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Flutes this time - advice, please

jonf

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Well, I got some really useful advice from this forum when I asked about a guitar for my eldest. Now I'm after some advice about flutes. This time round I'm not so clueless, as I can actually play the flute, but I don't know a vast amount about different options.

So, the scenario this time is my niece has started playing flute on a school instrument, a cheapo Elkhart. She gets the loan of the flute for 6 months, then if she wants to continue with lessons, she has to buy her own. My dad is thinking of funding a purchase, and asked me about it. She will need a decent student instrument, but nothing flashy. I know lots of folk go for the Yamaha 211 series, but what else is good and not too pricey? Trevor James? Buffet? Anything else to consider? With saxes we have the new wave of high quality Chinese instruments - is it the same for flutes? Is there a Bauhaus Walstein of the flute world?

As ever, all advice appreciated.

Jon
 
I play on a bog standard Trevor James TJ10X-II which is more than a match for the Yam211 IMHO - cheapo student model I picked up for about £120 I think.

I do know that the Yam411 with silver headjoint is a world above though...

Nick
 
Another recommendation would be to have a look at the Pearl flutes.

No doubt Tom will come along and recommend a Luna flute with a Rico headjoint...

Regards, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from an overcast New Zealand with high 20s and low 30s °C. (I can't wait for our hottest month, February)
Greg Strange.
 
Some good models in the Jupiter range as well. My wife's Jupiter (I think it's a 511) has been brilliant, but we did have one of the keys adjusted, cos as made it was a bit awkward, can't remember which, but it was one of the right little finger ones. Might be good to avoid nickel plated ones, in case of triggering allergies. Might also be better to avoid Gemeinhardt, modern Armstrong, Arnold
 
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Jon,
The Purple Flute was replaced by a Pearl PF505 from young Jonnies. If you fancy a blow, pm me or, when you get your sax checked by Griff, why not also have a go at Just Flutes. You never mentioned whether a curved or straight headjoint was required.
 
+1 for the Pearl 505 - lovely instrument; and I picked mine up from a small ad for less than £100.
 
Thanks everyone, really helpful. Also, good point from Bill - she'll want a straight headjoint flute, which should make finding something suitable a bit easier.
 
Might be worth looking at something aof reasonable quality that will take a solid head joint later, if needed...
 
If you can afford a Yamaha (look out for 2nd hand ones) it will hold its value well and you'll at least get your money back if you ever need to upgrade or (heaven forbid) she gives up.
 
With saxes we have the new wave of high quality Chinese instruments - is it the same for flutes? Is there a Bauhaus Walstein of the flute world?

BW do an alto flute, not sure about C flutes, why not contact them and ask?

Otherwise I have seen good Chinese flutes, I think they are JinYin (Or is it Jin Ming?)

There were some really great ones at the frankfurt Musikmesse, if Stephen Howard sees this, he probably know more than I do, but there are definitely some that give the Yamahas and Pearls a run for their money.
 
There are indeed some very good Chinese flutes out there - trouble is, no-one seems to know who's selling them, and under what brand names.
I have a feeling that John Packer sell them, but I can't be sure on this.

A safe bet would be a Yamaha - you just can't go wrong. Also, as mentioned, the Trevor James flues are very good for the money. Buffet are OK, but nowhere near as reliable as the Yamaha.
Plenty of used YFL211s flutes out there - add £40 to the asking price for a service.

Regards,
 
Jon,

Just flutes AKA Jonathan Myall Music do their own brand from china and theyre great.

If you can afford to, get a yamaha 211 S II as it will hold its price - even secondhand. The Jupiter 511 ESC is a good contender. You can pick up a 2nd hand yamaha on ebay for around the £180 mark and the Jupiter for around the £120-150 mark.
 
Many, many thanks everyone. Much appreciated.
 
Well, the outcome of this is that my niece now has a Trevor James TJ10X, with which she's delighted. Bought as a lightly used model from Just Flutes, travelled all the way from Croydon to darkest mid-Wales in a day. She (and, more importantly, her mum) isvery please with both the flute and the service from Just Flutes.

Thanks again everyone.

Jon
 
I was a flute major in the US NAvy. If I were to buy a starter flute in UK today, I'd go for either Yamaha or Trevor James. I'd also try to get one with a inline G. I learned on an offset G instrument many years ago, and was never able to make the switch to an inline, becasue I developed a grip that works only on the offset instrument. BIG MISTAKE!!!!
 
But they dropped the G to make the thigns easier to play... My wife refuses to consider a flute unless it has a dropped G.
 
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