PURCHASING A PEARL ANNIVERSARY FLUTE 2008 CIRCA

[stewart]

Hi,
I am new to these forums and the Flute.
In fact this is my first post but is important to me as I have the chance of a
Pearl 665 E Coda Anniversary model flute for a good price.
Now this model was a special edition from Pearl to celebrate their 40th Annivesary and there are some nice extra accessories on the flute.
There is a 10 carat gold lip plate with forso Japanese cut embouchure and a solid silver head joint and remarkably it has a C#trill key and a D# roller.
Now you might be thinking what are you waiting for go for it.
But my concern is if this flute has been sitting around the dealers showroom since 2008, the year this special edition came out willl it affect it's condition
in respect of corrosion and more importantly Tuning.
It is boxed and is brand new and has never been used according to the dealer.
The only downside is that the dealer is a couple of hundred miles from where I live so I can't actually manage to go and inspect the flute.
For a little extra I could purchase the Trevor James Virtuoso flute which has a solid silver headjoint and body throughout but does not have the C#trill or
D# roller key.
Although I am a beginner and there are student flutes out there I would rather start off with a good quality flute to save me upgrading in a couple of years
as I plan to keep this flute for a long time and would hopefully need only a one off purchase barring theft or accidents.
I am an adult beginner and have saved for a good quality flute.
Your opinions are most welcome.
Thanks
Stewart

[goldenflute]

Depending on how much of a beginner you are, you may find that purchasing a student flute is the way to go at first. They are made so that a student can play them relatively easy and get a good tone out of them. You might be discouraged/frustrated by the challenge of a professional flute at first.

Having said that, it would be wise to test play any flute before purchasing it. What sounds great on paper might not work for you in person. I wouldn't worry about the Pearl sitting in the store for a few years (unplayed). If the store is reputable, the flute was kept in an appropriate environment (i.e. safe from "accidents"," dry, little exposure to the air, etc.) See if you can get a trial period for the Pearl and Trevor James. After playing them both for a week or so, you should be able to decide which flute works better for you, or which options you really need or want to pay for.

Remember, its not the flute that produces the sound, its the player!

[stewart]

Thanks for the advice goldenflute.
Very good advice indeed especially the last line which I agree 100% with.
The trouble is this model of flute is not produced now and very hard to get hold of in the music shops and I don't know anybody
who has one. So getting to try it isn't going to be an option for me.
I have read good reports regarding the flute from very knowledgeable sources who are not connected with the company.
I take on board what you are saying that the flute has to work for me but sometimes we just have to go with a gut feeling and that is what I feel on this occasion.
If I let this go then I might never get a well specified flute at a reasonable price.
So hopefully you can see my dilemma.
I will go for it and report back.
Many thanks once again.