least, if not in ability.

Knowing I was never going to seriously pursue music professionally, I've been trying to get everything I can from the knowledge-sharing of the wonderful musicians I come in contact with in my life, not just fellow flutists. There is such a wealth of experience and knowledge out there from everything in music history to different styles/genres/eras of music to instrument production and lineage. Not to mention musicians know each other, so it is a great networking tool!