[bbbouklas]

hi I am loking to buy a new or used flute.. I used to play flute when I was younger bet haven't played for many years so I will have to start over again..
I have been playing mostly sax and some clarinet.. I am up to the 1000$ range (not higher, I know there is always a close option that might be better but I am on a limited budget..)..I would like some suggestions
What is your opinion about the sonare (basic model the one around 1000$) with the powell headjoint ?do you think that it is better to get a used semi-pro yamaha and fully overhaul it?
thanx..

 

[MRC01]

Lots of advice if you use the search feature here. Most recommendations in that price range are for Yamaha or Jupiter. They are both good flutes, though I'm partial to the Jupiters since they play and respond better for *me* personally.

I've tried Sonare and found the quality of the bodies to be less consistent than Yamaha or Jupiter - brand new flutes with sticky or slow keys due to non-straight or misaligned rods. Then again, some play fine right out of the box. Your mileage may vary.

Also I found the Sonare's headjoint didn't suit me too well in terms of its response and I didn't care for its tone all that much. But then I feel the same about the Yamaha heads. They are fine HJs and lots of people like them, just not suitable for *me* personally. Try both and decide for yourself - you can't go wrong with either, so pick whichever plays best for *you*.

As for getting a semi-pro, I agree completely. I always buy used flutes and get them tuned (either myself or by a tech, depending on what they need). Even a brand new flute usually needs a fine-tune to play its best, so it's going to need a tune anyway, and you get a lot more for your $$$ in a used flute.

 

[bbbouklas]

What would you recomend for a used one in this price range?

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

There is not really a short , definitive answer. The long answer includes quite a few variables, and has been discusses many times, in a piecemeal sort of way. It is a shame that we do not have a "sticky" thread that contains most of what is relevant.

Indeed, about 1/3 of the posts in this section include relevant information, although the thread heading often does not give much indication of this.

There reaches a point when the people with the most expertise tire of repeating themselves, so stop answering threads such as this in detail.

Just looking down the first page of threads, the following threads all contain some relevant information. And there are 20 pages of threads! Perhaps just keep reading these threads until you get more of a picture.

Put an EC headjoint on a Yamaha 221?
Beginner flute options
inexpensive flute (open hole/offset G)
B foot versus C foot
Yamaha F100 serII
Looking for a CHEAP workable flute - Brands and Years
What is a good flute for jazz ?
As a whole, how are Pearl Flutes?

PS. There are also some quite good discussions on this topic in http://www.8notes.com/f/forum25.asp