Welcome to the daunting task of purchasing a flute. With all the many different makes and models, strange flute terminology, pushy sales people and too good to be true second-hand prices, it can be a challenge just to know where to start. Hopefully, this guide will be able to take some of the stress out of the process, answer your questions and point you in the right direction.
Purchasing a flute is very similar to purchasing a car; they all have similar yet slightly different features, can be made from components of varying quality, need to be serviced and well looked after and the many different designs aim to cater to a variety of different needs. When buying a car, you look for both quality and suitability and you understand that no two cars are alike. Flutes are essentially the same.
Just before we dive into the nitty-gritty of purchasing a flute, probably the best piece of advice I could give parents is to wait until your child can play, even just a little bit, before you purchase one. That way they can test play the flute, just as you would test drive a car. This will help enormously when you are trying to choose between different flutes. For example, you may have two different flutes which are both made by reputable brands, have the same features but differ in price. While you could buy the more expansive one assuming that it will be better your child might prefer the feel of the cheaper flute. I recommend hiring a flute for one to twelve months until your child is ready to assist you with shopping.
First, let’s establish what a bad flute is and why you don’t want one. A bad flute is made of poor quality materials which then has a number of flow-on effects for both the flautist and their wallet:
Ultimately a bad flute could discourage even the most talented student. It will cause students’ progress to be excessively slow and is likely to result in students becoming frustrated and disheartened. Eventually, you would reach a point where unless a new flute is purchased you won’t be able to progress.
Comparatively a good flute is easier to play, sounds better, is more comfortable to play, will cost less in maintenance, last longer and, depending on the brand hold its value. Consequently, students will progress much faster and find the process considerably more enjoyable. An added bonus is that practising will sound nicer a lot sooner which will be appreciated by all the members of your household. You should also be able to sell the flute when you are ready to upgrade to an intermediate model.
Look out for really cheap flutes, they are always too good to be true and I can almost guarantee you, you’ll be purchasing a bad flute weather its new or second hand. Another thing worth noting is that all flutes fall into three broad categories: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Do not buy an intermediate or advanced flute if you are a beginner, a flute is not something you can ‘grow’ into. It would be the same as buying a monster truck for inner city driving – completely inappropriate.
It’s also important to get the right sized flute. Although all flutes
are technically the same size you can get flutes with a curved head joint. These are ideal for anyone who is on the smaller side or below the age of nine. Using a flute that is ‘too big’ may result in poor technique, slowed progress and discomfort or pain both during and after playing. It may also result in postural problems that will be challenging to un-learn latter in your flute playing journey.
What is it made of?
Flutes are most commonly made from nickel and plated with silver. Some intermediate and advanced flutes are made of solid silver, gold or platinum. I have also heard of wooden flutes however they are not the standard in the western classical tradition. Please avoid the cheap plastic flutes that come in a variety of different colours. Even though they look fun and consequently are very appealing to children they do not produce a normal flute sound and are the equivalent of an expensive toy. The different materials used to make the instrument effect not only the cost but also the sound of the instrument. Pretty much all beginner flutes are nickel with silver plating. Provided you’re not allergic to nickel or silver this is the ideal for beginners as it is the most durable and cost-effective option.
If you’re purchasing a flute brand new then you won’t need to scrutinize it quite so vigorously however if you’re planning to purchase one from the second-hand market you will want to check for the following:
Ideally, you should get your flute teacher to look over the flute for you however, we all know that even at the best of times life can be less than ideal.
Like a car, if a flute is used and serviced regularly it is less likely to have problems. Similarly, if it hasn’t been played in a while or serviced within the last twelve months it will need a service. Consequently, asking the following questions will help you ascertain how well the flute has been looked after:
Here’s a list of bands that most flute teachers and technicians will recommend. One useful thing to note is that when buying a second-hand flute newer does not necessarily mean better. This is because the quality of materials has been gradually decreasing over the years but it’s the same with many household appliances, they don’t make them like they used to. For example, a Yamaha flute that was made during the 1970s that has been well looked after will probably be fine because they were made like tanks.
