Hello, My daughter is in the 7th grade and is going to start playing the flute. Can you give me ideas on what are some good models for a beginner.

Heres what I have been looking at;

Armstrong Model 104
Gemeinhardt Student Flute Model 2SP
Jupiter Flute JFL-511 #3748324532
Artly 18-0

Thank You in Advance for any help

I play on an Artley 18-0 and its quite good. Although I dont know how it compares to the others.

Hello there all those are great brands you listed...I am for buying used not renting because you can always resell them on Ebay or someplace.

Also you may want to consider Yamaha and Pearl student flutes...

Here are some links:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47100&item=3748082809&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47100&item=3748798547&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=47101&item=3748392300&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10183&item=3748739591&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10183&item=3748392750&rd=1

I suggest not buying on ebay because there usually is no warranty if you buy a flute on ebay. I think Geimendhart is one of the best brands you will ever find. I have an intermediate open hole flute right now, and it plays wonderfully. Artleys and Armstrongs (all the a-flutes) seem to be out of tune a lot. So I suggest you go with the Gemeindhart 2sp. they`ll last a long time and they aren`t too pricey, but are more than a yamaha and other beginner flutes.

"...I think Geimendhart is one of the best brands you will ever find."

Really!!! Seriously, you can`t have tried many models of many brands!

I agree about Ebay. Buying on Ebay is a serious risk at the best of times. People tend to resort to Ebay for selling, when an item has become a can of worms, e.g. when a flute needs a very expensive overhaul, or it happens to have a particularly BAD tone.

i own the armstrong 104 and its not bad its my first flute since i started in 6th grade and its always been great the only problem this models padding on the pinky thing falls off i have seen it happen to every one of them i ever saw which is seven

Hey! I bought my flute off ebay and there was nothing wrong with it! You just have to know what to look for. But if you do decide to use ebay, go to the ebay online stores. There you will find new flutes that usually have a 30 day warranty on them, but that depends on the seller.

That`s naive!

30 day warranty is no use to anybody if you take the flute in for its first repair after 6 months, unplayable, and you cannot find a technician prepared to work on it, because every thing they do to it will expose more problems.

Suddenly your flute has zero value, unless you want to face a VERY expensive repair, bringing it to a state of reliability, which may well be impossible, for example if the metal is so soft that the keys bend while you are playing the flute, just from finger pressure!

"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)

"I play on an Artley 18-0 and its quite good. Although I dont know how it compares to the others."

I have that flute too, and it is a piece of junk. I just got a Selmar one a few days ago and its really good...

Becky, my friend plays on a Selmar. I tried it. And I have to admitt it is a better flute. Its a lot easier to hit the high notes on than the Artley.

Try Yamaha then.

NEVER!!!!!!!!!EVER!!!!!!!!!! Buy musical instruments from ebay. My classmate bought a Brand new saxophone and now its broken. He has only had it for a few months now.And he paid like almost a thousand bucks for it.

Do you know what brand it was?

Liz

Um...I can`t recommend which flute is better, but I`d definitally not get a nickel-plated flute (if you`re considering it). The girl who is a chair under me in band has a nickel flute and can only play for so long at a time because she`ll break out...apparently she`s allergic to it. If you know your daughter`s not, then it`s fine, but you might not wanna risk it.