Is a 10 year old Yamaha 881 worth $3000

[sinebar]

I have a chance to buy a Yamaha 881 for $3000 but it's 0ver ten years old. It's in good shape though and sounds great. I have only seen and heard the flute on a video but it looked and sounded really nice. I don't think any work has been done on it. So is a 881 this old worth $3000?

[john101]

Yes and no. I think it's a fair price if the flute is appropriate for you. I couldn't image buying a flute without trying several. And I don't think you really can tell much about the instrument from a video. When your in this price range for a 2nd hand flute, I would want to try several. For instance, if you check muramatsuamerica.com they have a 2nd hand flute section and their prices are around $3000 for solid silver 2nd hand flutes. I believe you can do trial orders on these. Additionally you can trust that this company has gone over their 2nd hand flutes and put them back in great condition. Other companies are Weissman in NY and I think Fluteworld even has 2nd hand instruments where you can order up to 3 on trial. In fact fluteworld has a 881 in their 2nd hand section right now. You might want to order it along with a few other flutes and see if it's want you want. Personally, I would be considering Muramatsu, Miyazawa and the major US made flutes if I was looking at a $3000 used flute.

John

[sinebar]

Yes and no. I think it's a fair price if the flute is appropriate for you. I couldn't image buying a flute without trying several. And I don't think you really can tell much about the instrument from a video. When your in this price range for a 2nd hand flute, I would want to try several. For instance, if you check muramatsuamerica.com they have a 2nd hand flute section and their prices are around $3000 for solid silver 2nd hand flutes. I believe you can do trial orders on these. Additionally you can trust that this company has gone over their 2nd hand flutes and put them back in great condition. Other companies are Weissman in NY and I think Fluteworld even has 2nd hand instruments where you can order up to 3 on trial. In fact fluteworld has a 881 in their 2nd hand section right now. You might want to order it along with a few other flutes and see if it's want you want. Personally, I would be considering Muramatsu, Miyazawa and the major US made flutes if I was looking at a $3000 used flute.

John

That's a good idea. I didn't know those places would let you try out used instruments. So you recomend Muramatsu and Miazawa over a Yamha?

[john101]

That's my personal preference. You have to try them for yourself and see what works best for you at your current state of development. I've never liked the tone of Yamaha flutes. However, when it comes to student flutes and step up flutes, Yamaha makes a very mechanically sound flute. Excellent mechanism and a pretty good headjoint. I just think think you would be cheating yourself if you didn't try other flute brands.

Additionally, you may want to try a new Muramatsu EX, which is in your price range. You can hear James Galway play the Muramatsu EX on youtube. Go to www.thegalwaynetwork.com and on the center of the screen there is a scrolling banner which will direct you to the 16 flutes demo. He compares 16 different flutes, the EX is flute number 2. The other flutes are as follows;


1 Lois Lot silver 10032
2 Muramatsu silver EX 53320. / Muramatsu Pads
3. A.K. Cooper 164 silver with a Haynes Head / Pads unknown
4. Muramatsu all silver 14657 / Muramatsu Pads
5. Muramatsu Platinum 44755 / C# trill Muramatsu Pads
6. J.Brogger. 18k gold 555 with a Nagahara head. c# trill key and Straubinger
Pads
7. Muramatsu 18k gold 61700 / C# trill Muramatsu Pads
8. A. K. Cooper 14k gold 188 (Berlin Phil flute) Left hand low C# key Pads
Unknown
9. Emanuel 18k gold 150 C# Trill key Pads unknown
10. A.K.Cooper. 14k gold 197 Straubinger Pads
11. Kanichi Nagahara 20k gold 550 C# Platinum riser
12. Muramatsu 9k gold 64200 / C# trill Muramatsu Pads
13. Muramatsu 14k 38220 Muramatsu Pads
14. Kanichi Nagahara 18k gold 518 C# Trill key and Platinum riser
15. Muramatsu 24k gold 60100 / C# trill key Muramatsu Pads
16. Muramatsu 24k gold 55555 / Switchable split E and Muramatsu pads.

Remember only you will know whats best for you.

John

[sinebar]

That's my personal preference. You have to try them for yourself and see what works best for you at your current state of development. I've never liked the tone of Yamaha flutes. However, when it comes to student flutes and step up flutes, Yamaha makes a very mechanically sound flute. Excellent mechanism and a pretty good headjoint. I just think think you would be cheating yourself if you didn't try other flute brands.

Additionally, you may want to try a new Muramatsu EX, which is in your price range. You can hear James Galway play the Muramatsu EX on youtube. Go to www.thegalwaynetwork.com and on the center of the screen there is a scrolling banner which will direct you to the 16 flutes demo. He compares 16 different flutes, the EX is flute number 2. The other flutes are as follows;


1 Lois Lot silver 10032
2 Muramatsu silver EX 53320. / Muramatsu Pads
3. A.K. Cooper 164 silver with a Haynes Head / Pads unknown
4. Muramatsu all silver 14657 / Muramatsu Pads
5. Muramatsu Platinum 44755 / C# trill Muramatsu Pads
6. J.Brogger. 18k gold 555 with a Nagahara head. c# trill key and Straubinger
Pads
7. Muramatsu 18k gold 61700 / C# trill Muramatsu Pads
8. A. K. Cooper 14k gold 188 (Berlin Phil flute) Left hand low C# key Pads
Unknown
9. Emanuel 18k gold 150 C# Trill key Pads unknown
10. A.K.Cooper. 14k gold 197 Straubinger Pads
11. Kanichi Nagahara 20k gold 550 C# Platinum riser
12. Muramatsu 9k gold 64200 / C# trill Muramatsu Pads
13. Muramatsu 14k 38220 Muramatsu Pads
14. Kanichi Nagahara 18k gold 518 C# Trill key and Platinum riser
15. Muramatsu 24k gold 60100 / C# trill key Muramatsu Pads
16. Muramatsu 24k gold 55555 / Switchable split E and Muramatsu pads.

Remember only you will know whats best for you.

John

Thanks for the link. I listened to him play all 16 flutes and I couldn't tell the difference between any of them. He made them all sound fantastic. I bet if he played my Yamaha 381 it would sound as good as any of those flutes. But that's in the hands of a master.

[john101]

Actually there is small differences between all the flutes played. If you listen closely you will hear that some flutes sound brighter and some sound darker. Listen for differences in the tone of their high registers and low registers. Also note that that the most budget flute is the Muramatsu EX at $3500. The other flutes cost between $8000 to $30000. These are not student flutes.

John

p.s. And yes, while, J. Galway can make the 300 series Yamaha sound better than we can, in comparision to these flutes it will sound like a toy.

[sinebar]

Actually there is small differences between all the flutes played. If you listen closely you will hear that some flutes sound brighter and some sound darker. Listen for differences in the tone of their high registers and low registers. Also note that that the most budget flute is the Muramatsu EX at $3500. The other flutes cost between $8000 to $30000. These are not student flutes.

John

p.s. And yes, while, J. Galway can make the 300 series Yamaha sound better than we can, in comparision to these flutes it will sound like a toy.

I wish he would have played a Yamaha 881 because I just bought one off ebay and it would be cool to see what a 881 sounds like in Galways hands.

[john101]

Best of luck, hope it meets your expectations.

John

[sinebar]

Best of luck, hope it meets your expectations.

John

Thanks I hope it does too.