Buying a flute

    
Buying a flute    05:34 on Tuesday, July 26, 2011          

traappe
(8 points)
Posted by traappe

Okey, so I didn't see any recent topics that would answer my question, so I created a new one. I have played flute for a year now, with my aunt's flute. Now I know that I'm going to continue playing flute and I'm going to buy my own. So I'm asking, which flute would you recommended. I'm looking for quality flute which can't be too expensive bacause I'm a student. My teacher said there is no reason why I can't buy a flute with open-holes, because then I don't have to learn to play with open-holes after playing many years with closed-holes. I have found few flutes with open-holes that cost under 800. Brands are Pearl, Yamaha and Jupiter. I also consider closed-hole flute so I found few brands from that direction : Pearl, Thomann, Yamaha and Azumi(with waveline-flutes(?)).

Please give me advices


Re: Buying a flute    07:41 on Tuesday, July 26, 2011          

lraep
(14 points)
Posted by lraep

From my limited experience:
Thomann flutes are cheap but quite good, I own a Startone SFL-55 that costs 88€ and it's worth the money. But I change to a Pearl 665 to get open holes, b-foot and a better mechanism (the Startone's works but is a bit weak)

When I tried different flutes in the shop I prefered Pearl sound over Yamaha... It's very personal maybe you will prefer Yamaha headjoint..


Re: Buying a flute    12:45 on Tuesday, July 26, 2011          

Pyrioni
(437 points)
Posted by Pyrioni

I don't think closed-hole or open-hole flute should be a matter when you choose a flute.

I learned on an used Jupiter 511 (closed-hole) for 2 years, then played on a Yamaha 211 (closed-hole) for 5 years, then Sankyo 401 (open-hole) for 1 year now.

7 years on closed-hole flutes, only took me less than 1 month to adapt perfectly on open-hole flute. No worries.


Re: Buying a flute    13:56 on Tuesday, July 26, 2011          

traappe
(8 points)
Posted by traappe

Well if there is no difference if you learn to play open-holes now, or later, which one would you recommended? Which one you think has a better sound? Open-holes or closed-holes. Naturally there's differences between different brands and flutes so it's not that simple but generally.

<Added>

And is silver head-joint better then german silver plated? If it is, how much? Please, many answers and opinions :)


Re: Buying a flute    13:16 on Thursday, July 28, 2011          

Trombi
(67 points)
Posted by Trombi

I think it is best to buy an open hole flute with plastic plugs.
Then you can take off the plugs when you are ready.
For me it does not matter if the head-joint is silver or not,
the only thing that seems to matter for me is that I prefer if
the lip-plate is silver.
I recommend you to buy an Yamaha, is is easy to, after a while,
buy a professional head-joint to an Yamaha and I heard that 80%
of the sound is because of the head-joint.


Re: Buying a flute    15:36 on Thursday, July 28, 2011          

traappe
(8 points)
Posted by traappe

That is really good advice, and I think you are absolutely right. If the body is good (mechanism etc.) then you can upgrade your flute easily and with less money, by buying a professional head-joint. I'm considering now Yamaha, because it's reliable and long lasting. I was thinking, maybe Yamaha YFL-271 or Yamaha YFL-261. 271 has E-mechanism, which is probably a good thing. Could someone tell me what it is exactly? I think it is a mechanism that somehow helps to play the very high E. But I'm not sure how it works in practice, does it make difference with my fingering? What is the difference between normal flute, and flute with E-mechanism?



Re: Buying a flute    11:39 on Friday, July 29, 2011          

Trombi
(67 points)
Posted by Trombi

It might be easier with the 271 for a beginner.
In many places on the web, is says that you only should buy a Yamaha made in Japan. However, my girlfriend have a 271 made in Indonesia (I think) and even if I don´t admitt it to her, it sounds better than my four times more expensive Miyazawa, so I am not sure about the advise.