Yamaha:
Yamaha is an excellent brand, they have a good reputation and for the most part, they strive to maintain it. You will also get great value for cost and due to their reputation, they hold their value quite well making them good for resale when you upgrade your flute. The best Yamaha’s were made pre-2010 in Japan. The newer models don’t seem to be as durable as the older ones but that is true of many flutes. (My first flute was a Yamaha!)
Pearl:
Pearl is another big name in the fluting world. Like Yamaha, they will hold their value. However, they do tend to be slightly more expensive than Yamaha flutes and seem to come up less on the second-hand market. (My current flute is a pearl).
DiMedici/Jupiter:
Older made Jupiter flutes are definitely of superior quality to their newer flutes due to some major structural changes that happened within the company. Anything post-2010 will be durable, reliable and good value for cost.
Armstrong:
I personally have no problem with Armstrong flutes. They are made like a truck so will withstand being handled by accident prone/less careful children. They are also reasonably priced and frequently come up on the second-hand market. The only negative things I’ve heard about Armstrong flutes is their head joints are “stiff to blow” making them less suited to intermediate students who need to refine their tone. You may outgrow an Armstrong flute a year earlier than some of the other flute brands but they are good for band programs.
Gemeinhardt:
Gemeinhardt is a German flute company, their student models are known for being physically nice to play, well-made and usually produce a nice tone. Although over the last few years their mechanisms have become softer and they are a little less sturdy than the Armstrong flutes.
Emerson:
Emerson is good because they are fairly cost efficient and made like bricks. Although I don’t recommend dropping you flute if your child drops things a lot then an Emerson should be able to handle it. They also seem to come up second hand fairly frequently.
Trevor James:
While there is nothing wrong with the Trevor James student flutes and they are known as being generally good all-around flute, they also don’t have anything in particular that they are known for. So, you don’t need to avoid them but their price is usually fairly average and while they’re not super sturdy they also don’t break easily so if your child falls in love with one it’s not a disaster.
This wouldn’t be a thorough article if I didn’t mention something about flutes to avoid. But basically, anything that was made in China needs to be avoided because it will fall apart and they usually have very strange English names. As a general rule of thumb, stay away from anything that crawls, flies or walks e.g. dolphin and parrot flutes. Aldi instruments are also bad and they seem to periodically change their name, so far, I think they’ve used sky and lark. Basically, anything that sounds weird should be avoided. There are other flute brands out there that I haven’t mentioned that are good, however, to play it safe choose one from the above list. I have tried to include all the most commonly found good flutes.
Sadly, music and instruments do cost money but they pay dividends in return and are well worth the investment. Musical instruments are not generally something you can go bargain shopping for. Most retailers sell the same model flute for about the same price. Some will include your first service for a lowered price or extra accessories but this should never be a selling point. The only times it’s worthwhile buying a highly discounted flute is if there is a closing down sale or a massive special one-off sale. If you find a brand-new flute online for a price that is too good to be true it is probably a Chinese flute that has been rebranded.
Related Article: The Non-Musical Benefits of Music Lessons
For a brand-new student flute, you will be looking to spend between $700 to $800 with $1000 as an absolute max.
Second-hand flutes will cost you anywhere from $200 (without service) to $500 (with service). (Gumtree is good.) Technicians are great people to purchase second-hand instruments through because the instruments should come fully serviced. When buying second hand a flute will need to be serviced. An average flute service will cost you between $120 to $200.
I personally get all my flutes serviced by Amanda at Morrison Music. She always does a fantastic job and is quite reasonably priced and well worth the extra travel time.
One last note: you should probably start thinking about upgrading from a student to intermediate flute at around grade five AMEB. This will be approximately 5 years after you’ve started playing. However many people get away there their student flutes until they start university.
