flutes

[emzhengjiu]

My 11 yo daughter has wanted to learn to play the flute and play in a band for several years. There's a nearby home school band class that would be perfect. Even though she wouldn't start until the fall, I would like to begin looking now for an instrument. The teacher gave me a list of local stores but I thought I would check here first. Would you rent or buy? If you would buy, would it be a used instrument or a new one? What questions should I ask? Thanks so much for any suggestions. I'm not at all musical.

 

Blessings,

Judy

[dalynnrmc]

I'm not a flute player, but I am a musician.

 

I would buy used, for a beginner.

 

I would ask how often the instrument has been cleaned, and if it comes with the necessary components for cleaning it. (In the flute's case, there is a long, metal stick thing with a hole in the end - almost looks like a giant needle, and a cloth. The cloth goes through the hole in the stick and then you poke it into the instrument to clean it. There may also be some sort of liquid cleanser, and maybe a shiner of some sort.)

 

I would ask if it's ever gotten wet.

 

I would ask if the key pads had ever been replaced, and if so when were they last replaced. (And, especially if they haven't, how old the instrument is.) I'd pick it up and press each of the keys; if any of them sticks, the pads need to be replaced and I'd point that out to the seller. (You might check with stores as to what that costs and entails; I'm not sure.)

 

Inspect the instrument and/or ask if it's been dropped or dented. This affects the sound produced. Ask of course if there are any broken or missing keys.

 

If you're in person, ask whoever the flute player is in the family that is selling it, to pick it up and play a scale or two. (C is good because it hits the lowest notes a flute can play. E is good because it hits the highest. B flat is good because it's a commonly used key for band instruments.) This should show if there are any sticky keys or major issues with sound.

 

That's all I can think of from the top of my head. Maybe there's a flautist here who knows more. :)

[KAR120C]

What we did was to rent a used flute from a music store where they apply the rental fees toward buying when you decide. We're about to do that. If we had bought used, his flute teacher offered to come with us to check out the flutes, but I think we're going to go with new, because the price difference isn't substantial (and we've paid 2/3 of it already with the rental!)

 

We didn't actually ask anything about the rental because it was guaranteed -- if there had been anything wrong they would have just switched it out for another.

[dalynnrmc]

Renting is a good way to go, too. I've no experience with that, but it sounds like Erica's situation is ideal!

 

I, being as cost-needy as I am LOL, would weigh the monthly cost of rental against what I could find used. And if you can apply a rental cost towards purchase, that makes a difference as well. I wouldn't outright buy new for a beginner, just in case... but this situation sounds great!

 

Cool! (Wish I could do that! I'm a percussionist... anyone have a marimba I can rent? LOL)

[Mrs. Readsalot]

I am also looking to purchase a flute. I played for years and achieved a fairly high level. For a beginner I would recommend an Armstrong or Gemeinhardt student model. Stay away from Artley or Selmer they are junk. I am actually looking on ebay and have found there are some very nice flutes available there. Read the descriptions carefully. I found a website where you can ask a flute expert questions. They were very helpful to me. I will see if I can find it again and post it here for you. Also ask around your church or call and ask the local schools music teacher if anyone knows of flutes that are available. Often when a middle school student is ready to move up to an open hole model they will want to sell the one they currently own. I found some great You Tube with James Galway that are a blast to watch

Here is the website

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Flute-2059/

[angela in ohio]

When my dd was 8, she wanted to start playing the flute. We didn't know if she would be able to do it, as she was young. I found a local shop that did rentals, and they offered the first 90 days for a teaser price (I think it was $5 or something.) We used the 90 days to see if she liked it, and then when she did, to find a good used flute. We were lucky to live within driving distance of Flute World, a store that sells all things flute, in the Detroit area. We bought a beat-up-looking-good-brand used flute (I figured sound is more important than appearance as far as flutes go.) She will need a different flute for high school anyway, so this will get her by until then.

[Mosaicmind]

We were lucky this year we borrowed one from a friend. We did have to have some of the pads replaced and were told that if she was going to continue playing this flute all of them would need to be replaced and some other stuff would need to be done.

 

I don't know what we will do next year, but I am checking into getting a good used one. We can get one used for the price of renting.

