Does any one know any thing about "Sky" flutes? are they any good? Please reply!

I know there is a Sky trumpet that would not be good for a beginner...if you want links let me know...

i had a sky flute and it was horrible..silver was comeing off..would play after awhile..i would NOT recomend getting one one of them

Hello!
I looked up information on Sky Flutes for you. All of the feedback was NEGATIVE. The only place I could find them sold was on Ebay for ridiculously low prices. At flute for $0.99 can never be good! I`d stick with name brand flutes just because they are more trustworthy and if there is something wrong with a model people will speak up about it! For a good durable (and reasonably priced) student model flute try the Gemeinhardt 2SP. Check http://www.music123.com/ They often offer this model for under $300. Hope this helps you! -- Hannah

You run a VERY high risk buying a flute that is not from a maker who has been around for some time and earned a (good) reputation.

"It is unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money - that is it. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - It can`t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better."

-- John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

"There is hardly anything in the world that a man can not make a little worse and sell a little cheaper. And people who consider price alone are this man`s lawful prey."
- John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

OK, Ebay isn`t all bad...if you search under the brand names like Yamaha, Armstrong, Pearl, Emerson, Jupiter, and Gemeinhardt

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47100&item=3744742993&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10183&item=3744111622&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10183&item=3744528515&rd=1

That is correct, providing you are aware that you run the risk of buying an instrument that needs repadding/overhaul. That could cost more than what you payed for the instrument.

Oh no....I had a student joyfully run up to me with her new flute she bought all by herself over the summer...it was a sky flute. A search for info led me here. I didn`t get a close look and have not checked the intonation, but it looks like it`s a matter of time before the problems begin.

I know exactly what I am doing when I buy a flute, I have also played one for 22 years so I don`t consider myself stupid for buying 2 Sky flutes off of EBAY. My personal flute that I play during performance is gold plated because I am allergic to Silver, my practice flute is silver, it is the one I use buy my computer, the one that never gets cleaned or put up, but I only paid $10.00 for it and I plays perfectly but then again it is silver so I get blistered fingers when I practice too much. I have been looking for a CHEAP Nickel plated flute at which I was told would be very hard to find because most of the big manufacturers quit making flute that cheap. Well I saw the sky on Ebay bid on it and got it for $53.00, $76 total after ups shipping from CA to IN, it was packaged perfectly corks underneath any of the keys that could move during shipment, it has a heavier feel to it than I expected EVERY single note came out perfectly on both the nickel and silver plated flutes. I ened up with a silver plated one because I didn`t read it thouroughly enough when bidding on it but I will not complain both sound great and for people who don`t want to spend $400-500 on a beginner "Name Brand they can`t go wrong. Todays society has let kids give up on everything when things get tough, $500 is too much for me to spend for my kid to decide he doesn`t like it anymore. Although my kid is still in band and loves it now I have seen many just quit and their parents let them. Give Sky flutes a chance, it doesn`t have to be pretty to sound nice.

I just bought one....I have been a band director for 24 years....and am trying it out. I try to stay ahead of the students in terms of instruments that come into my band program. I do know that most reputable repairmen will not service these instruments. I bought it to see how well they service. Several years ago the market was flooded with Jupiter musical instruments. They have made some improvements and a few (note the word FEW) instruments that they make are excellent (ie: sousaphone) but most are junk. The repairs on the instruments are often and difficult. The metal on the flutes in particular is so thin and weak that they cannot be tuned or repaired.
I am checking out this Sky Flute in the same manner. I will take it apart, adjust it, rebuild it, abuse it, fix it, and report back as to how it has held up. In the meantime, if a student comes into my class with one, I will suggest that they get something else ASAP.

...well we just bought a "sky" flute(nickle) off ebay...obviously they saw us coming...soo since it`s a beginner student we`ll use it for now and if they really enjoy playing the flute what brand should we "invest in"?

You can`t go far wrong with Yamaha.

This forum is not actually a very good place for asking for advice, because almost everybody here seems to have close to nil expertise on which to base their advice.

There are many models of each brand, and there are many considerations needed in good instrument selection. Most relative beginner players, and many teachers even, are aware of few of these.

Gemeinhart is also a great brand. I have had hundreds of students over the years play on them with great results. They are easy to repair...I personally WILL work on a Gemeinhart flute with no fear of breaking anything. Every instrument repairperson that I know doesn`t mind working on a Gemeinhart or Yamaha flute. There are a few more "upscale" brands that are excellent as well, but you are looking at $1,500+ in cost and waiting lists for delivery.