Gemeinhardt or Pearl?

[Phineas]

fluttiegurl,

Well, I can only go with my experience also. Most of the time the problem with the Gemeinhardts is operator error. However, you are not the first one I have heard that had problems with them. Frankly as a preference in the same catagory, I like the Armstrongs better, however that is another thread.

Thanks for the congratulations on the new Pearl. I am in the process of retiring my trusty Buffet/Crampton International model with a wood headjoint. I think your students, or their teacher, have good taste! By the way, did your Maesta come with one of those Forte headjoints? I got a chance to play on one of those at the NAMM show, and I cant wait to get mine!

I had never like Pearls in the past, until I got a chance to spend some time playing on them at the NAMM show last summer. In the price range, you really cannot get any better right now. Not to mention the fact you can get a hand made Pearl for a fraction of what other hand made flutes cost!

Peace
Phineas

[fluttiegurl]

My Pearl did come with a Forte headjoint. At first I loved it, but I am currently looking for an additional headjoint that has a bit more resistance for playing with a small chamber group. Even so, it is a fabulous flute and in three years, I have had no problems with it.

I also prefer Armstrong over Gemeinhardt at the moment. I have one student who plays a 800B Armstrong. It has served her every well for a not so expensive flute. She plans to take it to college until she can afford her first handmade.

[FruityFlutie]

I'm in 9th grade and I started private lessons this year, and I don't know what kind of new flute to get. When I talked to one person in my band class (she's second chair) she said she likes Gemeinhardt. But when I talked to my other friend, who takes lessons with the same person I do, she said she bought a Pearl through our teacher. Which do you recomend?

Generally you'll want to pick the same brand that your beginner flute is. I've had a gemeinhardt since I started so my teacher told me to stick with it because the brand is comfortable for me already.

[H. Blanchard]

geimeinhardts would be my choice because all the ones I've seen sound good and they last well.

[ElegantFlute]

I've had my Gemeinhardt 3SB for about 10 years or so. It has NEVER EVER given me one bit of trouble. I've been to All-Region and All-State with this flute, and also gotten music scholarships with it. The most important thing you can do is do a test play on all flutes that you're considering. Take a piece of music with you to music stores and test them out. I made an Artley sound decent, so don't be so quick to blame the flute on bad sound.

[fluttiegurl]

I had a Geminehardt for about 15 years that I honestly loved. However, I am not impressed with many of them that I have seen over the last few years.

FruityFlutie,
I don't mean to sound rude, but I have to disagree with your teacher. Many times, a student does not realize that a different brand is better suited for him/her because he/she never tries anything else. I am not saying that you personally made a bad decission, but I would like to say that I don't think that was a wise reasoning for selecting a Gemeinhardt, especially if you did not try anything else (which I do not know if you did or not). Your teacher may heva other reasons for this remark that I am unaware of, but I personally would not give that advice.[/quote]

[Christinalovesyou]

I know this is very old but I'd like to put my input in. I started playing my gemeinhardt flute 5 and a half years ago, and it's been very reliable. I've only taken it to the shop once or twice. I just upgraded to an intermediate gemeinhardt flute and the sound is beautiful. I love it. Solid silver head joint, open hole, offset g, b foot. I haven't tried out a pearl flute, but I'm too happy with gemeinhardt to want anything else.