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mbrowne1229
(491 points)
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Something I've noticed here on this forum is that there's a lot of talk about beginners flutes, but what about a professional model? What are some opinions on them?
I currently own a Muramatsu DS with a Burkart headjoint. However, I feel that since I bought this flute before college, I am no longer the player I was then. It feels like my mechanism is too tough to maneuver anymore compared to other brands (I keep up with my maintenance... Just had an overhaul about 8months ago and was just adjusted a month ago). It also seems too dark, even with different headjoints. Even at one point, the original Muramatsu headjoint was too dark for my playing that I couldn't tongue clearly in the lower register. I bought a Burkart headjoint and now I'm extremely out of tune - not just my headjoint since a few other people have had this problem as well.
What kind of recommendations do you have to offer? What about headjoint options to prolong the purchase of a new instrument What kind of headjoints do you recommend to place on a Muramatsu flute to alleviate some of the said darkness? I mean, I play dark anyway.
And I beg of you, DO NOT TELL ME TO GO TRY OUT EVERYTHING THERE IS! I MIGHT FREAK OUT!!! I'M ASKING FOR OPINIONS ON CERTAIN MODELS AND YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THEM!!!!!!
ok thanks.
:-)
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Alieannie
(872 points)
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I loved my Burkart, but I too was pretty out of tune. I sold my Powell/Burkart and actually fell in love with a new Haynes fully handmade model with a gold riser. It had the darkness, richness I was looking for and it blends better. I also needed something with much more resitance and again, this was the ticket. I also now play very well in tune and am extremely happy with my decision. I too am not the player I was when I got my prior flute/headjoint. It seems to happen.
Haynes flutes were going a little downhill for awhile, but in the past couple of years (since Eastman bought them out), they've drastically cut back their production and numbers, in an attempt to get back to the quality they once had.
It's hard for me to recommend other flutes because you say you play very dark, even on the Burkart. What about Miyazawas, if you want something brighter and seem to like Japanese flutes?
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Alieannie
(872 points)
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You can sell your Mura and since it's been maintained, and get a decent amount of money, all of which can help you get a new flute. If the mechanism isn't working out for you, don't keep it. Why fight a loosing battle?
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kaflute133
(183 points)
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i have a muramatsu and love my headjoint! i play sorta bright and the muramatsu compliments me really well and gives me the darkness i like. i havent tried a haynes in a while, but i always thought of them as sorta stuffy...just my opinion. miyazawa has a ton of different head options. i would look at powell headjoints. they are super flexible and easy to articulate on. i almost bought a powell. i love them equal to my muramatsu. i wouldnt buy a whole new flute. you should be able to sell your headjoint for a good price. id just try all the heads you can and go from there  good luck!
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musicman_944
(130 points)
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I play a Muramatsu AD which is very similar to the DS. If the mechanism is not agile enough for you, perhaps the technician put too much tension on the springs. A good tech should consult with you to determine your preference rather than what he/she likes. Proper spring regulation can make a big difference in the feel of the flute.
For headjoints, I tried quite a few during the last year and finally settled on a Williams 14K with a platinum riser. For me that was the perfect combination.
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mbrowne1229
(491 points)
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I really appreciate the help!
I actually had my tech readjust my spring tension and it is better... but certainly not where it's comfortably for me.
I seem to get along with square cut embrochure holes...
I've tried Haynes flutes (newer) but seem to have the same problem. Too dark.
Miyazawas, while nice instruments, seem to lack that sizzle that I associate with the "true" sound of a flute. In short, too thin sounding.
I'm messed up, I know.
<Added>
Maybe it would clear things up a bit if I describe my current sound vs. the sound I want.
I currently have a ridiculously dark sound. It's actually brighter than it used to be with my Burkart headjoint, but my tone is very distinctive. While it sounds nice in lyrical passages, it's holding me back, I think.
