Kate, dennis or anyone else..

Just out of curiosity, which model of pearl flutes did you compare with powell? I'm just curious as to whether you are comparing apples and apples or apples and oranges..

Has anyone here ever tried an Opera model?

I'm like Dennis, I've played some elegante models that were just fabulous. and the Maestas I've tried have been all wonderful flutes when setup of course..

Never been a big powell fan (especially the new stuff) and my flutemaking skills are from that lineage!

Joe B

Joe, I was comparing it to the top of the line Pearl which is yes, the Opera model. That is why I did make sure to say "handmade" pro pearl when comparing. Great flute, but nothing that really excited me much. The sound was just okay for ME and nothing compared to the sound that I can get on a Powell. I don't like the key set up on Pearls. Just MY preference. But when Dennis keeps bashing my particular brand of flute left and right (mostly off of the forum) is when I tend to get defensive is all. It is just a flute and just a BRAND so I shouldn't get in this debate because it does not matter, it is what YOU like in the end that does.

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Tim, have you tried the Nagahara DA cut with a gold riser? If you like the brilliance of the Nagaharas (which I do too!) then that one will most likely give you more of what you are looking for. It plays with a tad more resistance and has (to me) a clearer sound, yet still full. The only thing is that becuase of the more resistance with it, the low register is harder to get out expecially if you are used to the more free blowing of the A cut. If I decided to get one again, I would go back to the A cut but with a 14 K riser.

No Problem Kate,

I understand. On the key setup thing.....Do you have small hands? In other words, does the pinless connecting arm bother you at all?

I know there are people that don't like that setup because their RH index finger bumps into it. Was wondering if that's the same for you.

Also...Which headjoint cuts did you try?

(I won't pick on you like that Dennis does <G>

Joe B

Yes Joe, I have small hands and that is exactly it and why I don't like the mechanism. The slip E even bothers me if they are on any flute. I had a bit of trouble with they keys on my Muramatsu too. My favorite which keywork for my hands would be Yamaha and Miyazawa from the brands that I have tried.

The headjoint I tried with it was a Brannen and then the regular head that came on it. I didn't think to take a look at which one is was. I once tried a 14K rose gold (Supreme Gold Maesta)one that a friend of mine in a flute choir had gotten and I thought it was pretty nice, but again it wasn't for me. I think she had the Forza? cut on it. At the time I was playing a Yamaha 581 and I didn't think that her Pearl was anything spectacular to that. I didn't play on her Pearl long though.

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It was the Forte. I knew it began with an F.

Well, I tried my flute with two powells...I have the 665RBE Coda...so...nothing special. I tried a Custom Powell and an Aurumite. I likedboth okay, but the Aurumite was better...my favorite from that set was a Miyazawa Boston Classic...blew hem all away. My flute was okay, and I just upgraded the headjoint at that time. Then I went to the Florida Flute Fair and tried all of the different powell models that Weismann had. I know I went through all of them, but I don't knowwhich was which as I was doing a blind test with other makers that they had. They said that every one that I played and immediately knew I didn't want was a powell. The one I liked best through them was a Brannen.I checked out all of the other boots, and then got a few different brands together to play. A Gold Powell HC, Gold Pearl Maesta, Silver Pearl Maesta, Silver Nagahara Full Concert, Gold Nagahara Full Concert, Silver Brannen Orchestral Model, Gold Burkhart, and a Yamaha Wood Model:

1. Silver Pearl Maesta
2. Silver Nagahara
3. Gold Pearl Maesta
4. Yamaha Wood
5. Silver Brannen
6. Gold Nagahara
7. Gold Burkhart
8. Gold Powell
9. My Flute

I chose the top model from each company to do the blind test with 2 friends (one to hsnd me flutes, and one to choose their top three sounds also)...except Pearl and Nagahara as I really liked both the Gold and Silver models in these makers. I liked them all over my current 665RBE Coda...but what do you expect when you're comparing a 1200 dollar flute to a set of 6000-20000 dollar flutes! My friend placed the Yamaha Wood Flute 2nd, and the Nagahara Silver 4th, but the rest were the same. I used a Rodger Young Headjoint with my flute, which is the one I play on. The headjoints I tried with the flutes were chosen at their booths amongst all the different models of HJ's. Does that answer everything?

