Hi! I've been looking over this forum, and finding a lot of good info.

I am getting back into playing after many (many) years, and will be joining a local community orchestra in September. I'm not happy with my flute, but I'm stuck with it for the time being (as I can't really afford a better one, or even a comparable one to my Armstrong 80B, with the features that I prefer). However, I'm considering purchasing a new piccolo. I currently have a silver piccolo that has served me well over the years, so I have time to pick and choose. The group I'll be playing with does frequent outdoor concerts, so I am looking at composite/ABS/plastic piccolos, both due to price and venue. Any recommendations? I probably need to stick with the more commercial brands (Gemeinhardt, Yamaha, etc) pricewise, but I'm also not amiss to waiting until I can locate a lightly-used one, if it's going to be a better instrument.

Also, I haven't been able to find any good info on this: What are the playing differences between a composite piccolo with a silver head and one with a composite head? Is the purpose of the silver head merely to make for an easier transition from flute? I did see one recommendation that the head and body should be made of the same material for better tuning.

Thanks! Judy

Hi Judy and welcome to the board.
I generally recommend an Armstrong 308 all plastic piccolo as this one is my personal favorite. I owned one for many years and can say it has a good scale, is versatile and has a nice sound. I also like the Emerson P3 and the Jupiter's aren't bad either.

Sound wise, I hear a difference between the a plastic head and a silver though others may have another opinion on it. Either one would serve you well, but for blending purposes if you are going to be playing in an orchestra, I would go with the all plastic. Your best bet is to try each combination and see which one you like. If you are used to having a lip plate on the picc, then you may want to go with a metal head. I have never found it to be too much of a problem from switching from a lip plate to a non lip plate myself, but we all vary. Pich wise between the two, I don't find a difference, only a difference in sound and playability.

I hope that helps and you find the right piccolo for you.

>>If you are used to having a lip plate on the picc, then you may want to go with a metal head. I have never found it to be too much of a problem from switching from a lip plate to a non lip plate myself, but we all vary. <<

Thanks, Kara. I've messed around with the fife, so I figure it's going to be similar. I was going to try some at a local music store when I took my son to trade in his rental trombone last Saturday, but they didn't have any plastic piccs in stock. Grrrr. I will have to call around. Is it tacky to try out instruments and then buy off the internet?

Thanks for the recommendations. I will take a look at those brands. I take it from other posts of yours on the forum that you don't like the Gemeinhardts? Or was that someone else? I am drawn to the Gemeinhardt only for nostalgic reasons--my first flute was one, and it took me through many years. However, like the lemon TV we bought that was of the same brand that my husband bought in 1987 (and was still going), it seems apparent that companies have their ups and downs, and my ever-lasting 1976/77 vintage Gemeinhardt may be an entirely different animal from the 2006 models.

--Judy

The Gemeinhardt piccolos aren't bad at all. My first piccolos was a Gemeinhardt and it was like a rock, very sturdy. Not too sure if I like the tuning on them though...

You could probably get a better deal on line if you were to purchase a piccolo that way anyway. The best bet in my opinion is to contact Flute world. http://www.fluteworld.com/Merchant/\

They can send you several on trial for 10 days if you are in the US. That way you have evaluation time with them and they have good prices. You can give Barb or Diane a call and they will help you out with anything you might need and answers all questions.
I would avoid if possible ordering one though WWBW or music 123 as I have had several instruments though them that have needed adjustments to even play properly. They don't take the time to set up the instruments from the factory.

Also, I haven't been able to find any good info on this: What are the playing differences between a composite piccolo with a silver head and one with a composite head?

Hiya Judy nice to meet you!

I owned an Emerson back in the day and had a nice run with it. They are almost always what I recommend someone at least try out for an affordable decent instrument.

The only differences I have found between playing on a metal head and a composite head is that the metal ones seemed less responsive for me. It might sound odd, but I almost felt restricted on it. I personally was able to have a much more solid and rich tone without the lip plate. Personally I prefer the look of a piccolo without the lip plate on it. I think it is all about what you are comfortable with.

