I have been coming to this sight for many months and I finally got peeved enough to write. I have many flutes of varying prices and with different features. All have their own voice: some sing, some cry, some are warm and some are bright.
When you are in the market for a new flute remember: Each flute is made differently. You can take a Yamaha made on Monday and it blows away the same model made on Friday. You have to play the flute same really spend time trying out different flutes in your price range. Some very top flutes are antique. My personal favorite is an antique Powell Paid $15.00 US dollars and it cries like any top of the line Gold flute. It is closed hole Makes playing easier for me and it has an in- line G.
My old W. Haynes was horrible and heavy and thunky. so you cannot judge a Flute but there Name...So please Please When you are buying a flute go to a flute seller not just a music store. Try them out. Bring a few pieces of music you like to play and really make you purchase count. There is no ONE great flute! All have their place... An Armstrong quite possibly might be the best for marching Band, and a Haynes for orchestras where as a Trevor James is awesome for jazz. Know your needs. Just remember one thing… it has to speak to you for it to be any good.
Heidi

That's a great price!!!

*Alto who is still waiting to get her Powell back from the repair shop*

*Alto who is still waiting to get her Powell back from the repair shop*

You still haven't gotten it back?!! Wow, that is taking a while. :O

You still haven't gotten it back?!! Wow, that is taking a while. :O

Andrew, I am sure she meant to write $1,500.00. Still, that is a steal for a Powell! I need to find one of those.

It is inevitable that brand are going to come up on a forum and we are all going to have our favorites. Some of the younger crowds may not have quite the experience with other brands just yet, so to them, whatever they are playing is most likely what they will recommend. It is just something we all have to get used to.

No not yet....

this guy only works 2 hrs 5days/week and he said 20-25 hours worth of work and I am sure mine is not the only instrument there. (plus 3-4 weeks to get the pads).
It has been 7 weeks today

I WANT IT BACK
He hasn't even phoned to state the progress, but I guess no news is good news (I have nightmares it is not repairable)

just if you were wondering not $1,500 but really fifteen. But it cost me 600 to restore , it was worth every penny. I added a nice woodlight walnut headjoint.

The maker, Bob, of those woodlight headjoint is a really nice person! I ordered a crown stopper from him and it didn't fit, so I was able to talk to him on the phone. He is sending me out another one right away AND he is sending me one of his headjoints and asked me to take it for a couple of weeks to evaluate it for him. I am looking forward to trying that out.

How on earth were you able to get a Powell for $15.00, if you don't mind me asking? I am not questioning the truth on this at all, I just think that is so amazing! Did they not have it listed as a Powell in the auction or something? I have ran across some really good deals on ebay that way myself. Good job!

Heidi,

Great post! I am learning flute myself and have an old Selmer Bundy from ebay. ($60 + $30 for a tune up) I call her Ugly Betty as she is so worn but have to say she works just fine. I'm sure her sound quality isn't great compared to the nicer flutes but hey neither is mine. (and at this point I can't tell the difference anyhow)

Kara,

I like the new pic ALOT better. It is much more professional looking.

Thanks. I wasn't trying to go for professional, but hey, that works.
My husband likes the other one. Go figure...

The flute was listed as Old vintage ,does not play, good for parts. When I e mailed her and asked "are there any marking?" she said she could not read it. but there was something there... on the last day of the auction I e mailed her and asked her to put black shoe polish on it to see if she could read it she emailed me back " a big triangle with 3 smaller triangeles inside of it" I did not know myself what it was but bought it for parts..I make necklaces and earings out of keys.
(see my photo) anyway when it arrived I knew I had seen it before. so Iwent to Jeff weissman websight and found it. I sent photos to Powell and they confirmed it was one from about 1927 but probably one of the first few made the year he went solo after the left Haynes. For me to get a value on it I would have to send it away..
Not worth the risk of loss..
Kara,
Wait till you get the headjoint you are gonna love it awsome for irish music and classical....
Heidi

Wow LadyX you did get a steal for that! Congrats! I can't believe it cost $600.00 to fix it up. Do you have before and after pictures you could share? I would like to see the transformation if you do.

I can't really see your jewelry in your picture. Do you have another site where you advertise and the pictures are more of a close up? I would like to check it out.

no i dont have a web sight I just make them for the fun or it. $600.00 for an overhaul is dirt cheap. Every year i send my regular flute for a pad change and that costs $300.00. Powell costs 900. so my guy is dirt cheep. Ill look for better photos. i just go to the local music repair store and ask for part of instruments. i get broken violin key turns and broken bridges keys and buttons and i figure ways to make jewlry. and most i give to the kids in the neighborhood. who play instruments. it is fun.
No money for me but fun.

Just so you know, you don't need to have your pads replaced annually. A COA is a good idea at least once a year (I usually have one done every 6-8 months), and every few years you need to get an overhaul done, but good quality pads should hold up for significantly longer than a year.

I think i am gonna have those strubecher pads done. one of these days. I do play my flute extermly often and i am very hard on it. I just hate pad mites. YUK

You might want to do some research into the Straubinger pads before you have them installed, as there has been a very mixed reaction to them. Some love them, and some hate them. How well they work also seems to rely at least partially on climate, so depending where you live they may or may not be the right choice for you. There are other pad options as well, such as the JS Gold and Silver pads, and you might want to look into some of these as well. I can't claim to have ever heard of pad mites, so I can't comment on how any of these pads would affect them.

Are you getting pad mites quite often? If so, where are you storing it when not in use?