Looking for an intermediate flute but which one do I get?

[tammi]

My 14 DD took flute lessons a few years back and is looking at continuing flute lessons. Right now she has a beginner flute but I would like to get her an intermediate flute. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have asked around but I am getting different answers. I would like to sell her current one because I know the intermediate one will cost more than what I would sell the used one for.

 

Tammi

[elise1mds]

Yamaha. I just love them. Question, though... do you think she'll want to continue this all the way up or stop when she goes to college? If you think she'll continue (or if she already plans to), skip the intermediate and go straight for a professional model. You can get plugs for the holes until she's ready for an open-hole technique, and you'll save yourself time and effort later. Just my two cents. Yay for flautists!

 

ETA that I am assuming you are wanting something in a reasonably low price range and aren't looking for something WAY expensive. Gemeinhardts are good, too, but I have heard from some circles that they wear out quickly. I haven't seen this personally but figured I'd pass the information on.

Edited May 10, 2009 by elise1mds

[3lilreds in NC]

I got an open-hole flute when I was about that age. I had the plugs for a while, but then I'm pretty sure someone took them (as in, my mom) and I learned to play with the holes just fine quickly.

 

I have a DeFord. It is still in great condition, after all these years. I don't play it much now, but I did play some through college. I know my parents got it from a little old guy with a funky music shop - one of the people you LOVE to know, who knows everything, you know? I don't know that it was "top of the line," as I'm not sure my parents could have afforded that, but I love it.

[cougarmom4]

I started on a pawn shop purchased Bundy ($40), when I was about 13-14, I moved to an intermediate flute--Gemeinhardt (sp???), silver head piece, open holes (about $500 24 years ago!). The difference between the two was amazing--suddenly I sounded so much better! When I was a senior in high school I moved up to a better (much pricier) Pearl which was around $2500. I'm sure prices have changed a lot since then--but that can give you an idea of what the different levels are like. In my opinion, you want to get as much silver as you can (you can get just silver head piece, or entire body of silver--more $$$), open holes, & a b-foot (which actually has an extra key on the flute than most student models).

 

Hands down, my Pearl is a much superior instrument to the Gemeinhardt--I absolutely love Pearls--but one might not want to pay that much until it's evident she's going to continue on into college.

 

Hope it helps some--

[Stacey in MA]

...was an Armstrong. Open holed, B foot, silver head (maybe whole silver body? can't remember....easily dented though, btw!! ha!). I adjusted to the holes very quickly, so I wouldn't worry about that. In the long run, it's such a huge tone improvement that it's worth the effort of the change IMO. It was an ENORMOUS improvement over my previous Yamaha student instrument. I think I had a rental for the first 2 years (grades 5 and 6), then the Yamaha for a couple of years (gr 6, 7, 8), then the Armstrong (around gr 8, 9, 10, and on....) Anyway, I still have that flute. Don't play too often these days, but it is still just right. Hasn't needed a tune up in ages, and still plays beautifully.

 

The Armstrong was a gift from my parents, but I think it was in the $800 or $1000 range, and of course that was 25 yrs ago! wow....

 

Congrats to your DD for continuing on! GL finding a flute to match your situation....

[Kelli in TN]

My daughter's second (and current) flute is Gemeinhardt. When she got it she was not quite ready for the open holes so we used the plugs for awhile. It has really good tone. Someone mentioned that they have a reputation for wearing out. I don't know if that applies to all Gemeinhardts, but I do know over the years hers has been in the shop several times. They were never super expensive repairs and they might not have been out of line by comparison to other brands.

[Vida Winter]

when I was about 13-14, I moved to an intermediate flute--Gemeinhardt (sp???), silver head piece, open holes (about $500 24 years ago!). The difference between the two was amazing--suddenly I sounded so much better!

 

Same experience here, although this was as far as I got. BIG difference; I had used an Artley flute before this one. Open holes do not require that much adjustment.

[In The Great White North]

I bought a Gemeinhardt with a silver headpiece on ebay for $100. Dd never did play seriously, but her teacher said it was a good flute and the silver headpiece made a huge difference. (It was 20 - 30 years old but everything still worked.)

 

If you're not ready to make a big price jump, you might consider just getting a silver headpiece now and holding off til the $2000 - $3000 flute.

[fivetails]

I keeping reading this thread as "Looking for an immediate flu" :tongue_smilie:

[I talk to the trees]

Pearl. No question about it. I believe all models starting with the PF-695 (Or something close to that) have hand-cut headjoints/lip plates. As a previous poster mentioned, the sound is in the headjoint. As long as the instrument is well tuned- and Pearls are fabulous across the range- you'll be better off sinking the $$ in an instrument with a good headjoint. And the Pearl pinless mechanism is the fastest, quietest mechanism I have ever played on. Look for soldered-on tone holes, not drawn ones, as they tend to be less sturdy and harder on the pads. A split-e is (imho) totally unnecessary. The B-foot can be useful if your dd is performing in flute choirs a lot, otherwise, skip it.

 

If I can be of any help to you, PM me! I'd be happy to chat about flutes any time of day!;)

 

-Robin