Other Resources:
In conclusion, I suggest you take your time when buying a flute, it’s definitely not something to rush into. I personally set myself up a saved search on Gumtree. This sends me notifications every time a new flute is added and then it’s just a matter of waiting for the right flute to come up. You’re much better off renting a flute for a month or two and purchasing the right flute the first time.
Lastly, if all the flute jargon is confusing you (don’t worry you’re not alone). You’re looking for a student flute, that is silver-plated, with closed holes, offset G, a C foot joint and preferably a split E mechanism.
I’d love to hear your comments. Please let me know if you have any questions and which flute you end up purchasing.
Today marks a significant milestone in Emusiv’s journey as they release a double track, “The Other Side” and “Lost Virges Town,” recorded live at their
Date: August 20th, 2023 Time: 2:00 PM Location: Upwey High School Venue: DRMC Building F Parking: Off Marchant Ave The sweet sounds of music are
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26 Comments
Sorry, it was so hard to find. As a musician SEO is not one of my strengths.
I’m kind of surprised you mentioned Gemeinhardt, because most professional flute players and even many local teachers don’t recommend them to their students. The brand has always had soft mechanisms, even before they outsourced to Taiwan. I hate the sound of their upper and lower registers. I’m always told by professionals to choose Yamahas over Gemeinhardts in regards to student and step-up flutes. Playing a Yamaha will result in less of a bad technique overall than playing a Gemeinhardt.
My Haynes Q3 is in the shop, and unfortunately, my Gemeinhardt is my only back-up flute. The difference was so extreme that musicians and the director noted how bad it sounded at rehearsal. Haynes flutes have full, round tonalities. Granted, their Amadeus models are made in China, but the handmade Q series (which are made in Boston) are fantastic. I am aware, however, that even an Amadeus is way too advanced for a beginning student.
I know there are mixed feelings about Armstrongs, but I was fine playing one as a kid. I’ve only ever played a student model that was made in the 90’s.
That’s really interesting to hear about Gemeinhardt. I had a service technician say they were okay. And a few students who haven’t had any problems with them but perhaps we have just been lucky.
Thank you for sharing.
Haynes flutes are beautiful although definitely not for beginners.
Hello Emma, Nice to find your website, and the cool things you are getting into. I have been on and off picking up the flute maybe since I was 9 – 10. The rhythm is usually one year on, 10 years off, (or even slower), but still here I am retired and living in Thailand, and I am still picking it up and putting it down. One of my most intense periods was 20 years ago in 1999- 2000, when I collected about 80 books of flute sheet music (my prize possession) and tested many professional flutes. They used to trust you, and send out a $10,000 flute for free, which you would send back in 10 days. I tested many from various manufacturers, even at the same time, and I finally bought a Muramatsu. (Hey I’m not that good at playing at all.)
But alas my ex-wife kept that good flute so now I am enjoying my 3 student flutes, an Armstrong 104, and 2 Gemeinhardts, a 2SP and a 22SP. I am playing about 5 years now in this period, and maybe not quite as good as any other young 5 year student. But I can sight read.
So I am thinking of buying another flute, used of course, since by now I am also pretty well “used” myself. I guess my biggest complaint is low “C”, it is do delicate on all three of these flutes, some worse that the other. I did have them adjusted some years ago and they improved. If they leak, of course it’s not going to play right.
I guess my question is with an intermediate flute, is low C and D more solid, and powerful?
I wish I could try some, but in Thailand I think not, and with CoVid, really not. Maybe I should just go back and try to get these student flutes adjusted again?
Can student flutes (very old) have a strong lower register? Well, most of it is OK, but “C” is weak. Even C sharp is much better.
The higher register I am getting the hang of, I must be improving?
Ah yes the dreaded low C. Low C is a weak note on pretty much all flutes. It is possible to make them sound nice but it takes not only a good flute but years of practice. However, I find most flute music hardly uses the low C and when it does it is rarely a feature.
