I've been playing for only 9 months, so I guess technically I'm still a novice. However, my passion for the flute drove me to constant practice and I guess you would never know I have been playing for less than a year. The thing is I've been playing my friend's Gemeinhardt and the time has come for something better. Not to mention a flute I can call my own. Yesterday I found a Yamaha that I swear was sent from Heaven, its tone was steady and it worked like magic under my fingers. I'm still searching though, and I was wondering what you all thought. What are you're favorite brands and cuts? What is best? The flute I buy will be with me for a very long time, so I want to make the right choice. I'm sure you all understand. Thanks in advance!

I currently play on an Armstrong 303b flute, and love it! Here are some brands I would suggest: Gemeinhardt, Amrstrong, Pearl,Yamaha.

What sort of flute do you need\want? Intermediate,Advanced...?

Intermediate, open holed, B key. Those are my only needs. Sliver head joint of course. I'm not really picky about brand. What about Brio? I have yet to try any, what are they like?

I have never heard of "Brio". But, my flute is an intermediate... open hole,b foot. Gemeindhardt and Yamaha make very good intermediate flutes.

<Added>

I just looked up some info about the "Brio" brand. From what I found it's very good. Happy New Year!

Yeah, been there done that. G-hardts are nice, but that's what I have now and from what I've played of others hasn't really impressed me much. Thanks, Happy New Year to you too.

You want a B key, yet you do not even know the proper name for it. Please tell us what you will be using this B key for. It is called open hole, not holed flute. What are you going to use the holes for?

Brio is made by Gemeinhardt and they have not have not had good success with the sales of these flutes for a reason. They put an okay headjoint on a cheap China made body. Many flute manufactures are doing this as well but some have better quality control than others. I would not recommend a Brio. A Yamaha 221 that you can later progress on by adding a better headjoint would be more the way to go. Armstrong is even worse than Gemeinhardt. Avoid them all together.

PerrinLark,
If you have not yet discovered Jennifer Cluff's web site, I would recommend visiting it and reading her advice on selecting flute brands and models.
She can tell you almost everything you need to know about purchasing a good quality flute.
Good luck!

I guess I don't know how to insert a link! Here is the address:

http://www.jennifercluff.com/

Look, asshole, I've been playing for nine months, but I'm not some middle school low life. I plan to have this flute for life, I'm serious about my music. I'm glad you get kicks out of belittling new players looking for help, but !****! off. Or help, but do it with some respect. Okay, jerk off? Lighten up. Thanks for your "superior" knowledge anyway. It did help.

The link you gave me was fantastic. I already knew most of it, but it's good to know I'm on the right track. My private teacher has been testing flutes with me, and has taught me most of what I need to know. The Yamaha was Japanese made, and there was nothing about it I didn't like. I just wanted to make sure it was as good as I thought.

We don't speak that way on this forum unless you intend to get kicked off by the moderator. I was only trying to help. You didn't even answer my questions. You just acted worse than a middle school aged kid by calling me names. How do you know you want a flute with these features when you don't even know what they are? It doesn't automatically make it a step up or intermediate flute if it has the "b key" as you call it, or open HOLES.

yamaha are great flutes you wont go wrong with one
but stay away from gmen,armstromg there realy poor quality and will only hold you back the yamaha will even do you further down the track with a realy good handmade headjoint

i play a yamaha 511 its older model but has solid silver headjoint body and foot

Look, I came here for help. Really. Yes, I acted immature, I'll accept that. I'm just not big on being talked down to. Admit it, your "help" was a bit on the pompous side. Your attitude was at fault as much as mine. I apologize to the site in general for my language, my temper got the better of me. Sorry. I have at least five songs that I play in the upper register because they require a B FOOT, hence I would like a flute with said feature. I prefer open hole flutes for the superior tone, and anyway I learned to play open hole, so it is for comfort as well. Is that acceptable? Or do you want to belittle me some more?

adamrussel: Thanks for the tip. The Yamaha I played is looking better and better.

A B foot is not for the upper register, so I am baffled to why you would say you need one. Maybe you do not know what a B foot really is or what it is for? Before you say you want one, you might want to figure that out first.
Open holes do absolutely nothing at all for the sound. A closed hole flute will sound exactly the same as a closed hole flute. I am not sure of where you are getting your information, but your source really needs to get their facts straight.

You come on this group saying you want a flute with specific specs yet you do not even know the what they are for or what they do. So if I come off as condescending or annoyed, then that would be why. I am tired of time wasters who think they know it all and then go off on other members when they are corrected for being wrong. Someone else in the group does this a lot, but is a child and has probably made more than a few people already on the defense because of it.