[TrixieB]

We were fortunate to be able borrow a flute for my dd first from a friend and then from a relative. Hopefully the relative will not request the flute back before dd is ready to move up to an open-hole model.

 

Otherwise, we would have rented in the beginning.

[LisaKinVA]

Played from 3rd grade through college... Seconding the "Armstrong or Gemeinhardt" all the way.

 

Maintenance on a flute is pretty simple... pad replacement, sometimes wires and tiny screws, a few cork pads. I still have my Armstrong, and I'm looking forward to teaching my dd in two years.

 

I'd buy a used one versus renting.

[Suzannah]

I always recommend renting an instrument for beginners. If the student changes her mind in 6 months you didn't invest a lot. And I think any place that rents instruments will have some sort of repair/replacement/return/upgrade policy should the instrument become damaged/lost or whatever.

 

Also, flutes aren't like stringed instruments which improve with age. If you did happen to get a used instrument from anywhere other than a music store or a friend who played it just until last year, it might require some work to get it into playing shape, probably including replacement of pads and maybe springs and even cork.

 

If you still want to look for a flute on ebay or from a friend, make sure it is a "closed-hole" and "Student" flute. A beginner doesn't need a solid silver instrument with gold springs. I always played Gemeinhardts but Yamahas are good too.

 

Good luck and have fun!

[farmwife]

I would buy used. My parents bought me a used Armstrong 15 years ago (give or take a few years ;)) I still play from time to time. I think a flute is one of the few instruments with very little maintenance.

 

HTH!

[musicmommy]

Hi,

Just wanted to chime in here. I am a professional flautist/flute teacher. I would recommend either Gemeinhardt or Armstrong to a beginning student. If you do buy a used instrument, see if you can find a teacher or advanced player to play on it before buying. You can also check out www.wwbw.com for some good prices and reviews on the various instruments. A brand new Gemeinhardt 2SP Series lists at $389.00.

 

I've always encouraged my beginning students to buy an instrument for a few reasons. I've found that the students take better care of the instrument when they own it. (not all, but some). Around here, the rental prices seem to be pretty high. You could probably find a good used flute for about $150.00. If you do end up selling it, you'll probably get near that price back.

[Amy from WT]

Hi there, professional flutist/teacher here too.

 

I always recommend buying a good, gently-used flute over renting if you have the money. If your child doesn't stick with the flute, you'll be able to re-sell the instrument in a few years and get back most if not all of your money that way. With renting of course, even rent-to-own programs, you will NOT get your money back.

 

I seem to be the only person so far on this thread who does NOT like Armstrong. I myself learned on a student Gemeinhardt, but that was 30 years ago. Nowadays I do not find them to be as reliable as they once were. On the otherhand, I find the student Yamahas to be outstanding instruments almost every time. They are reliable, and have a nice bright tone, which is important for a beginner.

 

Alpine is another very nice brand for a beginner; in fact, this is the one I bought for my own daughters when I couldn't find a gently used student Yamaha at the time.

 

If you cannot find a Yamaha, Alpine, or Gemeinhardt (that has been played and checked by a teacher or advanced flutist for you), KEEP LOOKING. I do not recommend any other brands. Unlike other instruments, flutes vary widely by company.

 

And if you live in the NJ area, contact me! I have a friend who is an instrument repairman and resells gently used Yamahas for very good prices. My students have been very pleased with his instruments.

 

Good luck! The flute is a wonderful instrument for a beginning musician.

[In The Great White North]

I would buy used.

 

We lucked out on ebay with a Gemeinhardt flute with a silver mouthpiece for $100 and a trumpet at a flea market for $50. Both checked out with their respective teachers as OK (and needing no work).

 

Renting adds up. If you buy a used instrument and the child doesn't like the instrument, you can always resell it.

[Kelli in TN]

For a beginner I would recommend an Armstrong or Gemeinhardt student model. ]

 

My daughter plays a Gemeinhardt. It has a very nice tone. We bought it used when it was time for her to move on from her...um....closed hole? Is that the right terminology? She is not here for me to ask. Anyway, this is her second flute and her teacher says it will be fine for her to play through college.

 

 

 

 

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[emzhengjiu]

WOW! Thank you all so very much. This is exactly the kind of information I needed. I'm going to print all the posts to reread as I begin actively looking for a flute!

 

Judy