Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Flute History and Instrument Purchase

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Arianna
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Location: Atlanta, GA

Post by Arianna »

cflutist wrote:I had a C# Trill added to my Haynes back in 1998 and love it as well. I also just ordered a new Brannen flute with a C# Trill too.

According to an email I received from Brannen:

The approximate weight of the C# Trill option would add .700ozt to the total weight of the flute ... we're talking 7/10 of a troy ounce.
I figured it wasn't much that the C# trill added in weight! My flute was just a bigger beast in general...but that is something that was once mentioned to me as a concern towards getting it...especially that it adds back weight. Now, again, I love it and wouldn't want to be without it. But, everyone is different so I try to throw out all arguments (that I know of at least) :) Overall, I think the pro's greatly outweigh the con's!

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cflutist
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Post by cflutist »

Andy,

Please tell us how you like your flute after you receive it.

clarinetcounsel
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Post by clarinetcounsel »

Andy, I am eager to hear how the new 674 is different from 461 (ease to play, dynamic, etc.) because I am also thinking to upgrade from 481 to 681.

By the way, SaxyShanny, how is "K" headjoint different from "EC"? Interesting, "K" headjoint is not available in Asia (even Japan)!!

andy957
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Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 10:18 am

Re:

Post by andy957 »

cflutist wrote:Andy,

Please tell us how you like your flute after you receive it.
I actually ended up not purchasing a new instrument after all this helpful discussion, mostly due to financial concerns. However, I'm back in the market now (finally)!

I'm looking at the Amadeus AF-900, the Yamaha 574HCT or 674HCT (don't know yet, depends on price and availability), and potentially one of the Pearl models, although my dealer doesn't have them in stock...all special orders, which is funny since they're the biggest flute dealer in the Toronto area (maybe in all of Ontario for that matter). Anyway they're easy to work with and I've bought 2 other flutes from them with no problems whatsoever.

Anyone reading this ever tried the Amadeus? I am a Haynes admirer from way back when...but I have tried the Sonares (Powell's equivalent of the Amadeus) and did not like them at all.

Thanks, folks.

Arlee
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by Arlee »

Last year one of my friends was replacing her flute and one of the flutes she was trying was an Amadeus. I also got to play it some as well and really liked it. She did also end up getting that one and has been really happy with it.

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MissyHPhoenix
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by MissyHPhoenix »

Since you asked, I will admit that I would not recommend an Amadeus. I bought one a couple of years ago and had nothing but trouble with it. The sound is beautiful, but it does not hold up to playing. The store replaced it for me with the exact same model, and after a month the 2nd one did the same thing. Perhaps we simply got a bad "batch" :lol: but I wasn't willing to try it again, so ended up replacing with a Pearl Elegante.

That is just my experience, however.
Missy

Why Be Normal????

fluteguy18
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by fluteguy18 »

MissyHPhoenix wrote:Since you asked, I will admit that I would not recommend an Amadeus. I bought one a couple of years ago and had nothing but trouble with it. The sound is beautiful, but it does not hold up to playing. The store replaced it for me with the exact same model, and after a month the 2nd one did the same thing. Perhaps we simply got a bad "batch" :lol: but I wasn't willing to try it again, so ended up replacing with a Pearl Elegante.

That is just my experience, however.

Since then Steve Finley has been appointed the artistic director at Haynes and he has completely overhauled the entire lineup. They are MUCH better than they were a few years ago. While I don't know anything in regards to any changes with their Amadeus lineup, I would give them consideration. I would still be hesitant. An Amadeus is not a Haynes... only partially.

andy957
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by andy957 »

fluteguy18 wrote:I would still be hesitant. An Amadeus is not a Haynes... only partially.
That's so true...like a Sonare is not a Powell.

Arlee
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by Arlee »

fluteguy18 wrote:Since then Steve Finley has been appointed the artistic director at Haynes and he has completely overhauled the entire lineup. They are MUCH better than they were a few years ago. While I don't know anything in regards to any changes with their Amadeus lineup, I would give them consideration. I would still be hesitant. An Amadeus is not a Haynes... only partially.
That is actually the exact reason my flute teacher at the time advocated my friend trying one. She has had it for a little over a year now with no issues.

andy957
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by andy957 »

Arlee wrote:That is actually the exact reason my flute teacher at the time advocated my friend trying one. She has had it for a little over a year now with no issues.
Arlee, you mean the Amadeus, not the Haynes, correct?

Arlee
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by Arlee »

Oh sorry yes I was definitely talking about the Amadeus. Sorry for the confusion, have been really sick this week and medicine head has definitely been getting to me :lol:

andy957
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by andy957 »

Arlee wrote:Oh sorry yes I was definitely talking about the Amadeus. Sorry for the confusion, have been really sick this week and medicine head has definitely been getting to me :lol:
No need to apologize, just get better quickly!

fluteguy18
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by fluteguy18 »

Arlee wrote: That is actually the exact reason my flute teacher at the time advocated my friend trying one. She has had it for a little over a year now with no issues.
Their new lineup was only launched in August. Any flute attained prior to that (to my understanding at least) would be to the old standards and specifications.

Arlee
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by Arlee »

Do you mean Aug 2010? I know she got hers in Oct 2009 and remember my teacher talking about Steve being involved then. I she specifically mentioned wanting to see how the new models did.

fluteguy18
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Re: Yamaha 461-H vs. 674-H: is it a big enough step up?

Post by fluteguy18 »

Yes. He presented his new lineup at the Panoramic Flutist Workshop in Boulder Colorado on June 4th of this year. He said that they would be launched at the August 2010 NFA Conference. It is certainly possible that the transition has been gradual though. The way he discussed it was that it was more of a developmental process than a complete instantaneous change in product. Steve has been the Artistic director at Haynes for two years now, and this has been his whole project. I mean, he said specifically that all of the model names would remain the same. I just know that he said the launch would be at the NFA 2010 conference and would not be announced. It would be a 'silent transition.'

I do not know actually whether or not anything was done to the Amadeus line. He didn't mention them at all. But, that being said... he wasn't addressing players that would consider stepping up to an Amadeus. He was addressing an audience of professional and pre-professional players that already performed on instruments of a higher caliber.

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