Micron,
I did get in a Jupiter 511 flute and I told you that I would report back to you to let you know if Jupiter is still making their metal soft. The answer is yes. I was quit disappointed in it. The metal bends easily and the flute as a whole feels like tin in your hands and kind of cheap. It also has a very tinny like sound to it. Over all rating for this particular model- 2 thumbs down.

So far after repairing and testing many student model flutes, I still find that the Yamaha 211 is far superior to them all. The mechanism is not clanky or cluncky like a lot of them.

I also have an Armstrong 104 which really was quite nice, I just don`t care for the particular cut of headjoint that came on it. I put silencers on it like the Muramatsu flutes use on their flutes with adjustment screws (as I am sure some others do also) and it made a big improvement. No more noisy mechanism and it also made is smoother. It turned out to be a pretty nice little flute and I am very happy with the results.

what exactly are silencers, and how do they work? could a normal woodwind technician install them? one of the student flutes i played recently had a solid sound but clanky mechanism, which kept me from buying it.

Tim,
Silencers are little pieces of paper that are put under where the screws come into contact with metal. Any repair tech could do it. I am not sure if silencers are the correct term for them, but I am sure that Micron would know what they are called.

<Added>

Lera, I didn't say that the Jupiter bent like a tin can, it just sounded kind of tinny to me and very light feeling.
No offense, but IMO, Jupiter is a better then a First Act flute, but I am glad it works for you.

Kara, I respect Yamaha and other good student flutes, but I have many students playing on 511, 611 and 711 Jupiters and they love them and have not had problems with them, and I dont make a dime from selling them, I am merely an artist/clinician for them. I have also spent time at the factory and can vouch for the quality control process

I play a Jupiter. Specifically a Demedici 911. And I like it!

<Added>

I spelled that wrong. Dimedici.

I also play a Jupiter and like it! But it is solid silver - maybe it depends on which model it is, but I`ve had no problems with my Jupiter and it doesn`t feel cheap at all!

First of all, I was reporting about the 511 that I worked on, that is all.
Because they have soft metal on the 511 STUDENT flute is not going to make them a horrible brand to play, so PLEASE don`t read into anything. I thought the Dimedici was very nice when I tried it. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. This was just ONE and the only student flute that I have ever worked on by Jupiter. I was just reporting to Micron about the metal like he asked me to in a previous post. Sorry I brought it up!

Reenie,
Maybe you are onto something with that. When I tried the Dimedici which is solid silver, it didn`t feel cheap to me either. I think it was just the fact that it is silver plated. The metal just seemed more thin to me then other student flutes that I have worked on.

Ive seen and heard some jupiter flutes being really bad quality. I was teaching a pupil and she had a jupiter bass flute which at first seemed fine until levers and touchpieces began to bend and buckle due to the lengnth of them and the flimsiness. She wasn`t abusing the instrument it was just really soft metal. Ive never found jupiters tone to be all that impressive either. I know some people really like jupiter but they just dont seem like the quality reflects the cost at times.

It is no surprise since they are made in Taiwan.

As are Yamahas

Here`s a listing of the countries Yamaha manufactures musical instruments:
http://www.global.yamaha.com/countries/index.html

Instruments of quality are coming out of third-world countries. Yamaha is certainly making instruments in the darndest of places with worse reputations than China.

At least they are still made better then Gemeinahardts.

<Added>

Okay, sorry, that was rude. Kara is bad...

The country listing has all the coutries Yamaha has offices/production in. Those countries that do manufacture say so within that country link. If they only do import, it`ll only say import.

For instance:
Indonesia (makes nearly everything...)
http://www.global.yamaha.com/countries/ap/indonesia.html

United States [Michigan] (Wind Instruments, Piano, Speakers, Electronics)
http://www.global.yamaha.com/countries/north_america/united_states.html

Taiwan (Pianos, Guitars, Electronic)
http://www.global.yamaha.com/countries/ap/taiwan.html