Gemeinhardt is the number one selling flute brand at The Woodwind&Brasswind (wwandbw.com) and is also the number one selling name brand flute on Ebay when I last posted and still is.

Want to know about Gemeinhardt Quality. Type "Gemeinhardt quality" in a search engine. You will find unending praise for the Gemeinhardt company.

Gemeinhardt was founded in the USA and has been here since the 1930`s. The only major change in its life time was it`s acquisition of the Roy Seamen Piccolo company in the 90`s, which is known for high quality as well. What would give you the notion that Gemeinhardt is a cost cutting company?

Yamaha`s the only company I`ve heard of publicly cutting corners by trying to relocate their production to the United States and failed because of the shoddy intruments they churned out. Yamaha intstruments with an "A" in the model number have a lower re-sale value for a reason. Yamaha also also fits the "Jack of all trades, master of none" category of companies... what other company can sell you a motorcycle and a flute.

One nice thing about my Gemeinhardt 3SB is that since I`ve bought it in the late 90`s it`s value has appreciated somewhat.

But here`s food for thought...

A Gemeinhardt 3SB w/ Muramatsu Wing-Cut Headjoint:
http://theflute.freehosting.net/

<<Gemeinhardt is the number one selling flute brand at The Woodwind&Brasswind (wwandbw.com)>>

I think that outside America, away from nationalistic fervour (understandable) and the aggressive marketing in USA, you would find the picture very different.

<<... and is also the number one selling name brand flute on Ebay>>

That is probably nothing to be proud of. Ebay is a hotbed for people getting rid of things they don`t like!

<<Want to know about Gemeinhardt Quality. You will find unending praise for the Gemeinhardt company.
....>>

If you LOOK for praise about ANY product in the internet, good or bad, you will find extravagant praise. It is called marketing, and the ravings of people led by that marketing. Truth is seldom an issue with marketing; marketing is typically an exercise in legal deception for the sake of profit making.

I think that almost every reference you find from your search will be some business trying to sell flutes. Marketing, as I said.

<<Gemeinhardt was founded in the USA and has been here since the 1930`s. The only major change in its life time was....>>

It is about time they DID make some significant changes! Other manufacturers have moved on, and incorporated far better embouchure/head design, especially in their student flutes.

<<What would give you the notion that Gemeinhardt is a cost cutting company?>>

Did I say that? I did not mean to. It is an issue of LACK of technical improvements, over a very long time, rather than cost cutting.

<<Yamaha`s the only company I`ve heard of publicly cutting corners by trying to relocate their production to the United States and failed because of the shoddy instruments they churned out.>>

Sorry, but I know little about the America-made Yamahas. It sure is sad if America let the Yamaha name down! I do know that the recently Indonesian made Yamaha clarinets seem to be up to standard. So far I have not met the Indonesian-made flutes.

<<Yamaha also also fits the "Jack of all trades, master of none" category of companies... what other company can sell you a motorcycle and a flute.>>

To me this statement is foolish, and really clutching at straws. Yamaha is actually known for very high quality products in many areas, i.e. not a `JACK`, but a MASTER, or almost master, of many, MANY trades. Actually one of their main industries is making and marketing industrial robots. Their expertise in robotics in part accounts for the very consistent high quality standards in many fields.

<<One nice thing about my Gemeinhardt 3SB is that since I`ve bought it in the late 90`s it`s value has appreciated somewhat.>>

To say that something has appreciated means that it has value ALLOWING for inflation of the currency. Anything else is a nonsense. If I buy a top Powell for $700 in 1940, and can sell it today for $800, that does NOT mean that it has appreciated. The increase is an illusion!

<<But here`s food for thought...>>

Why so? This nothing more than a statement that somebody prefers a Muramatsu head to a Gemeinhardt head. I`m not at all surprised!! There would be VERY few professional players playing on Gemeinhardt heads, and there would be many pro players playing Muramatsu heads.

Are you connected in any way way with Gemeinhardt marketing?

I do business on ebay everyday, and I can tell you for a FACT that Yamaha flutes sell more and for twice sometimes even three times as much as a Gemeinhardt.

The company will tell you whatever you want to hear. Do you really think that they are going to write about their product and say that it is junk?

It is obvious that because you play on a Gemeinhardt you are going to back it up 100%.

May I ask what your back groud it like? How long have you played for and how many brands have you tried?
That would help me to know where you are comming from just a bit more.