It's not that I bash Powell..but besides Kate...I have found Powell owners to be a bit rude and self-centered in a bad way. And fromwhat I have heard about ther company...I just could never see myself buying one. There are plenty of flutemakers who do quality work without the hassle, and that's why I chose Jack Moore...not to menton that the two flutes of his I played blew away the Pearl Maesta!

-Dennis

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P.S. never tried the Opera Model

I bought a Pearl 501E (Taiwan flute) as my backup flute. I play my backup at outdoor concerts or when I am traveling and don't want to risk having my handmade Yamaha stolen, if I have to leave my flute somewhere that isn't too secure, etc.

I had planned on buying a Yamaha 2oo series flute, because it would have fit my fancy headjoints without modification (so I could switch back and forth, play my wood headjoint and have my silver headjoint at hand, etc.)

The Pearl was used, but not used much at all- the girl quit flute lessons after a month. It was set up by a great tech. It was also available on short notice, I would have had to wait for a used Yamaha or pay the $$ for a new one. The Pearl fit my fancy headjoints, and the stock silverplate headjoint that came with it is a nice player. (It played better than the 'lemon' handmade Yamaha CY that came with my Yamaha 881!)

I have had one problem with the post for the G keys bending, so that the G keys would slide back and forth about 1/16 inch, and I had that inexpensively resolved at its last COA.

All in all, my Pearl plays quite well. I like its intonation and its stock headjoint. My flute tech rebuilds flutes and she really likes the Pearls (she lokes Yamahas, too) for a more inexpensive version of a good first/starter flute.

It's not that I bash Powell..but besides Kate...I have found Powell owners to be a bit rude and self-centered in a bad way.

Are we talking about college kids who own Powells? That is not true becaues you KNOW I can rude! haha!

I had to lay my 2 bits on this one.

You will want to know so here is my Pearl (I also have an old crummy Armstrong sterling flute): I have a higher-end Pearl flute myself. The PF-775, a silver flute, except for the mechanisms which are plated. This is a top-end student low-end professional flute that originally sold for anywhere from 3500.00 to 6000.00. Now it can be had for about 1900.00 in top condition.

Ok, now the scoop: This flute can compete and beat most Yamaha flutes at the same level. The real key is getting one that was made in Japan, these are the truly nice Pearl flutes. This flute of mine is a Japaneese made flute, and I have put it up against a Powell, a Yamaha, and a Gemeinhardt. (Interesting, I had a custom head made as well, the stock ones stink! Yet, my teacher loved the head so much she uses one on her Powell now, she had it fitted, they don't fit unless you take em in and have them fitted correctly.) I worked in depth with my teacher who is very well known, but I won't name her here. She owns both a Pearl and a Powell. The Powell will outplay my Pearl, but not on the top end. The Powell has deeper resonance, and a softer aftertone ring. The Powell sounds clearly warmer over all too. (Sorry I don't remember my teacher's model of Powell). The Yamahas I have played were all sterling, and they were awesome to play. I love the higher end Yamaha flutes, and my next may well be a Yamaha, but the Pearl wins still. The Pearl PF-885 is the same flute basically, and I would put it up against even a good Haynes flute. (I think the Haynes would win in most cases).

Don't think because it says Haynes, Maramutsu or Powell that it is the best flute in the world. Remember the head joint custom built by an unknown maker might beat em all! The rest of the flute may be a cheaper flute that is well built and is also either sterling or gold.

