[samneal]

Hello everyone!

I'm a 15 year-old sax player, and have been playing for a while now. I do quite a few amateur drama musicals and need to expand my doubling ability! I play soprano, alto and tenor sax, as well as clarinet, so now I'm looking at getting a flute. My school has a flute that I've borrowed a few times, so I can "play" the flute, but let's just say it's not the best instrument in the world! :bluewink:

I'm looking at getting a flute for around the £500 pound mark, with open holes and one that will last me. I have been looking at the Trevor J James "Privilege" flute, or a Yamaha, but can anyone suggest a good model?

Thanks
Sam

 

[RootyTootoot]

Your suggestions are both good (IMO). I would say try both and see which you like. Neither is an obvious mistake. Most people here will say "Yamaha" as a starter flute. Yamaha models i cannot help you with.

Best of luck.

 

[Michael Ward]

Sam I just bought a Pearl with open holes. low C and split E. Mine is silver but they do a very good plated one. If you try one make sure it has the " Forza" headjoint. This head has amazing response and projection and is an excellent doubling flute. John Packers have very good prices if you shop around.

 

[martysax]

My Armstrong 80B does everything I need. I've seen some cheap ones out there.

 

[Benny]

yamaha student model.
you can get them with open holes and split e if you so desire.

a student of mine has a plated pearl, it play very nicely too.

 

[jazzcat58]

for that money you are looking at the yamaha 400series second hand, these are intermediate flutes, and would serve you very well.
As others have said though other makes pearl,armstrong,are also good flutes,you wont go wrong with a yamaha in my opinion..relaible good intonation,easy action.

 

[OboeGuy]

There are some nice Gemeindhart's (the solid silver model...can't recall which number that is) that can be had for around $800 US which is about 500 pounds. Our university just bought some for the students, and I used one for a while until I got my new one Friday. It's a nice flute. Yamaha's are great also.
I saw some on http://www.sideblown.com/sale.html

 

[bandmommy]

I've got a LOT of experience playing in pit orchestras. I can tell you that as a young player your best bet will be to go with a Yamaha with closed holes and an offset G. Armstrong student flutes are decent enough players for a doubler as well.
Open holes aren't all they're cracked up to be, and can be a real pain in the butt in a pit situation.
I've plugged the holes on my open hole inline a couple of times for shows where I only have 2 measures to go from clarinet/sax/bass clarinet to flute.
I'm a clarinetist so you would think that I wouldn't need to do that, but hey... They're completely different instruments

 

[tbone1004]

offset G, closed holes, C foot. That's all you'll ever need. If you can stretch a bit a vintage Haynes commercial model will last you forever. The other thing is to buy a decent student ish model for cheap then spend more on the headjoint which is what matters anyway

 

[samneal]

I can tell you that as a young player your best bet will be to go with a Yamaha with closed holes and an offset G.

For quite a few of the Yamahas the price for the open hole model is the same as the closed hole model. Do you reckon it would be worth getting the open hole model and some plugs, just for versatility? Or do you reckon it would be better just to get the closed hole model? What are your thoughts?

EDIT: I meant similar price, not the same; but there's not much in it.

 

[tbone1004]

I have played in a lot of professional pits, I have NEVER needed a B-foot or open holes. I know a lot of flute majors that have never needed open holes, B-foot is needed for some of the legit stuff, but I can promise you'll never need it in the pits. It doesn't speak well enough or loud enough to write, you'll almost never see low C's for that reason either.
Inline vs offset is personal preference, but coming from sax you'll appreciate the offset. Inline is just a pain in the ***** to reach for

 

[Benny]

I have played in a lot of professional pits, I have NEVER needed a B-foot or open holes. I know a lot of flute majors that have never needed open holes, B-foot is needed for some of the legit stuff, but I can promise you'll never need it in the pits. It doesn't speak well enough or loud enough to write, you'll almost never see low C's for that reason either.
Inline vs offset is personal preference, but coming from sax you'll appreciate the offset. Inline is just a pain in the ***** to reach for

dito that.
Both my flutes are closed hole and offset- my sankyo doesn't even have a split E, but if you can play you won't need it.