I want a dark sound still, but I want the flexibility that many people get on the Muramatsu. I want that sizzle when playing lightly and I want that light sound to actually be there. But again, I want to have a nice full, dark sound in those passages that require it.
ex: Copland Duo anyone? Having problems because I'm too dark. heh... that sounds funny.
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Account Closed
(3248 points)
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Ann, I am with you on the Haynes! I fell in love with one also when I was at the Florida flute fair. They work so well with me and the scale is perfect on them also for me. I still deeply love my Powell and it also has a great scale but prefer the daintier lighter weight of the Haynes.
Mbrown,
I am like you also. I tend to play dark but I don't prefer that dark of a sound. I like depth more than darkness. The perfect match for currently is a Powell with a heavy wall Nagahara headjoint with gold riser. I like to be able to push a lot on a flute and I can do this best it seems on Powells. But, I think I remember you saying that you didn't care for Powells, so that would rule that out. The Burkarts may also be something you may want to look into. They actually tend to be too bright for my taste.
When I used to own my DS I also felt like I just couldn't project. It had a deep smooth and silky sound to it, but sometimes I felt like it was a bit muddled depending on my mood. I actually prefer my EX more that I use now as a backup flute than my old DS.
Muramatsu flutes still have my favorite mechanism and feel to them over any other flute.
Like you, I am very sensitive to pitch and tuning and have found that my ears only agree fully with the Boston made flute. While I think Japanese flutes are wonderful, Altus seems to be the only Brand that I get along with as far as scales go.
Oh yeah...you really need to try them all for yourself. lolol!! JK!
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mbrowne1229
(491 points)
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At this point I am open to anything and everything because my current setup just isnt working out. Maybe I will try a Powell. I do like their headjoints...
<Added>
earlier I played on an older Powell 3100 with an Arista headjoint. I could project much more it seemed like before completely cracking. The Arista head on my current flute though... It sounded like mud.
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Alieannie
(872 points)
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I was just going to reply to you and tell you to try a Powell. Make sure to try all their different styles of headjoints too. They really are fabulous flutes, and will take away some of that darkness and add depth. The mechanisms are sturdy and fluid. I agree with you on Miyas. They are brighter than Muras but are missing something. I've never sounded great on them- too thin.
I am exceptionally happy with my new Haynes but I still highly, highly recommend you to try Powells with all sorts of headjoints. My favorite of theirs is the older Philharmonic style cut, though I hate their Boston cut. I haven't tried enough of the newer cuts to form an opinion but they are like the older ones but with different names
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Account Closed
(3248 points)
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Try the Venti cut. That one is wonderful!
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Tibbiecow
(407 points)
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My Powell wood Philharmonic cut head has a very square embouchure hole. It is, of course, darkish but woody, and definitely not muddy. It manages octave leaps superbly. It can be a bear for pitch, because a very small adjustment by the embouchure can change pitch farther than the same adjustment on a silver head.
My buddy plays a Brannen, I don't know what cut, and sounds to me the perfect balance between dark and bright. Her low end can project a lot, her high end is very sweet. But, of course, her training is impeccable. She's been to some pretty highly regarded music programs, in high school, conservatory/college, and grad school.
I have a Miyazawa MZ-5 that I like, in both of my flute bodies (Yamaha 881 and Pearl 501, both c-foot). A bit brighter, especially on top, has been a Sankyo NRS-1. A pleasant, happy medium seems to be the Yamaha handmade CF head that I just got.
I really want to try a Nagahara for a few weeks, but I can't afford one- I buy them off eBay, cheap, to resell. Anyone want to buy a headjoint?
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mbrowne1229
(491 points)
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Any one have experience with Brannen flutes? I dont exactly want to make the trip to MA unless it's really something to consider to the fullest...
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Account Closed
(3248 points)
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Brannen flutes are fantastic! It would definitely be worth the trip to try one out if possible.
They have that smooth creamy even tone and feel to them similar to the Muramatsu but with more lightness in sound. Dynamics were very easy to control on them for me and I didn't have any problems projecting like I would like on them either. I like their headjoints a lot too, but I think I prefer the older styles they used to have a tad better. They don't seem to have that buzz to them like a some of the Boston flutes like Powell, Bukart or Nagahara.