Interesting..
Who built you custom head for your Gemeinhardt if you don't mind me asking? I play on a Powell not with the original Powell headjoint and it does wonders for it. I am not so sure if I would say that a certain brand of flute could out play another, I really do think that is up to the player. I sound thin and horrible on all the Pearls that I have ever played but great on Powell and Yamahas while others will be opposite. I DO think that some flutes are MADE better than others though. So..your Pearl may out play other brand for YOU but perhaps not for me.

I don't know if you are replying to me or not, but my custom made head was for my Pearl and not a Gemeinhardt. I had it made by in a small town in Japan by a craftsman recommended to me and I paid some serious money for it. I don't own a Powell or a Gemeinhardt. I own just a Pearl PF-775 and a model 80 Armstrong built in 1980 that has been refurbished 3 times since then and is my backup flute. I have played others and I have tested them at the NFA conventions.

The most important thing in all the brands and styles is that you have to try them for yourself. Some people love wing-tipped mouthpieces or also known as German mouthpieces. Some people like open-holed, and others do not. (Also called French-style). I like open holed flutes because they force me to keep my fingers in the correct places on the flute, and that just makes me play that much better. I like concave openings in my mouthpiece with exact measured angles that I do not have in front of me since I am at work now. If you want I will post those as well, as these are not custom. I tend to blow more directly into the flute than most players, so I like a harder more vertical angle on the mouthpiece than most players. Every player has his/her own preferences, and so what is a great flute for one person is a stinker for the next. I like the B-Foot and Gizmo keys too, and yet, I understand that the tone from a C-Foot is just as sweet. Therefore, I own one of each.

I am VERY picky as you can guess, but what is right for me, most assuredly is wrong for someone else. There is no perfect flute out there, but most definatly there are some that are no good at all. I do not like any plated flute, and most student models even silver ones are harder to play, and sound too bright or like tin. For your money the yamaha flutes deliver, and yet, poor me does not own one. I really should!!

AZ,

Are you going to the convention this year?

Joe B

Hi Az,
I was responding to your post. I misunderstood and re read it. Sorry. There are some real gems out there and hit and miss by the same brand so I understand completely what you are saying about your Pearl. For instance, I have never liked any Sonare that I had ever tried before especially the mechanism, they always felt cheap to me but I purchased an all solid silver one with closed holes off of ebay and this flute is fantastic! I still don't care much for the headjoint though. I bought it to use as a backup. I seem to collect these. lol! I love playing on closed holes because I have so many hand problems, it just feels much more comfortable to me, so that is why I really wanted this one. I have never seen a Sonare being sold anywhere with closed holes on it before.

Az, if you do get a chance, I would very much like to see what your headjoint looks like. I am always interested in seeing different styles and cuts of headjoints. I found one that worked surprisingly well for me in which I never thought much about trying before and I fell in love with it. I thought that mostly doublers played on them. It is a Goosman Butterfly with a 14K gold lip and riser. Talk about sweet!! I have found that I don't really care much for the so called new school sound of headjoints, being big and kind of having that buzz to them. To me they are sounding less and less like a flute lately. Don't get me wrong, I like a bigger sound, but not HUGE. I seem to collect headjoints too. :O

If you don't mind me prying...Do you play professionally? You sound like you know your flute stuff, that is why I ask.

JButkey,

I will probably not be there, since I work 6 days a week, and get no vacation at all. I am a computer engineering contract worker...life stinks for me...thank goodness there is music!

Roger

Kara,

I suppose you wanna see my Pearl-made headjoint. It was made in Japan in 1995, it is solid silver and fitted for my Pearl-775.
It was made by a craftsman named Hiratachi, if I spelled that right. He works in a flute making company by day, and crafts by night his own head joints. I can get more information if you need it. I think he actually works at the old bought out Pearl factory, but I cannot confirm that. Anyway, I ordered this through a music store in Southbend, Indiana in 1995, and I spent let's say something not far from 1K for it. I spent too much, I know...but it was a worth it.

I seriously love Pearl flutes...but I seriously dislike Pearl headjoints. I have never found one I liked. Eventhough everything we view flutewise is opposite...Kate agrees with me on this one I think. :-)