well... I started playing flute with... yamaha 221.
My opinion i think it`s great student flute.
If you get it with really good deal... you can get it around little less then $500.
i`ve been playing this flute for almost 3 years now...
i treated it little bit rough but.. had no major problem with it.
I think it`s worth it.

Our daughter owns an Intermediate Yamaha flute. We bought it for her 3 yrs ago, for the price of $700.oo.
Newly used, OUCH! But, it has a great sound to it. ebay is good, but make sure that the seller has a very good(FEEDBACK)rating, and is a (POWER SELLER)! You will see these options on the seller(s) TOP RIGHT
webpage. A high number means the seller(s) has a very good reputation for selling. The page will also show how long they have been selling on ebay. Try not to go any lower than 90%! Now for the bad news of my daughters flute. We just found out that she has been assembling and disassembling the flute incorecctly. There is a website that gives you info on proper care of the flute, which is the pinacle of this Wood Instrument. I hope and wish you and the child the best. The website is www.zacharymusic.com
Music speaks to all races!

Not 90% but 99.9%, unless the negs / neutrals are easily explained (you MUST include the neutrals). Hardly anyone gets below 90% in any field, let alone musical instruments. It is difficult to get a neg in musical instruments simply because most buyers have no idea whether or not the instrument actually works!

Liz

if you have not yet purchased a flute, i have the following two for sale:

Pearl 501 R - open hole C foot. this is a completely silver clad flute w/ pinless construction and one piece core bar mechanism. great for beginner of any age. i purchased this one in 2002 but it is in absolutely brand new condition. comes in wood case w/ nylon cover. have original box. it has never been played! it was purchased for a child who did not end up taking band.

the other is a Pearl 501 RBE - open hole B foot with offset G w/ split E. this is silver plated. it was purchased in 2002 and was used for two years. it is in perfect condition. comes with wood case w/ nylon cover. have original box. this model has been discontinued and replaced with a new model with the same features and a much higher pricetag.

please let me know if you have any interest.

Based on our own (my children and myself) and other parents / students` experience, I would like to suggest the following:

- try not to buy a flute from ebay. It`s too risky. We have heard and seen many unpleasant experience.

- yamaha is a very reliable brand. They are dearer than Gemeinhardt or Pearl but they are less likely to have faulty parts or problems if under proper care. Gemeinhardt used to be good but the overall quality of their student flutes have gone down significantly over the last few years. As a result, more and more often, you will find some unlucky owners need to bring their Gemeinhardts back to the shop several times for repair or adjustment. On the contrary, this does not happen to Yamaha owners so often.

- it is always good to try out different flutes / models when you are in the shop. However, if none of you play or know how to test the instrument, better stick to your original targetted model.

- if the girl knows how to play, ask her to do some scales (two octaves) at different tempo. If she is only a beginner, play some long notes and feel the difference between those flutes.

- don`t be persuaded to buy a flute which is too cheap or does not have a brand name on it. I always believe you get what you pay for.

- go for brand new flute instead of second hand if you or the girl know nothing or very little about the instrument. An exception will be if you find a very reputable shop or know the seller well.

- always bargain with the vendors.

- make sure the flute comes with some standard accessories eg case and cleaning rod ect.

Good luck.

try a jupiter 507 or 511