Please follow up with us if you do make a trip and try some flutes out. I would be curious to see what you think.
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mbrowne1229
(491 points)
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I ended up making a trip to Flute Specialists today (Flute World is tomorrow). I played on a 9k Muramatsu and it was very very nice. I also played on a Miyazawa Vision with a MZ-9 headjoint with a 14k riser. Also, very nice. But I ended up taking an Arista headjoint with a 14k lip plate and riser out on trial. It sounds GREAT! I tried it initially on another Muramatsu flute because mine was being adjusted at the time. I found out that my keys are funny... He couldn't fix it and said it was the nature of my flute. Joy.
Anyway, I like this headjoint. I'd like to try the all gold version of it but he said it would be a month or so until they got another one in. I'd also like to try that on the 9k Muramatsu as well.
I'm going to Flute World tomorrow and I'm going to try out everything they have. I'm officially a gold girl, and officially NOT a platinum girl.
I will let you know how that goes as well.
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mbrowne1229
(491 points)
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Well, I had a love affair.
I ended up picking out a new flute out of almost everything they had in stock at Flute World. I tried 2 Altus, 2 Burkart, 1 Burkart & Phelan (the 9k on Silver model), 3 Haynes (including their new 5% gold and the new Fusion I), 1 Pearl, 4 Powell, and I tried 3 Muramatsu and 2 Miyazawa at Flute Specialists.
I'll immediately eliminate the Muramatsu flutes because 2 if them are exactly what I have and I dont like the one I have now for various reasons (mostly personal, so dont worry... a Muramatsu is a great flute. just not for me). Although I did try a 9k one with a silver Arista headjoint that was lovely.
I'll next discuss the Pearl. It was a rather pricey flute since it was the 18k Maesta model. I loved the tone color I got out of it, however my tone seemed airy and my intonation was horrendous (something I noticed with my Muramatsu. Could it be the Japanese flute?). So that one is officially out.
I then tried the 2 Altus flutes. One was a 1707, the other an 1807. After playing a G scale on the 1707 I knew that it wasn't right for me, so I packed it back up and sent it away just as quickly as I took it out. Same thing with the 1807. Tone was airy, intonation was shot, mechanism didn't feel right (Japanese flute and I don't get along?)
I'll now talk about the MIyazawa since I've talked of all the other Japanese flutes so far. I tried the Boston Classic and the Vision (958 silver version of the Classic). Boston Classic was out almost immediately, just like it's other Japanese counterparts. However, something about the Vision just kept me. The tone, the mechanism, everything. It seemed right. We wont eliminate that one.
Burkarts - I tried a silver one and got rid of that one fast (intonation problems) and I also tried a 998 silver one. That one didn't go AS fast, but it went (more intonation problems). Mechanism was VERY nice and a new headjoint on it made some of the intonation better, but it wasn't quite there yet. I then tried a Burkart & Phelan 9k gold on Silver. It was not even close to what I was looking for. Actually, I think that one went faster than the Altus 1707.
I'm not going to tell you what I thought of the Haynes or the Powells, since those were the most recommended I try here. I did pick one of them. I'll list the ones I tried and you can decide which one I picked. Note: I tried every headjoint in Flute World they had that may have fit each flute. The headjoint listed was the headjoint I had selected for each flute.
Powell - 9k Aurumite with 14k Soloist cut headjoint
Powell - 14k Aurumite with 14k Aurumite w/ 14k riser Venti headjoint
Powell - Custom Silver with 14k Venti cut
Powell - 14k gold Custom with 14k Soloist cut headjoint
Haynes - 5% gold with 5% gold 14k riser headjoint
Haynes - Fusion I with 14k Venti headjoint (Powell) OR silver with pt riser headjoint (Haynes)
Haynes - handmade silver with Fusion I 14k riser headjoint
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