Hi. I've been playing for about 8 years (the last 7 on a yamaha 385) and I finally have a job nice enough to afford a good (maybe used) artist quality flute. Would you be kind enough to point the right direction to start trying flutes?
From what I have already tried I know that Miyazawa and Muramatsu are spectacular, but I'd like to hear more about Sankyo, Altus and Natsuki (a friend told me they are good). Do you have any experience playing and/or repairing those?
My budget is between 3 and 3.5 k.
Thanks so much for your help.

Alberto,

From my own experience I can say that after 15+ playing a (now) 30 year old all silver Muramatsu (standard model) I just loved it (that's the one in my photo).
Now I have a gold Sankyo that just surprised me because of the easy on making a bright and clear sound, and the facility in merging the color with the other woodwinds in the orchestra. Although, I still have lots to work with my new Sankyo.

good luck

Zevang

Zevang

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience. My problem with Muramatsu is that they are a little off my budget. There are a couple in the Flute Center of NY that I could afford, but they are already aprox. 30 year old and my intention is to keep for quite some time the flute I buy.
These flutes do sound and feel amazing, but it bothers me the age. To be honest I don't know how long can a good flute (like a Muramatsu) keep going...
What do you think? Should I keep looking for newer flutes?... Am I being too picky?

Alberto

Many many pros play on very old flutes, I know someone who just got a flute from 1939, mine is a Haynes from 1951, as long as they are maintained and overhauled they will last for ages, ask Joe B...

I have to agree with Patrick. Well-made flutes (the type we're discussing), given the proper maintenance, can last for ages. There are even those who play on (and swear by) old French flutes that are well over 100 years old, and these are still going strong. Even flutes with some problems (assuming they are not catastrophic problems like being melted into a door stop) can often be put back in playing condition by a good tech. I personally prefer used flutes, because a well cared for instrument will play just as well used as it did new (in some cases better than it did new), so by buying used you are letting the original purchaser take the price hit, and you are walking away with an excellent instrument.

Thank you all, guys, for sharing that. I feel much more comfortable now looking at older instruments. Actually, after my rehersal a friend set me up with a guy selling a Muramatsu AD (circa 1980). It may be it... this is so exciting! Anyway, my frien told me that this guy has been a pro player for quite some time, so I guess the flute will be in good condition. I have to throw in a few more bucks and if it is in good condition I think I'll buy it (saved an extra k in case an overhaul was necessary). Anyway I'll still have enough for a professional COA.
Thanks a lot for your kindness, I needed to hear this from more experienced players before I make a decision.

Hi Alberto,

I know you're on the way to set things up with your purchase, but I just wanted to say that I play a second hand Muramatsu for almost 20 years. This flute (a standard model) was bought by a collegue in 1976 in Paris (30 years ago...).

My technician told me that if he depended on this particular flute to survive he would be lost, because I send it to maintenance every two years circa, and he almost have nothing to do in it.

Flutes like Patrick's Haynes, my Mura, and many others are just like cars, I think. You only have to keep them in good condition of use, and sometimes send them to a good technician for checking, replace some parts that eventually need it, like the pads, and just go on...

wish you good luck in your choice!

Zevang

I HAVE A MURAMATSU AD!!!!!!

This is thrilling. I thought it was going to take at least a month to find the one. The guy, Steven, was great: I spent about three hours in his apartment play testing the flute and asking him millions of questions, and he just sat there and patiently waited and answered . He even offered us coffe and cookies. This is so great!

Summing up:
- No tarnish at all
- Nothing but a few minimal scratches
- No play in the mechanism
- Action as smooth as you can dream
- Relatively new pads (one and a half year he said, and that's how they look)
- Great dynamics and tonal flexibility (I think I have to work more on my hability to project the sound, though)
- I'm still going to take it to a technician, to see if a COA is necessary.
- To follow up the car/flute comparision: I feel like jumping from a Hyundai (nice and reliable) to a Jaguar (everything you ever wanted)

About my intentions: I'm working to become a professional jazz and contemporary-clasic flute player.

Again, THANKS A LOT for taking an interest in my problem and helping me with it.

best regards

Alberto

Congratulations Alberto!

And you're always welcome :-)

Zevang

Congratulations Alberto! I hope you have many years of musical pleasure with your new flute, and as Zevang said, you are always welcome! If you have any more questions that you need help with, we'll be here!

I know I'm jumping in a bit late, but isn't there an issue with the scale on some of the older flutes? Trevor Wye was on about it in some article. Or isn't the difference with say, the William Bennett scale all that great?

Alberto congrats on your new Muramatsu! Great choice,they really are wonderful flutes. I am sure the original owner is happy to see it go to a good home.

Some of the older flutes did have some....interesting scales. They are still entirely possible to play in tune (as demonstrated by the many professional flutists who managed to do just that), but it takes a little more effort to do so. I certainly prefer the Bennett scale, but there's nothing wrong with a flute using one of the older scales.

thanks flutist06 for sticking up for older scale flutes

No problem. Some of the finest flutes I've played have had the "traditional" scales, and while the difference was there, it really was not that difficult to play them in tune. I think the traditional scales get a bad rap that they don't deserve.