I`m wanting to buy a piccolo and I want to choose a Yamaha Piccolo because I know its a good brand. I was wondering which model # to get. I like the higer model # like the 62,81,82. MOney is no object so anyone would be good. I especially like the sound of wood.

If you want a good wood piccolo and money is no object, then I would go with something else. Burkart is good.
Yamaha piccs are something aweful when it comes to intonation!

Kara has said this many, many times, and it is OK for her to express this opinion. And she is quite at liberty to castigate anybody who has a different experience with Yamahas, as she has done regularly.

However, to keep balance, be aware that many, many people are very happy with Yamaha piccolos.

Perhaps they play in tune for some embouchures and not others. I do not say this to be judgmental in any way, but to offer the most likely explanation for such opposing views. The way a piccolo is played can change the intonation dramatically, and each piccolo designer is probably designing it for being played in a particular way. So perhaps some piccolos suit some players but not others.

Yamaha is regarded as excellent value for money by a large proportion of piccolo players.

And yes, the more you pay for a piccolo, no matter what brand, the more care will be put into getting the intonation better. This applies to Yamahas also. There is little else that could account for some models costing a lot more than others of the same materials.

Hmmm.. Judy do you play professionaly? I only ask because I have yet to meet ONE real professional that says anything different then I have said about Yamaha piccs. It is NOT a persons embouchure that make the scale bad on Yamaha piccs. That is all Yamaha`s doing when building them.

I would suggest you talk to Jeff Weissman about that. He would be able to go into details more.

You have a right to your opinon as do I. They are a wonderfull picc for a student, but when you are ready to play in the Boston Pops, then get back to me on that one.

A higher cost does not necessarily mean more value... most often it just means more profit margin.

In the case of Yamaha their list price is higher than reality. Their flutes are generally equally priced to other lower tiered flute sellers. Just as Fluteworld says on their site... "Due to manufacturer`s restrictions, we are unable to list our discounted prices on the Web."

I feel as though the scale is not all that great either on the Yamaha piccolo. My professor says the same.
Keefe is a good brand.

If you want a piccolo that plays in tune, you would have to spend at least $5000.

No piccolo is automatically going to play in tune, even the $5000 ones. It helps if the piccolo was built with have a good scale for starters, which Yamaha does not.

I have owned the following piccs, Weissman, which I got rid of, Powell which I liked but eventually sold. The best ones I have tried are a $2,900 Burkhart and a $2,800 Hammig, so one does not need to spend $5,000 for a piccolo to be happy.
I have 2 students now who own Yamaha grenadilla wood Piccolos that they are happy with, they both paid about $1,200

I`ve tried very many crappy piccolos under $5 000, then.

turkey, try a Burkhart, great piccolo for the money

Yes, Kara thinks Burkart is wonderful too.

My Yamaha piccolo has been a great instrument for me and I have played it many years with no problems.... Piccolos always tend to run sharp, so getting it tuned is difficult, and often times is not worth the hassle. Conform your tone to the band because if you are in tune and the band isn`t, the song will still sound awful. In this case, it is best to conform.

lets face it flutists, even the best Picc is difficult to play in tune

Omg. You play for the Boston Pops? I was thinking about joining after college for something. Even though I`m only 14