I'm a junior in high school, and this is my seventh year of playing flute and third year playing piccolo. I believe my flute is a model 2S Gemeinhardt student flute, that we bought used 7 years ago and my piccolo is a plastic Yamaha YPC-32. I'm very happy with my piccolo and it serves me very well both in concert band and marching. However, my flute, again bought used seven years ago, is slowly falling apart. Of course it has seen a lot since elementary school and is now no longer able to keep up with me. I'm looking to buy an upper level intermediate flute, or a less expensive professional one. There are so many differing opinions on flutes and I am left confused having no flute teacher as of yet. Any advice would be appreciated greatly!

Hi, first of all, let me ask you something.
You've bought your flute used, in good condition I guess. During the 7 years you own it didn't you send it to a technician for revision/adjustment/repair? This must be done every two years (maximum). A professional usually send it every year.
Well, another thing is knowing if you really need to purchase another one, or maybe if you have your flute properly revised/repaired/adjusted you might have this flute for a long time ahead.
Anyway, it's a bit difficult to point this or that brand. The best way for you to choose an instrument is actually test playing various brands and models. Also it would be important to know the amount you are able to spend.
But if you still don't have this possibility I would advise you to stick with Yamaha, since you already plays their piccolo. I would say you should look for a 300 series flute.
I personally like Muramatsus very much. I recently bought their low end model, the EX-III, for taking with me in long trips. It's very leightweight, cheap, and sounds very nice.

I personally wouldn't bothered with the yamaha's with any model number under 500. Their CY's are IMO too restrictive for me. 500-600 and you can get an EC head joint which is still restrictive but far better then the CY. I actually think you can even get an AC or K instead of the EC if you ask, though not sure if you actually have to get 700 and above :/.

Zevang is absolutely right though about play-testing the flutes before you buy. Pick some etudes, or exercises and do the same thing on every flute to see which you prefer. Doing the same thing on each flute will make it easier to compare.

Some other brands to consider:
Amadeus
Avanti
Azumi
Jupiter Demedici**
Sonare*
Pearl

(I've tried the ones with stars and loved em. Demedici is my favorite so far)

I really would recommend getting a flute teacher at some point and having him/her try the flutes with you if possible.

Good Luck

Okay thanks any advice is helpful. I have been trying to find a flute teacher but I recently moved and am still looking in my new area. I have had my flute serviced often, to replace pads and such and also when I had an issue with my headjoint. But the same problems keep popping up and its been dented several times, especially when i was in marching band in middle school :/

But yes I've heard a lot about Muramatsus and I'd like to try one out. I've already done some brand-blind tests and the two that I liked were Yamaha and Sankyo... the Sankyo was priced about two times as much as the Yamaha, if I remember correctly. They didn't show me prices until after the fact.

I'd like to continue flute into college and beyond, if I'm good enough. I recently made all-state, just to assure you that I'm not terrible and heading nowhere, lol. I therefore would like a nice flute, preferably one that will serve me well into the future, but I don't envy the price level of some of the 'professional' flutes. Are Sankyos worth the price? or is there an worthy equivalent for a better cost?

The higher cost of a flute doesn't mean that this is a better flute for you or your style of playing. But it does mean (for certain brands) that you get a better instrument in terms of durability and resistance to daily use.
Sankyo are incredible flutes in that respect. My main flute is a K-14 gold Sankyo. I would only upgrade it for an all gold one of the same brand (mine has sterling mechanism). But you see, It took me some time to find a good headjoint that would fit me and this flute properly (in this case a Nagahara). Now I can say I have an instrument that fits my needs, both in terms of my playing and the balance between durability and the cost I could afford.

So, in your case, if you feel better playing the Yammy, go for it. If you thing they are equal in terms of your playing and you need a more durable flute (and you can pay for it...) so go with the Sankyo. You will never regret that, I'm sure.

I just recently went through buying a new flute. I can advise you as to what I did only yesterday. Call a music store in your area and make sure they have a flutist there at the time you want to come and try out flutes. Many times, they will have teachers working in the store. I was extremely fortunate when I went because the owner of the music store was an accomplished flutist. Tell them what your price range is. When you come in, they should have at least 4 or 5 different flutes laid out in a room for you to try. Bring a lot of music to play. I brought all the Christmas music I was working on, and some scale books and etudes. Play all of them for at least 5-10 minutes. One or two flutes will emerge that fit you and your style. Then ask the professional flutist to play for you on the flutes you narrowed down, and ask them to listen to you play from your selection. Then between the 2 of you, you will be able to find the one that is right for you. The first time I bought a flute was not a good experience. I was stuck in a room with no help and only one brand! I would never have picked the flute I just got rid of if I had had help from the right person. Don't do this on your own. Take another musician if you can't find a flutist and let them hear you play the ones that feel right. Getting the right flute will help you advance, and getting the wrong one can hold you back. Good luck!!