Re: Buying a flute    12:01 on Friday, July 29, 2011          

contra448
(771 points)
Posted by contra448

There is really no advantage for the majority of players to have an open hole flute or low B - they only add to the difficulty of playing & are more expensive to maintain. You benefit only if you are involved with playing 1/4 tones & other advanced techniques.


Re: Buying a flute    12:21 on Friday, July 29, 2011          

Trombi
(67 points)
Posted by Trombi

You can reed more about the e-mechanism at:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/onlineexpert_128_10.html


Re: Buying a flute    12:57 on Friday, July 29, 2011          

traappe
(8 points)
Posted by traappe

I'll decide what kind of flute I want, after I have tried them. Today I tried Yamaha YFL-211 and I loved the sound. It's much better than in my current flute, and the high notes were so much easier to play. I also tried Yamaha with open-holes, series 400, I can't remember the exact model, but it has in-line g, so it was very hard to play, because the g leaked (in-line g is hard for me) and I hadn't played with open-holes before. I'm going to travel Helsinki (our capitol), if I can, to try different flutes, because here, where I live, they have only few to try.

I also found two Pearl flutes, with open-holes, E-mechanism and off-line g. The other one has silver lip plate and riser, and the other one has silver head-joint. The cost about as much, as the Yamaha YFL-271 or a bit more. Does someone have experience with Pearl-flutes? Are they good and reliable, long lasting, and most important, what kind of sound they have. Are they better than Yamahas?


Re: Buying a flute    07:57 on Sunday, July 31, 2011          

Piko
(13 points)
Posted by Piko

I see you're in Finland and I'm going to assume your limit is 800 Euros and since I can't read whatever language is in Finland, I'm looking at Just Flutes of London. 800 Euros is about 700 pounds.

These are the flutes in your price range:
Azumi AZ1000 Flute £650.00
Pearl PF525 "Quantz" Flute £557.00
Yamaha YFL200 Series Flute £489.00

The Azumi is the only flute that offers a headjoint with a professional cut which would in theory outplay all other flutes in your price range.

Pearls don't get a professional head cut till the Dolce series:
Pearl PF695 "Dolce" Flute £1,275.00

Yamahas don't get a professional head cut until the 500 series, which would probably be around £1,600.00.

Just flutes doesn't carry new Yamahas in that price range, probably because they have Altus and Miyazawas in that price range which are premiere flute makers.

Whether you get an open hole or closed hole does not matter, you can always plug an open hole flute.


Re: Buying a flute    08:12 on Sunday, July 31, 2011          

Piko
(13 points)
Posted by Piko

Azumi example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV8KzWloZiM

Pearl quantz example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvXRZnNmZfU&feature=related

Yamaha 200 example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyHnGfn_U_M&feature=related

For kicks and giggles, Gemeinhardt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlR4xJu0sGY&feature=related




Re: Buying a flute    19:58 on Sunday, July 31, 2011          

Pyrioni
(437 points)
Posted by Pyrioni

For me, factors of making good tone, it's

90% - from the player
9% - from the headjoint (cut and purity of sound)
1% - from the flute body and material



Re: Buying a flute    05:12 on Monday, August 1, 2011          

lraep
(14 points)
Posted by lraep

Pearl has a nice sound, you must try one to see what I mean, I find the tone sweeter (more "special") than Yamaha which is more neutral to my ears (less coloured)...
But I agree with Pyrioni that the sound depends a lot on the player. I've started the flute 1.5 years ago on a cheap flute (90 euro) I had an ugly sound, now I sound quite good on the same flute !
Be sure to sound good enough on your flute to appreciate the different tone of the flutes you try


Re: Buying a flute    09:25 on Monday, August 1, 2011          

traappe
(8 points)
Posted by traappe

I'll get to test the Pearl flutes, as the Yamaha flutes next week, and I'm waiting for it a lot! I read somewhere, don't remember where, that Pearl flutes have a little bit different kind of blow-holes? Is this true?


   








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