Also, on another note. I deal in used instruments and I really must ask you where you got the idea that your 3SB appreciated over time?
If it was a Powell, I would say yes, but not a Gemeinhardt. Wishful thinking though....

I Have a

I am sry i have a Gemeinhardt and i really like it it was only about $600 i have tried many flutes including arstrong yamaha and manay more. i really thought Gemeinhardt was the best but is is your desision you should try them and see

Carly, from your spelling, and your incorrect spelling of Armstrong, indicates to to us that you are very young and inexperienced. That being said, I don`t think that you have the right experience being you yet to be offering advise about different brands of flutes. Hey...at least you did spell Yamaha correctly!

Sorry, let me say that again. I was trying to talk on the phone when I wrote that before. Sorry.

Carly, from your spelling, and your incorrect spelling of Armstrong, indicates to to us that you are very young and inexperienced. That being said, I don`t think that you have the right experience yet to be offering advise about different brands of flutes. Hey...at least you did spell Yamaha correctly!

"I do business on ebay everyday, and I can tell you for a FACT that Yamaha flutes sell more and for twice sometimes even three times as much as a Gemeinhardt."

Which Yamaha models are selling for 3x as much as which Gemeinhardt models. The Gemeinhardt 3SB w/Gold Lip is selling at 80% its original cost and the Gemeinhardt 3SB is selling at 67% of its orginal value (I personally thought that Gold Lip / Silver riser was tacky... but wow people buy it up).

"It is obvious that because you play on a Gemeinhardt you are going to back it up 100%."

I own a Gemeinhardt flute and I love it. Yes, there are better flutes out there, but I just have to say that I am not fuzzy, have great tone, and project decent enough.

I have been playing the flute for 13 years now and was a Classical Flute major, but quit and went on to business.

While yes, my current Gemeinhardt 3SB is not suitable for professional grade work it is good enough to carry someone through their first couple years of college. Where a person would be better able to determine now the right time for that Muramatsu, Powell, Haynes, Yamaha, Sankyo, etc...

I have played on Selmer, Bundy, Armstrong, Gemeinhardt, Powell, Sankyo, and Yamaha flutes. Since everyone likes to hear how other flutes sound.

I`ll admit my dream flute is not a Gemeinhardt, but I`m quite content with my flute and love its sound.

ALL models of Yamaha flutes are selling for a hell of a lot more that Gemeinhardt right now on ebay. You obviously haven`t checked lately.
Just face the facts, Gemeinhardt is poorly made. I admire you for trying to defend them because you play on one, but enough is enough!

Ebay Completed Sales History:
Yamaha YFL421 - No sales.
Yamaha YFL431 - Has only 1 sale, which is pending at $577.67. It`s a $1700 flute.
Yamaha YFL481 - Has 3 sales, which are pending from $625-695. It`s also a $1700 flute.

These are the Intermediate equivalents the Gemeinhardt 3SB.

The Gemeinhardt 3SB is a hot seller on EBay and not from people selling theirs, but from stores.

Oh, I see, you are not from the US, so we are looking at two different ebay sites. That must be why. Here in the US the Yamaha sell much better.
I would NEVER recommend a Gemeinhardt to any of my students! If someone ever did buy one, I would tell them to take it back to wherever they had bought it from.

I played on a Gemeinhardt 3SB for many years back in high school and I hated it! I was with out a flute more that I was with one because it was always in the repair shop. So yes, I speak from experience. I switched to a Yamaha after that and was much happier!

Yamaha could make everything under the sun an their flutes would still beat the pants off of Gemeinhardt flutes any day! They could make a flute out of plastic and it would still play and sound better than a Gemeinhardt.
That my friend has nothing to do with it.

It is nice to hear opinion from beginner players such as yourself. What does your teacher has to say about this? Every one has a right to their own opinion. If Gemeinhard does it for all those beginner students out there, then so be it.

When you go to school for repairs and know how flutes reallly work, then please come back. I would love to hear if you still thought that Gemeinhardt flutes were built so well. Lol!!

Why on earth would you waste your time putting a Muramatsu or Gemeinhardt head on a Gemeinhardt in the first place? You can get a better sound, sure. But the fact still remains that you have to play on the body of the flute. If the body is made poorly than it doesn`t matter even if you put a Lafin head on it.

That is the US Ebay sales history. Feel free to post what you see there.

Sorry to hear you have had such trouble with your flute. I have had the same model and it been 5 years now and I haven`t any issues with it.

Airy embouchure problems are common when starting out learning the flute. At least your new flute works better for you.