Hello!
I just joined this awesome forum!
Well i have been playing flute for 6-7 years.. however I have not really started practicing and getting interested until 2-3 years ago. Now I am playing music such as hungary fantasy, chaminade-concertino, books such as selected studies (the red/orange etude book) and andersons, etc. just to show u my level.
Well now I really love playing flute and has become a hobby! I am ready to buy a new flute-finally but have a major budget. I can probably spend around 800. I am planning on getting an Armstrong 80B but I am little hesitant b/c there has been very LITTLE talk of ARMSTRONG flutes. Why is this? I would like to know whether Armstrong intermediate/professional flutes are long lasting and good quality flutes! thanks so much!
Some questions!
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
Depends on your goals and abilities. Sounds as if you're becoming rather advanced. 
Several of my junior- and senior-high school students play intermediate Armstrongs, and seem able to produce really good tone, with good intonation and a pretty reliable mechanical record. I think until you're truly ready to buy a so-called professional flute, these will really get the job done for their price. Armstrong offers a choice of five (I think) headjoints, so be sure to try them all if available. Conn, Armstrong's parent company, was purchased by Selmer (all now owned by Steinway), so there have been some changes to their flutes this past year. I prefer the previous line--80B, 87B, 55B--these are all slightly different now. The 80B has been replaced by the 800B, with a different headjoint (which I like less than the others...choose the one that's best for you). It's possible to find the older models still in stock in lots of stores. I'm not sure whether, in your area, you could find a gently-used Yamaha 581 within your budget, but this would be a good choice also. I haven't played Trevor James lately, but some of these might fit your price and other requirements as well. Happy shopping! 
Several of my junior- and senior-high school students play intermediate Armstrongs, and seem able to produce really good tone, with good intonation and a pretty reliable mechanical record. I think until you're truly ready to buy a so-called professional flute, these will really get the job done for their price. Armstrong offers a choice of five (I think) headjoints, so be sure to try them all if available. Conn, Armstrong's parent company, was purchased by Selmer (all now owned by Steinway), so there have been some changes to their flutes this past year. I prefer the previous line--80B, 87B, 55B--these are all slightly different now. The 80B has been replaced by the 800B, with a different headjoint (which I like less than the others...choose the one that's best for you). It's possible to find the older models still in stock in lots of stores. I'm not sure whether, in your area, you could find a gently-used Yamaha 581 within your budget, but this would be a good choice also. I haven't played Trevor James lately, but some of these might fit your price and other requirements as well. Happy shopping! 
Definately great for its price! The intermediates are very nice, but, after playing them all, I wouldn't call any of these 'professional'. For a hobby flutist, these are certainly adequate. When I play them for customers, they usually can't hear a difference between these flutes and mine. I can, but my perception of my flute's response is very different from the sound heard by usually only moderately-musically-educated listeners. These flutes are probably quite suitable for all but the most serious students, who may eventually want something like a Muramatsu, Miyazawa, or Altus (these are all pretty $$$$ 
).
The intermediates are very nice, but, after playing them all, I wouldn't call any of these 'professional'. For a hobby flutist, these are certainly adequate. When I play them for customers, they usually can't hear a difference between these flutes and mine. I can, but my perception of my flute's response is very different from the sound heard by usually only moderately-musically-educated listeners. These flutes are probably quite suitable for all but the most serious students, who may eventually want something like a Muramatsu, Miyazawa, or Altus (these are all pretty $$$$ ).