Hey Judy, welcome to the forum, and back to flute playing! I just thought I'd throw my $.02 in. The reason that people suggest that you stay with a piccolo of all one material for tuning is that different materials will warm up and cool down at different rates, meaning that on a picc with a metal head and a plastic body, the head could contract slightly faster than the body during a rest, making it more difficult to tune. I've played a Yamaha YPC-32 as one of my piccs for the last 7 or 8 years, and have NEVER had a problem with this, so I would say not to worry about getting a picc made entirely of one material. In the world of plastic piccs, I prefer those with a metal head, as I think the plastic heads sound like they're made of plastic (which is not the type of sound I would go for). There are several brands to choose from, and I'll list the ones that come to mind (sorry if I duplicate those already listed....I didn't take the time to memorize what y'all had suggested)

Emerson
Gemeinhardt
Jupiter
Pearl
Dolmer
Sonare
Yamaha


As (I think it was) Kara mentioned, play all the piccs in your price range to find what you're most comfortable with, and that's the picc you should go for.

Flutist06, I have played some all plastic piccs that didn't sound that great either, but the Armstrong and Emerson all plastic were very similiar in sound with an all wood one, which I really likes about them. I think that can depend on the brand that you are playing also.


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I have heard that the new Sonares are really wonderful, but haven't tried one myself.

Certainly a possibility. The player and their concept of tone is also going to have a major effect on which material they prefer....Yet another case of "to each his own" I suppose!

Flutist06,

Have you played a Dolmer or Sonare?

I play the piccolo rarely, and when I need one I always have to borrow from friends. I want to buy myself an all plastic piccolo, and I've heard good things about the Sonare. Flute World seems to like the Dolmer piccolo, but I haven't heard anything about it.

I've played the Sonare, though only briefly, and I have a friend who owns one of the Dolmers. She's reasonably happy with it, but she is not playing particularly demanding music, and participates only in school ensembles. I wouldn't be comfortable commenting on the quality of either aside from saying that when I played the Sonare, it seemed like a decent instrument.

Lots of instruments LOOK the same...It's the way they play that matters. I doubt anyone could tell a Zentner apart from a Burkart from a photograph of that size without looking at the markings. There are slight differences, but by and large, these are not evident in a photo. That's not to say that it's not poor quality....It may be, but as I said, I don't have any personal experience with one, so I can't say. Fluteworld generally takes care not to sell the cheap instruments you are warning against, so likely it's just fine, but if you are interested in the Dolmer, Judy, be sure to play test it just as any other instrument you might think about buying.

I think it was Tim asking about the Dolmer. I'm a bit of a fogey, I'm afraid, as far as name recognition goes. I'm not against buying a relatively new brand, but I'd need to hear a lot about it. Too bad there isn't a Consumer Reports article on piccolos, eh?

As an aside, I've been messing around on the internet today on some of the manufacturers websites. I'd looked up my current (silver) piccolo years ago, but there's a lot more info out there now. It's a King and, according to the serial number, manufactured between 1945 and 1950. It would be interesting if piccolos could talk, wouldn't it?

-Judy

I have tried the Dolmer, the mechanism was good and it had a lovely resonance throughout the entire range, however the one I tried had really bad tuning on specific notes which were so far off that they could not be corrected by embouchure.

Fluteworld didn't have very much to try at the time as summer season was kicking in and I guess everyone heads for composite piccolos. I've been on the waiting list for the Sonare for at least 3 months now.

The newer Sonare and Pearl piccolos have bubble heads too, due to the popularity of bubble wood piccolos I suppose. It was very hard to tell whether the bubble was not just cosmetic on the Dolmer, never did figure it out before I sent it back.

Yes, Andrew, they do look rather similar, but then piccolos have a relatively standard (yes, some exceptions exist) shape for these keys. Compare the Dolmer to a Yamaha, and you'll see a very close match as well. Even if the shape is a bit different, it does not necessarily mean that the Dolmer plays like one of the no-name brands, so the point is kind of moot. Appearances really don't matter when it comes to instruments. There are Louis Lots out there that are completely blackened with tarnish that can still play circles around many modern flutes, and as you are well aware, plenty of shiny new instruments that hardly play.