Looking to upgrade flute

[bennettcarl]

I'm looking to upgrade to a pro flute for doubling. Any makes/model #'s I should look for or stay away from? Thanks for the help.

[Benny]

Depending on the $$$$ you want to spend, there are lots of options. Gordon would probably have lots more good advice on this, but here's my two cents worth......
Get something with a solid silver head and body if you can afford it. A split E will make life much easier and a B foot is NOT worth it. As for closed vs open hole you should check out the thread in that subject.
Yamaha are very consisten instruments but probably lacking the character of something like a Sankyo or Muramatsu - for these sorts of flutes a good second hand on is a good way to go as the new ones are very expensive.
Pearl have made some good things lately and are excellent for the money but I haven't played many of their top end flutes. I would still go with a Sankyo silversonic or Muramatsu EX or GX.

[GenericGuy]

My favorite flute I've ever played for doubling was an old Haynes closed hole that was owned by one of my teachers -- But those are going to run you a few dollars. I agree with Benny's suggestion of Muramatsu. They have a great cutting sound that can be heard through a band and are easy to control.

[Dr_sax]

I have a pearl flute with solid silver tubing, open hole and B foot and am very pleased with it. Great full sound and very good playability. I think I have it for about almost 17 years now.

[sax_appeal]

Pearl would be the way to go (open hole). My advice is to keep clear of Jupiter flutes.

[Gordon (NZ)]

I agree with Benny.

Regarding old Haynes... Decades ago my old Haynes, before it was run over and launched me into a technician career, was fantastic. However I have tried similar serial number Haynes since, in excellent state, which are very disappointing to play comapered with what is available now; I think I would prefer a student Yamaha even. There have been enormous advances in head design in the last 10 or 20 years. An old 'pro' flute may not play as well even as a good student one does today.

Re Pearl: Many models are made in Taiwan and this is not always clear to the buyer. The fact that both are TAiwan and Japanese made models are available creates an opportunity for sellers to milk innocent buyers with inflated prices for Taiwanese models. I have found some of the Taiwanese models to be quite scruffy in design and manufacture. I don't think I gave seen many of the others.

If you have the money... I have found Muramatsu EX & GX fantastic, compared with all the pro-level flutes I have worked on and played. At least until recently, James Galway has claimed using an EX for his practice flute.

[Benny]

Gordon,
What do you know about the manufacturing of the Pearl alto flutes. I have played these and they work quite well compared to a more expensive Yamaha or Gemeinhardt, but am not sure of how well the keywork holds up against these other brands in terms of longevity and reliability. I am intrigued now by your saying that there are both Japan and Taiwan models made by Pearl- do you know where the altos are made?

[gary]

Gordon - this is an off-topic aside, but you mentioned Muramatsu. This might interest you.

I lived on the outskirts of Tokyo at the end of the 60's and a flutist friend of mine would go regularly into Tokyo to visit Muramatsu's shop. I bought a used, salvaged flute that needed adjusting and gave it to my friend to take to him.

When I got it back it had been overhauled, new pads, etc. He even thought my case looked too ragged, tossed it and replaced it with a new one without asking me. Mr. Muramatsu had the audacity to charge me $15.00 (in Yen) for everything!! LOL.

Of course, a 1969 $15.00 is not the same today but the difference ain't that big.

[bruce bailey]

That Pearl Alto is one of the best I have seen for the money. I send my customers that way even though I am not a Pearl dealer. They go for about $1,100-1,300 new.

[Gordon (NZ)]

Benny, I have not made a point of finding out which models are made here. From what I have heard and seen, I assume that all the local ones here are Taiwanese. I take little notice of the models; I just make them work properly.

Some typical problems:

- Pads are too firm to accommodate the non-levelness of the tone holes.
- Sloppy pivot tubes.
- The silencers under the regulating screws dish from the pressure of the screw, releasing from the adhesive, and then fall off unexpectedly, making certain notes unplayable.
- Regulating screws too close to the axis of the hinges, making them too fussy, especially in conjunction with the sloppy pivot tubes.
- Annoyingly inaccessible regulator screw for F-F# linkage.
- G# spring which is thick for its short length, giving the key a sluggish action.
- The long pivot rod they boast of achieves very little (especially when it goes through oversized holes in the posts!), and are just a nuisance for the technician, taking up more time (i.e. the left hand stack keys cannot be removed without releasing the right hand stack keys - just a small but annoying irritation)