I guess it just gets down to whether anything someone lacking seniority of this forum has to say has any meaning. Not much of a welcome, IMHO.

I certainly didn't mean to slam at Joe. He's very well known and respected, and I meant no offense. I just believe people in business should disclose their relationships on the internet.

I still don't see anywhere on the Orpheo site where the flutes are made in China. I believe that they have imported some Chinese flutes (based on what I was told at NFA) but I seem to recall them saying that the Orpheo flutes are not made in China. Does anybody know for sure?

I just believe people in business should disclose their relationships on the internet.

If you bothered to read any of the other threads you will see that he has been completely honest on more than one occasion about his part with the Pearl Company. I am not welcoming to a person that tries to start any type of trouble with me or my friends, plain and simple.

<Added>

I was told by Don a repusentative of the Orpehous comany that the flute are made in seven diffent countries but are assembled in the USA. I did ask him point blank if they were MADE in the US and not in China before and he had told me yes. He said that I misunderstood him.

I think it is very fair to say that almost all flutes today are manufactured in Asia. Certianly the best ones are.

I regard Powell, Haynes, and Burkart (just to name a few) as some of the best made flutes in which are all made in the USA. What top notch flutes are being made in Asia that you consider the best?

Some of the best are made in Asia, but just as many top-notch flutes come from Boston or other parts of the US, the Netherlands, Germany, etc. WHERE a flute comes from doesn't matter at all...It's all about the care and attention with which it was constructed, as we've said many times before.

Not to be rude or interrupt the current converstion but Kara could you tell mabout the Orpheo flute when you get a chance. My flute teacher is against me getting this flute because she has never heard of it. She wants my to play a Yamaha 584 and its really good. I don't want to leave my Orpheo flute but time is running out

I was taken with quite a few flutes that I have played recently. I thought the Prima Sankyo and Muramatsu were among the best, but you know, at that end of the spectrum it gets awfully subjective. Everybody has an opinion, and is entitled to it. Apparently, there is some disagreement as to what is the best, since quite a few different companies seem to be prospering.

I'm not really a prospect for a $10,000+ flute. My reality is a little lower in price. I think a more valid discussion is not what is the absolute best (since flutes in the stratosphere of price sell in very minute numbers) but rather what is the best value at a reasonable price.I don't know, but I would be willing to bet lunch on the fact that well over 90% of the flutes sold today sell for less than $2000.There's always lots of talk about the high end of the spectrum, but I know very few people who actually spend huge money for a flute.

I play saxophone primarily, as well as clarinet. You can buy your choice of the best saxophones in the world for much much less than the price some people are paying for flutes.

Sure Afroburst, I will let you know. The company said they would ship one out to me Friday and send me a tracking #, but I never did get confirmation of this. I do hope it does come this week though.

The people at the Orpheus Music booth told me that they no longer distribute Pearl flutes, and that Pearl flutes are now handled by the drum division of the Pearl company. Is this true?

Pearl flutes are handled directly through the flute division of Pearl Corporation. Orpheus was a third party distributor that Pearl Corporation used for it's flute distribution. Pearl corporation now directly handles it's distribution. Pearl has ALWAYS made drums and flutes. The Parent company in Japan is PMI (Pearl Music International), PME (Pearl Music Europe) handles distribution for Europe and Pearl Corporation handles distribution for North America. The head of Pearl Corporation (my boss) is the #2 man for PMI.

I have read on other forums that many of the Pearl flutes are now made in a different factory than was used in the past. Is this true?

Pearl flutes are still made in the same factories by the same people. What forums have you heard this on?

If anything, there is closer relationship between the distributor and the factory than there was before. I speak with the factory almost daily. The same people are there in the same place. Whatever you've heard to the contrary is therefore rumor..

Joe B
Pearl Flutes

Joe enjoys a flawless reputation, which I in no way intended to disparage. I do think he should disclose his relationship with Pearl.

I already have made that known before. It's not hidden. Go back and read some of the earlier threads. It's not a secret.

Here's my full contact info if you want it:

Joseph W. Butkevicius Jr.
Pearl Flute Product Specialist
Pearl Corporation
549 Metroplex Dr.
Nashville, TN 37211
800-947-3275 ext 3500
www.pearlflute.com

Joe B

I would like to add that Pearl got the right guy for the job too..

Does this mean I have to be nice to you too?

Because if it comes down to you, me, and a pizza..it will be utter carnage..

Joe B

Joe,

You crack me up! I just have to say that, you crack me up! I don't always agree with you, but I like what you say. I like your attitude too. You are on track from what I have read here on this forum.

So, why can't anyone come to the more complete understanding that a flute played by one person may play great and for another sound like total pure garbage? I have the things I like in a flute, like a small round hole, concave if you like, not oval. I play very hard down into the hole, and I can make that kind of mouthpiece sing. My Pearl has that kind of hole while my Armstrong is more oval. I can get cleaner notes on the Armstrong, but over all there is no question the Pearl sings when I hit the notes way beyond my Armstrong. (Both are French open hole all sterling flutes). Does this mean the Pearl is a better flute? Sorry, but the answer is no, only for me does the Pearl actually "appear" to be better. There are some things like the springless mechanisms that make it better, sure, and other things, but the over all sound, probably has nothing to do with any of that. The Pearl flutes work because of the way I play. So buy a Pearl, if you found they play the best for the price! If you like a Yamaha, then buy a Pearl, they are better flutes, cause Yamaha stinks! LOL, obviously, I am joking! Yamaha makes a great flute for the price. It may be the way to go for some people. I just wanted to mix it up, and show everyone, I don't take anything too serious in this world, but I do work hard to be the best I can be!

Exactly AZ.

I am also working on the pearl pizza division <G>.

We can objectively look at an instrument compared to an objective criteria in terms of construction, design, etc, and make recommendations based on that specific criteria. The way a flute plays for anyone though is not so objective.

So there are 2 issues. The quality of the instrument and how much a person likes the way an instrument plays are often completely unrelated. One should be able to distinguish and understand how these interact however.

The other criteria is what items you prefer on your pizza.

If Patrick chose a preference for anchovies though, I could, and WOULD, take him down. (with or without a flute in his hands. After all, I could fix the flute. Can't fix Patrick though. And I have tried..)

Joe B

For interesting reading look up the Orpheus brand and Steve Goodson on the saxontheweb.net forum.

Very very odd stuff.