I've had a Gemeinhardt flute for some 20 years and was told when it was recently serviced that it was one of the earlier and better quality.

I'm at that stage in life where I'm playing more regularly and can afford to buy something a little more 'up-market'. I'm not expecting a new flute to dramatically improve my playing but if I were to buy one of supposedly better quality would an amateur such as me notice the difference.

I'm interested in anyone's thoughts.

Thanks

Because you're not at a high level of playing, it is really up to what you think (or if you have a private teacher, they'll have something good to say about it).

Chances are having a new instrument will make you more excited to play and practice, making it easier for you to advance. It's really up to you, and what you want to get entirely depends on your budget.

It is always advisable to experiment something different. If you really want to buy a new flute, go for it.