Arggh.. to SAVE on the cost.
Okay I think I have it right now. I really must get some sleep! I just got a new flute that I can not seem to put down and have stayed up half the night playing it.

aww! My cat lucky is waiting for me in the bathroom. Ok that sounds sick but he likes the water. Not to go IN the water but being around it he gets quite happy it`s very weird!

I have five cats and when ever I take a shower or bath they all try to climb in with me. They are so addicted to me!

i really am a sucker for cats! I have a bookmark hangin on my wall with a pic of cats and music symbols and says "There are two means of refuge from the complexeties of life: music and cats!" It`s by Albert Schweitzer, French physician and philosopher!

We have a lot of cats in our neighborhood. These are their names: Catacus, Vincent, Miss Jennifer, Nancy, Chocolate, and Sophia. Actually, those are the names I gave them.

(asking some person further up in this thread) what`s wrong with considering a Powell in highschool? i`m seriously considering one...(though i`ve been playing for 10 years and have been playing the same flute for about 7 years) anyways, about getting a flute in hs. i don`t think it`s really an urgent thing, but it`s exciting to get one anyways. i suggest not getting a solid silver one because not only are they expensive, you don`t truely know if you want to persue music until further on in your life. i have a very good iintermediate flute that is a Miyazawa (they are one of the best, so far i haven`t heard anyone talk crap about them) anyways, go to their website and they have student models that are worth the $$ and the quality is amazing (the people are really nice too!). good luck

Most of the time, you can trust the Japanese makers!~

Yamaha
Miyazawa
etc.

Anyways, if playing the flute is your passion , then you should have no regret on buying a extreme flute if you have the money. You won`t have to however, because you can always buy an intermediate one, and then if you need an upgrade, sell the old one, get a new one. That way, you get the thrill of a new instrument more times rather than buying a $10,000 flute and using all your life, even though you probably won`t chug in 10,000.

Fluteloops, are you kidding or are you really serious? You mean to tell me that you have $10,000 to buy a Powell? If so, then go for it. They are great. I have been playing professionally for many years and I am now just getting one.

I don`t wish to argue about it, but I still think that unless you are some kind of child prodigy that it would be over kill for someone at the high school level of playing to use. But hey, what ever floats your boat.

they do sell them used you know!

They may sell them used, but a lot of times they are even more expensive then the new one`s because they go up in value. Unless you can find one that is only a few years old then you will be able to get a little off the price for it.

i have connections not really, but yes, i know people who can give me a good deal and around here, there are a lot of people who know that i am in real need of a new flute and that i`m a very serious player (like highschooler who has played for 10 years and is taking in college kind of serious..with the state symphony...the whole shabang). anyways, this isn`t even a final decision...i may, i may not. 10,000 dollars is next to nothing when most of the people i know are violinists (but i`m no means a rich brat!) i hope this answers any questions on my person and i am no means bragging here!

Katie... Someone asked what you were playing now. Although you might have thought it ridiculous.. actually it is relevant.

I am a parent of a clarinetist turned flutist. She felt a `calling` to play flute in 8th grade. We got her an inexpensive, nickel plated flute on ebay (Rosetti) in 8th grade. It was closed hole.

After 6 months (about 500 hours playing time), we bumped her to a low end open holed flute. Another no-name from ebay. This was probably the level where we made our mistake. For about the same $450 we spent on Mr. No-Name ebay, we could have gotten a reasonable Jupiter, Yamaha, etc.

By 11th grade, we jumped her into a high-end intermediate flute ... the Trevor James "Master" model, which stands up very well with the professional flutists she plays with. This will probably take her through most of her undergraduate work. We had an expert to go with us to pick this flute, which was one of about a dozen she tried. The models ranged from the $1100 Jupiter to a Sanyo [sp?] at around $5000. The Jupiter was too `bright`, and the Sanyo too hard on the embouchure. The Trevor James, heavy wall master model had a deep, colorful tone which highly complements my daughters style and sounds terrific with the choirs she often accompanies.

My guess is that your 9th grade flute will be in the 2nd group that we got. It will be better than the one you are playing now... but you won`t want to spend $2000-3000 yet, like we did on the Trevor James model. I congratulate your judgement in seeking advice from others. Hopefully you will get to try out the models you are considering in advance and select the "step up" that suits you best.

Again, congratulations on your ability to plan for the future. Good luck.

Don`t EVER get a no name or off brand off of ebay! They are extremely hard to play for a student and will hold you back. Repair men will not even touch them. They are all throw away flutes and are only good for wall decorations.

Back to Katie`s question...I am not actually a flute player but my best friend is. She was very lucky and found a used Yamaha 3 series I think all I know is it sounds better than her Gemeinhardt does because of the nickel and the closed holes.

Ebay is a good idea if you search under the right names such as Yamaha, Pearl, any names I can`t spell that somebody else posted...