Yes you're right about the Haynes, a good commercial model is beautiful, despite the criticism they get from some on this forum. I've had two of them and loved them both.
BUT, as a beginner, you can't go wrong with a Yamaha student model for many years.
'Play it until you wear it out' one great session player told me once, "then you'll be ready for a good flute."

 

[evan1]

Sam I just bought a Pearl with open holes. low C and split E. Mine is silver but they do a very good plated one. If you try one make sure it has the " Forza" headjoint. This head has amazing response and projection and is an excellent doubling flute. John Packers have very good prices if you shop around.

Hi Micheal what agreat thread this is. Years ago I had a closed tone hole armstrong plated flute and it was fine. I need to upgrade now for some teaching jobs I have coming up, but as a doubler I am still leaning towards closed tone holes.

How important is the Forza head joint ?

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

For quite a few of the Yamahas the price for the open hole model is the same as the closed hole model. Do you reckon it would be worth getting the open hole model and some plugs, just for versatility? .....

No! They are more expensive to maintain. What versatility? I have a top, pro, Muramatsu flute (my primary instrument) with closed holes, and have played in over 150 show productions. Never needed the so-called versatility of open holes.

This may be worth reading:
http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showth...s.-Closed-hole&p=392843&viewfull=1#post392843

See this thread for a little flute choice discussion:
http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showth...r-is-in-our-community-band!-Help-with-choices...

 

[Seaofash]

500 pounds is about $900-950. I would spend 300-400 more and go for a Miyazawa if I were you. They are great flutes. Yamaha 481 is a fantastic instrument. however, if you can get ur hand on a nice japanese Miyazawa, you are set for life basically. They compete with Powell are better than them in many ways (IMO) specially when it comes to quality versus price.
Now, you may find them harder to play at the begining since their mouthpiece tend to be smaller than Yamaha or normal student flutes. You need to train you embouchure for flute. I have seen many Sax players who have picked up flute and their embouchure are pretty terrible. I would recommend a couple of lessons with a good teacher to develop that first. Flute is a tough instrument in general, specially when you want to play with power and in tune, it needs lots of air control. Going to an intermediate to advance flute actually makes life a little more difficult since it is easy to make sound out of the instrument but difficult to make a good sound out of it (at least you wont have much trouble with open hole since you play clarinet). Good luck with your endeavor. all the best

 

[Seaofash]

No! They are more expensive to maintain. What versatility? I have a top, pro, Muramatsu flute (my primary instrument) with closed holes, and have played in over 150 show productions. Never needed the so-called versatility of open holes.

I agree and disagree at the same time. Its harder to bend notes on flute, so You actually can use open hole to play quarter-tones. There are many techniques. The open holes are very useful in improvisation in my opinion. But I have to agree with you that much of the reason for having an open-hole is the uptightness of the Classical flute players. The bad thing about the closed hole models, also, is that the G key is not aligned with the rest of the keys, it is off on the left side a little bit. While it is good for comfort at the begining, for serious classical playing, you need the alignment in my opinion.

 

[RootyTootoot]

Please let's not start the closed/open hole debate again. Please. I'm with you on the open holes, Seaofash, but most people here aren't and this thread isn't really about that issue.

 

[king of jazz]

take a look at my sig link
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

 

[Seaofash]

Please let's not start the closed/open hole debate again. Please. I'm with you on the open holes, Seaofash, but most people here aren't and this thread isn't really about that issue.

Sorry. I have been playing flute for a long time and though I would share my thoughts.

 

[RootyTootoot]

Sorry. I have been playing flute for a long time and though I would share my thoughts.

Hey. I didn't mean it to come over as if I was putting you down or implying that you shouldn't share your thoughts.. Sincere apologies. It's just that I could see the thread heading for the open hole/closed hole debate. Anyway, sorry.