Did anybody else notice that there are hundreds of YFL-211 on Ebay!? Does anyone know why? Cause my little sis has 1 and it works fine so is there something we should know about that flute? Why are people selling so many of them?
Leprachaun

They`re very very common. Lots of people will be buying them as beginners then upgrading later. Hence they sell them. In fact I`m selling mine on ebay right now. (but i won`t direct you to it because that would be a plug!)

They were the standard student model OUTSIDE USA for a very long time. And a very good student flute too. If it is NOT good, then all it needs is some capable technician attention.

My guess is that USA had/has different model numbers form the rest of the world because USA Yamahas have some USA input in manufacture/assembly, because by having this they dodge added import duty. So there may be differences. For example, Yamaha Japan uses excellent quality pads, but I have no idea what may be used on the USA-input counterparts.

What you should know about the 211 is that that centre `1` in the model number means the flute is closed-hole, has off-set G, and has a split E mechanism.

As far as I know, the third digit, `1`, refers to A=442, which is not particularly relevant.

YFL-211 in the US does not have split E, YLF-211UK does. In the US only the Yamaha Allegro models or the $2000+ flutes offer split E.

Are you quite sure about thaty, Piko? Can you provide a link to that info? I have a Yamaha catalogue that clearly defines what those centre digits stand for.

Are you sure you are not referring to YFL-221

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/List/ModelSeriesListHE/0,,CTID%253D237000%2526CNTYP%253D,00.html

Whoops! You`re right the digits are mixed up, but the US doesn`t get E-mech unless one picks up a brick and mortar Allegro model at a nasty premium or at minumum the YFL-574H from an online shop.

It`s really cheaper to import if someone desired the cheapest Yamaha with E-mech.

The US has the YFL-221 and the UK has YFL-211UK, same flute, but the UK gets Emech and it isn`t made in the USA.

Hi

As far as I know, both YFL 221 and YFL 211 are very popular student flutes available in markets like Australia, China and few other Asian countries. Both models are very much the same in terms of their design, set up and features except YFL 211 has Split-E and thus it usually costs a bit more than the 221 model (i.e. 211 is normally about AUD$120 dearer).

It appears to me that from YFL 100 to YFL 400 series, the middle digital indicates whether or not it has the Split E function. 2 means no Split E (eg 221, 321 and 421) and 1 means it has Split E (eg 211, 311 and 411). I believe it would be the same system in the US market, wouldn`t it?

Interestingly, most YFL 200 series in Asian markets are now being assembled in a Yamaha plant outside Shanghai city in China, BUT Yamaha still puts `made in Japan` in the body of these flutes. Pretty misleading and deceitful.

Quoted from a catalogue:

For the middle digit:
1 = Plateau keys, offset G, split E
2 = Plateau keys, offset G
6 = Ring keys, offset G
7 = Ring keys, offset G, split E
8 = Ring keys, in-line G
9 = Ring keys, in-line G, split E.


The first digit refers to "Grade"
The third digit refers to "Pitch"... (I know that 1 = A442)

The "100" series, (eg F100 for flute, C100 for clarinet, etc)were a model name given to basic models when marketed in the pacific basin. The f100 is pretty well identical to YFL221, which I have never seen in NZ. This system was recently discontinued.