[tempesax]

Way back in 1970 I bought a used Armstrong Heritage open hole, low B flute. At the time I thought it was a great flute, although I had only been playing flute for about 2 years at the time.

After about 15 years it got to the point at which my repairman said he could no longer keep it going, so I sold it and moved on.

I am currently playing on a Miyazawa flute which is a great instrument, however, I still think about how great the Armstrong Heritage was in its prime!

My question is, "Was it really that great a flute, or is this just a reaction to my playing on my first decent flute?"

Another way of saying this is, "Does anyone else think that the Armstrong Heritage from that era is an exceptional flute, and how does it compare to modern flutes like the Miyazawa?"

Thanks in advance for anyone with opinions on this instrument.

Mark

 

[turf3]

No, the Armstrongs of that period really don't hold a candle to modern flutes. The tone quality can be good, if the embouchure and headjoint work well for you; but the mechanism is really not refined compared to what we have available for us now.

That said, the idea that a flute will wear out in 15 years is just totally bogus. There are plenty of 100 year old flutes in daily use.

I first realized the advances in flute manufacturing about 1995; in a rehearsal band I was in, about three of the sax players all bought flutes at the same time, all new Yamaha "step-up" instruments (open holes, but not all-silver). Now I'd been playing my Armstrong of about the same vintage as yours ever since the early 70s. I was playing on a model 80 - sterling body tube with plated keys, open holes. I was astonished to find how much better these Yamahas were. Honestly, they bridged something like 3/4 of the gap between my (at the time, pretty expensive better-grade-student flute) Armstrong and a top quality flute like a Haynes or Powell.

That set me on a flute hunt and like you I ended up with a Miyazawa - all plated model 200 flute. According to Miyazawa, this model is "handmade" just like the solid silver ones, and since I don't believe in material voodoo about woodwind instruments, I was fully satisfied with the model 200. It has a solid silver headjoint, because that was the first model in their range where you had a choice of headjoint cuts. I tried a number of higher-end instruments as well, and the Miyazawa comes really really close to them both tonally and action wise. It's just worlds ahead of an old Armstrong. When I've gone back to the Armstrong, I realize how bland the Armstrong's tone was, too.

Now I will point out that the old Armstrongs by and large were copied from the Haynes Commercial, so they have real good intonation. They were built to a true A=440 scale unlike the Haynes Handmade and Powell that were copied from A=438 Louis Lots with chopped-off headjoints.

 

[tempesax]

Turf3,

Thanks for your input.

That's kind of what I was expecting to hear. Before I got the Armstrong Heritage I was playing on a Wurlitzer open hole flute, so I expect that the Armstrong was so much better that I rememberers it as being better than it was.

I was also somewhat dubious about my repairman's claim that my Heritage was "worn out". I think he was saying that the springs were shot and it would cost me more to re-spring it than the instrument would be worth, or something like that. In any case, it got me off the Armstrong and (eventually) on to my Miyazawa which I love!

Mark

 

[KeithL]

More likely it needed a repad. Springs can last for decades but if you were playing it regularly eventually the pads would wear, harden, or tear and would need to be replaced.

 

[adamk]

On my flute:
Same springs since 77.

 

[tempesax]

He did the pads. The pads were fine, but the action was very weak.

He tried to get it working better, but then he said it was "worn out" or something to that effect.

I thought it sounded suspicious at the time, but I was ready to move on, so I sold it and bought a better one.

 

[KeithL]

He did the pads. The pads were fine, but the action was very weak.

He tried to get it working better, but then he said it was "worn out" or something to that effect.

I thought it sounded suspicious at the time, but I was ready to move on, so I sold it and bought a better one.

Interesting - I've never heard that before. Seems rare that springs need replacing and usually not all at once at least not that I've ever heard of.

 

[whaler]

I tried a friends Muramatsu flute and was amazed at how great it played. Loud and bright compared to my Haynes. I almost felt like a good flute player as I was playing it. Effortless.
if I had $5K laying around I’d get one.
Now that I’m doubling more I might have to try some newer, but cheaper than that, flutes.
I tried an upper end Yamaha a few years ago but it was not even close to the Muramatsu.
Maybe somebody has some good suggestions for us on what to try.

 

[adamk]

It's all about the head joint.

 

[turf3]

Except for the mechanism. That's all about the mechanism. And the scale. That's all about tone hole positions (no tone holes on head joint).

 

[KeithL]

I tried a friends Muramatsu flute and was amazed at how great it played. Loud and bright compared to my Haynes. I almost felt like a good flute player as I was playing it. Effortless.
if I had $5K laying around I’d get one.
Now that I’m doubling more I might have to try some newer, but cheaper than that, flutes.
I tried an upper end Yamaha a few years ago but it was not even close to the Muramatsu.
Maybe somebody has some good suggestions for us on what to try.

Keep an eye out online for good deals from some of the Japanese sellers. I've seen Muramatsu EX III flutes for under $2500. I've been considering getting a back-up to my GX III and that's the route I'm considering.

 

[perina14]

Some contend that a good option is a Yamaha 221 with an aftermarket headjoint (Yamaha EC?). Good solid, reliable flute for doublers. Personally, the Muramatsu I owned wasn't for me. Neither the Yamaha. I acually thought my Armstrong Emeritus 21 was a good flute (sort of a poor man's Haynes). Ironically, I like my Haynes Commercial for the same reasons you dislike it (soft/mellow). To each their own. Good luck with the journey.