Shopping for a New Flute

Rules:

1.  Try everything available for comparison.

2.  Make sure to try the exact flute you are thinking of purchasing before you buy it.

3.  When trying flutes, play each in a variety of styles to see how well they respond in different registers and dynamic levels.  Also bring your old flute along for comparison.

4.  Check each with a tuner for intonation.

5.  Buying a flute is like buying a car.  You would never purchase a car without test driving it, and everyone has different preferences. Also, like most things in life, you get what you pay for…

Features to look for:

1.  Solid silver head, body and foot.  Whether the keys are also solid silver does not affect the sound of the instrument.  If these flutes are too expensive and you are not planning to continue playing after high school, you may want to consider a model that has only a solid silver head joint and silver plated body and foot.

2.  Open Holes.  These are also often referred to as French models.  This means that there are holes in five of the keys (left hand 2 and 3, and right hand 1, 2, and 3).  These are beneficial for two primary reasons.  First, they allow for the air to flow more freely through the instrument, which in turn helps the tone in the upper register.  Second, the player can partially uncover a hole in order to control intonation.  Student models do not have open holes because most often the beginning player’s hands are not big enough to comfortable cover them.  When you purchase an open hole flute, the retailer should include plugs to temporarily cover the holes.  If not, they can be purchased very inexpensively at www.fluteworld.com, or you can use scotch tape!

3.  Low B foot joint.  This means that the foot joint is extended about 2-3 inches and has an extra key on the end.  This allows the flute to play one half step lower, adding an extra note to the range.  Also, B foot joints generally include a high C facilitator, or “gizmo” key, which greatly helps in the production of C4.  Many more contemporary works include low B’s, so I recommend this option to all students.  In addition, the extra length can help in the production of upper register notes.

4.  Inline/Offset G  key.  Although the position of the G key (left hand 3) does not affect the sound of the instrument, most people find the offset G easier to play, as it puts less strain on the hands.  I recommend the offset G particularly to students who have smaller hands.

5.  Other options—split E mechanism, D# roller key, C# trill key, etc.  These are all small features added to some upper end models to make playing easier for the professional player.  They are nice to have, but certainly not necessary; not even all professional models have these features.  If you find a flute that has these extra features, great!  But there is no need to be discouraged from buying a model that does not include them.

Brands and models I recommend:

In this section, I will include first the model that has only a solid silver head joint followed by the model that has the solid silver head, body, and foot.  For more details you can visit www.fluteworld.com.

Yamaha

*361H-- $1049

*461H-- $1657

Gemeinhardt

*3SHB-- $790

*3SB-- $990

*33SBO-- $1970 (offers gold springs, different head joint, and pointed prongs on keys) 

Sonare (by Powell—professional flute company)

*5BOF-- $1012

*6BOF-- $1620

Pearl

*665RBE-- $995

*765RBE-- $1695

The above models are flutes that I have personally tried and found to be of high quality.  Flute companies are constantly coming up with new and different options, so it is impossible to keep up with everything available!  The trend now is for professional flute companies to create flutes at the intermediate student level, using the headjoints from their high-end flutes in combination with a less expensive body.  Some companies doing this are Powell (Sonare), Haynes (Amadeus), Miyazawa (Lyric), and most recently Altus (Azumi).  Just because I have not listed a particular flute does not mean that it is not a good one, only that I maybe haven't tried it yet!  When shopping for a flute, try everything and purchase what works best for YOU.

Used Instruments

It is obviously cheaper to purchase a used instrument.  If you choose to do this, make sure that you TRY the instrument first to make sure that it works and that you like it.  Also, I would not recommend purchasing a used instrument before having tried some of the models listed above for comparison.  Finally, be aware that flutes vary from year to year, so just because you tried a particular model and liked it does not mean that you will necessarily like a different flute of the same model, especially if it was made in a different year.

These prices were taken from fluteworld’s website, listed above.  For price comparison, you can also look at J.L. Smith (www.flutesmith.com) and Woodwind Brasswind (www.wwbw.com). 

Where to Shop

When shopping for an instrument, you can order several models from Fluteworld and gurantee them on your credit card.  They will allow you to try the flutes for about a week, then send back the ones you do not wish to keep.  Your card will only be charged for the flute you purchase.  Other stores may offer this option as well.  Alternatively, you may want to look into Volkwein’s Music Store in Pittsburgh, which I believe carries both the Yamaha and Gemeinhardt brands.  Their website is www.volkweins.com.  You should call ahead to schedule an appointment to try flutes, and to make sure they have the appropriate models in stock.  In addition, Motter's Music, which recently opened a store in Boardman, carries several good lines of upgrade flutes including Yamaha and Gemeinhardt. (You can reach them by calling 330-965-BAND.  Or, if you are really up for the road trip—Fluteworld is located in Detroit, which is only about five hours away.  No appointment is necessary, and they will provide you with a room in which to try whichever flutes you like!  You could also try some of the local stores to see what they have available, however the disadvantage to this is that they do not carry a variety of makes and models, so it is difficult to compare your options.

Finally, remember that purchasing a quality instrument is an investment.  If you decide not to play after high school or to upgrade to a better (professional) instrument later, you can sell your flute and receive close to what you paid for it, because the price of new flutes continues to increase each year.  Example: When I purchased my Gemeinhardt 33SB in 1996, it listed for $2850; we bought it on sale for $1995.  When I started college, I upgraded to a better instrument, and sold my Gemeinhardt on Ebay for $1500.

I hope you find this information helpful.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call me (330-719-2547) or send and email (HLYflute@hotmail.com).  Happy shopping!