There are several China sellers of “YAMAHA”Flute 211 that are new on EBAY. They are all about $130 with free shipping. All of their ratings are 100% positive. Are these the real thing? It seems strange everyone seems to be happy purchasing these. I'm just looking for a good cheap beginner flute for my child even if it is a clone/copy.
Please help!

Current Listing item numbers for these:

250501337682
250502761764
220483013733
180410069057
250501266360
180409118571

The Yamaha 211 is an oft recommended model, so when I see these "YAMAHA" auctions (note the quotations) for prices that seem too good, I assume they're counterfeit. If it's doubtful, it's dirty, in my opinion.

When purchasing directly from China remember:

1. Its too expensive to send an item back if its not what you ordered or has a fault. You may need the instrument adjusted and some American technicians make excessive charges if they haven't supplied the instrument!
2. The Ebay Paypal Buyer Protection has nasty clauses in it which in effect mean that if you don't return the item at your cost you don't get a refund. In other words its useless. However, the Chinese seller's I've dealt with are more honest than local sellers!
3. Some of the feedback may not be genuine.
4. If price is not realistic then its probably fraudulent - this more commonly happens with expensive models as its not worth the effort for $100. It costs much less than $100 to ship a flute from China (but not vice-versa).

I have made successful purchases directy from China (although not flutes) and have been extremely impressed with the quality - better than most Western manufactured student instruments. The relevant question is not whether the flutes are genuine YAMAHAs but whether they play like a good student flute. Its quite plausible that these flutes have either been rejected by YAHAMA's quality control (ie are seconds or have critical faults) or where surplus to requirements. (Many established brands make their student instruments in China).

Your safest option is to buy a Chinese branded flute in a relatively local store after trying it. In the UK that's quite easy but in the USA most technicians remain convinced that Chinese manufacturing quality etc is substandard and can't get used to the idea that instruments might be constructed as well (or better) but differently - they haven't spoken to any-one who has visited a Chinese factory!

me from China so I know

your 211 are fake

211 serial number are now 25123456P

still good better quality than western makers because wage low china improve a lot now

china sell $80 to $90 there

but some good some bad quality unstable have to try

you take risks no services no western repairman will service it or very high price

I have had bad experience with chinese vendors in Ebay or when buying direct from them.

I would avoid that. It is also true that I have been scammed recently by a Italian-German vendor in Berlin, so nobody is 100% safe. It is also true that one is not protected by Paypal, because in case of claims, they request the buyer to produce impossible proofs of the scam. So Paypal allows delinquency in Ebay by looking to other side even when they receive a formal complain. Do not count on them in case of problems.

It does not mean all Chinese stuff is bad; many, many serious manufacturers have their products made in China and are sold with their first level brands.

I was well impressed by the post of Mr. Varusso (see his long post in Hutchen flutes). If you want a cheap flute, but at a reasonable quality, I would look in those companies that are in USA or Europe, like the one I mentioned above.

Other possibility is to buy second hand, there are a few recognized good vendors in this site, though they do not post much recently.

Good luck, in any case.

<Added>

Justin Varuzzo's post is the last in this thread: http://www.8notes.com/f/25_249916.asp

I was tempted to get one of those flutes from China last Dec. But I decided to pay $425 from a local music repair shop. I'm so glad I did...and I can take my Yamaha 221 in and have it repaired and checked for free whenever I want. And I know the shope is completely trustworthy. The technician said he really likes the Yahaha 221 which to him is a great beginner student flute because of it's tone and durabiity. He wouldn't get anything less. I had borrowed a Geinenhart (spelling sorry) which was a real pain.
Good luck in your decision.

Hello there,

With regards to the Yamaha flutes on Ebay, I was also tempted to buy it when I saw them. However, as you can see the flute itself is sold for next to nothing, while postage charges are extremely high. This is a dangerous situation to watch out for, in my opinion.

If something turns out wrong with the flute and you have to return it to get a refund, they are only obliged to return to you the price of the item itself and not the postage. So when they sell things at super cheap prices with super high postage, you can be sure that there must be some level of suspicious activity. I even saw one of those flutes selling for £0.98 but postage at £100 !! Anything wrong with that flute, i'd have only got back a 0.98 refund. As good as it sounds, it smells like a scam, to me.

Darryn
UK

I have been stung to say the least, i have been in contact with yamaha this morning and they have confirmed that the flutes from china are mostly conterfits, worst of all, the one i bought is a counter fit, please ring yamaha before purchasing a flute from china or elsewhere, they will look at the pictures and tell you if it is a counterfit.

Yamaha are in contact with ebay about this, i would realistically trust none of them until i am sure. The guy i bought off put a copy of a real one on ebay and then sent me a fake. Please be very careful it is very upsetting to get a rubbish one.

Trust me, i did cry.....

Lots of love jenny xxx

China or any other country cannot sell first brands genuine instruments for a fraction of its value. They are not magicians.

So these flutes or any other similarly too low priced, first brand wares are fakes.

In the best case they could be factory rejects, but that would be like winning a consolation prize. They are simply scrap instruments and their sellers, true scammers.

Hi all!
I have alerted and posted a blog on my site along with pictures of these counterfeit Yamahas in order to warn the public.
I have a list of things to look for, but if anyone can think of anything else that may be helpful to add in my post, I would greatly appreciate the input. You can view it here..
http://fluteragious.phanfare.com/4456433#imageID=87143818

Thanks!
~Kate

Its abit too cheap too be true, for its new.

For cases in China, it was often said you get what you paid for.

Wish you luck on buying a good instrument with a good price.

Good job!. Nice to see you back!

http://fluteragious.phanfare.com/4456433#imageID=87143818

Brilliant i am glad there is someone out there who also wants to do something about it, if i may just add that the flute that i bought had a picture of what i am presuming is a real yamaha. I would adivise people not to buy from abroad, i now am having to deal with a guy who is saying that if i dont pay to have the flute sent back to china then i will only get $12 of the $124 that i actually paif for it. I have attached a link to the one i bought, but the one that i got is pictured in the link about.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170403842495&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Please feel free to take a look and see what these people are doing. Theres not much chance i will get enough money back to be able to afford a flute, so i am without my other half until maybe next year, this was meant to be my christmas present xxxxxxxxx

Oh Jaszan, I feel so bad for you. That is just awful that you got taken like that. Do these people not have any morals or a conscience at all???

Can you afford $100 for a Yamaha? If so, I have a Yamaha 225SII listed on my site (the one without any gold on it) that is just about like new condition minus a couple (VERY TINEY) scratches on it that I would be happy to sell to you for a discount of only $100. This only applies for you though because of special circumstances. If I can help someone out for Christmas than it would make a great present for me for Christmas

<Added>

PS. I hope you leave that jerk negative! Others need to be warned.

no they obviously dont have any morals!!! irrates me so much, can you send me a link to your sight please xxxx im still short of a flute xxxxxxxxxxxxxx