Ok, i know there are TONS of topics on here asking for recomendations and the like about new flutes, but i have a very specific list i would like someone to give me a second opinion on?

Im going to try out these flutes at jlsmith later this month, but i was wondering if anyone had any prior opinions about these particular flutes and/or models (ESPECIALLY the brannen millenium!)

-Altus 1307
-Burkart and Phelan (16" or 18" wall)
-Muramatsu DS (anyone have a Tsubasa headjoint opinion?)
-Powell Conservatory Silver (or the auramite, any experience?)
-Miyazawa Model Classic
-Brannen Millenium
-Haynes Drawn Hole Model

Thanks so much for your time/replies!

Rex

First off, you really can't go wrong with any of these. I will give my my personal opinion of what I thought of these flutes...

Altus 1307 - Not to my likeing much at all. Too bright and not enoght lower frequency. I much prefer a Yamaha 500 series when comparing.

-Burkart and Phelan (16" or 18" wall)- I prefered the 18 wall on this one, it gave it more girth. Wonderful flute I don't have anything bad to say about this one except I didn't care for th looks of the open holes on it, they had more of a flat edge and not rounded to how I prefer.

-Muramatsu DS (anyone have a Tsubasa headjoint opinion?)
Again, I wonderful flute. I used to own one of these with the standard head. Wing type lips and I don't work well together. I absoultely love the mechanim and feel to this flute. I had the standard wall which to me never projected how I needed or wanted even with different heads on it, and it didn't give me the over all colors that I wanted. I have heard that the heavy wall is much better, so do try on of those also. I had a bit of trouble with intonation on mine.

-Powell Conservatory Silver (or the auramite, any experience?)
My absoulute FAVORITE is the silver in this. You could drop this flute from 10 feet and it wouldn't affect it! (Okay a bit of an egsageration on my part The strongest built flute that I have seen and tried. LOVE IT! Has an erray of tones and colors and a depth like no other that I have played. The headjoint are good, but take more work and air then what I would like so I have found that either a Nagahara or Williams heads works really well on them. Powell has come out with a new venti head that I haven't tried yet though, so do try out all the heads with it if you have a chance. I am not that found of the auramite and it is not worth the extra cost in my opinion. Great scale.

-Miyazawa Model Classic- Love it! Again, try as many heads as you can on this. I like the MZ-6. The higher you get in numbers for the Miya heads the bigger sound from what I have experienced. See if you can also try the Brogger system on this if it is in your price range.

-Brannen Millenium- So, so, nice flute but one even tone to it and not to my liking.

-Haynes Drawn Hole Model- Great flute, but I like a more open sound. It does have a very melodic sound. Scale is wonderful as is keywork.

I recently tried a Yamaha 800 series and was blown away by it. Put a different head then the stock Yamaha on it and WOW! I liked it just as much if not more then the ones listed above. Don't rule one of these out just because they make student flutes also because they are great.


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Sorry about all the spelling errors, I typed it fast and didn't do a spell check.

Ok, thanks so much!

I'm a compulsive chart maker, and i have a huge chart of pros and cons to all these flutes (including respective headjoints/options) so i can take it with me to test play, and im now going to print out everything up there from you and take it with me!

Many flute players around here are VERY distinct about what's right and wrong (as if that exsists in music...) so its so nice to get a fairly unbiased opinion!

Ok, so the powell is a bit biased...but i tend to favor these flutes as well just on looks!

Thanks again!!

Rex

You are welcome. I understand all too well how fustrating it can get when trying to find that perfect flute. I would always ask for peoples opinions but I always got in return... choose what is best for YOU.

Ok, so the powell is a bit biased...

Yes, I am biased towards Powell of course because it is my favorite and what I play on. Still, it is the most robust and best well flute that I have seen.. in my opinion of course.

I have a Yamaha 881, and currently with a Miya MZ-5 headjoint. The Yam is great, its biggest drawback would be lack of adjusting screws, so it needs to be taken apart to be adjusted if something gets a little off. But my tech does a great job padding it and the tone holes are soldered, and very much level, so I haven't had a problem yet. The mechanism is REALLY fast and light. Zoom zoom!!

Tibbie, I just love those 800 series Yamahas. I have been trying to get my hands on a nice used one, but I need and offset G, so they are hard to find. I agree about the mechanism and I LOVE the small delicate keys!

I haven't tried any yamahas above the 600's or so, but i've heard fantastic things! For some reason yamaha has lately been grouped in the..."band flute" category, (pearl, emerson, selmer, armstrong ETC.) but i've never heard anything but praise on these. Just curious, is the head cut on the highest model any different from that on the beginning of their pro line?

I would not class Pearl as a "band" instrument. Yes, some of the introductory line flutes are relatively common amongst high school band players, but they also make a line of extremely nice professional instruments.

They come with a choice of headjoint cut as far as I know. The standard being the EC cut which is available on the 500 series on up and the series below that come with a CY head.

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I think a lot of flute snobbery and brand nazis are responsible for a lot of the reason Yamahas pro models are not mentioned as much or catagorized with the top dogs which really is a shame. Yamaha would come in a close second or even a tie for me with being my top choice when comparing it to my Powell.

I've played all those flutes except the Burkart and Phelan. From that list, I liked the Altus, Powell and Miyazawa (in that order). I found the Muramatsu and Brannen to be too stuffy and hard to taper notes. The same with the Haynes, but to a lesser extreme.