The low C and D are stronger on intermediate flutes but they will still be weaker than all the other notes. The outer extremes of nearly all instruments have their quirks. Flutes down low go flat and lack power and volume. Oboes and sax on the other hand become increasingly louder and harder to contontroll. And the highest notes on the piano lack a lot of the resonance that the mid notes do.
Perhaps instead of focusing on the problems of low C focus on the music you want to play and you may find that it doesn’t matter too much with the low C being weak.
Anyhow good luck with your flute…ing. I personally am looking forward to retirement so I compose music all day every day without the stress of having to earn money. So make the most of this precious time that you have.
So I was an extremely focused flute player for 15 years and started out on an Armstrong student model 104 in 1993. About 6 years in or so, I purchased a Gemeinhardt open holed model to get those couple extra notes that an open holed models provides, as well as perfect my formation due to having to make sure the holes are fully covered. I have to say, I GREATLY preferred my Armstrong 104’s clear tone to the Gemeinhardt and ended up just going back to my Armstrong after a year or so. It’s now been at least 10 years since I played and my daughter is starting band this year. My Armstrong is currently in the shop being cleaned and having new pads put on. I asked the guy at the music repair shop if it was worth getting this done on my Armstrong since it was so old, or if I should just purchase my daughter a new one, and he praised the flute highly and said it was in excellent shape! So it’ll be ready for her to use in just a couple of weeks. All of this to say, I really preferred my Armstrong to anything else. I tried many over the years as I was definitely one of those music students who wanted to make sure I was getting the best sound I could, and I don’t know if I was just biased from having used my Armstrong for so long, but I liked its sound better than anything else.
Armstrong do make very good flutes. Preferring one sound to another sound all boils down to personal taste which is why I always recommend trying before you buy. I started off with a student Yamaha flute but I definitely prefer the sound of my peal flute. And when or if I am able to upgrade again I look forward to trying out other brands to see what I prefer. Who knows maybe I will be like you and go back to the brand I started on (just a most advanced model).
I hope your daughter gets as much joy out of the instrument as you did ☺️
Hey, I’m a student flutist and I would like to hear your thoughts about the brand aidis (Taiwan branded) their logo is a swan.
Thank you! and sorry for my English tho
Hello
Your English is totally fine :) I actually haven’t come across aidis flutes. But I do know that generally speaking Taiwan produces higher quality products than China. Maybe see if you can find some reviews on YouTube. I think they have some but I’m not too sure because they weren’t in English. All I searched was Aidis Flute.
Good Luck,
I played the flute from 5th-10th grade and gave it up because of a new band director at school I was not a fan of. So it’s been about 10 years since I played regularly, but I do remember most of it. I have an Armstrong student flute that I haven’t played in years due to there are some leaks that make it impossible to play and I believe I need some keys repadded. I would like to pick back up and just play for my own pleasure; would it be necessary, in your opinion, to upgrade to an intermediate flute? I’d like to put my money where you think it would best go. I’m honestly not sure, as I’ve only ever played this flute.
Hi Allie
It’s lovely to hear from you. Armstrong flutes (especially the older ones) were made really well. This means that aside from the pads wearing out (which happens to all flutes) the actual flute itself is probably fine. Although its hard to say for sure without seeing the instrument.
Normally I would advise students to start off with the flute they have. At least for the first couple of months. This way you can get back into the swing of playing and build up your confidence again. This will help a lot when you are trying out new flutes.
As far as upgrading goes there is no hard and fast rule. But an upgraded flute will have a nicer tone, smoother keys, open wholes and a low B which opens up your repertoire options. Generally speaking, upgrading isn’t necessarily something you would need to do straight away but it is something that may help you enjoy your instrument more. I’ve had students upgrade at the end of primary school but then others wait until they start uni… it all just depends on money.
The biggest deal-breaker is usual the split E mechanism. Some student flutes have them others don’t. If your flute has one that is great. If it doesn’t and you’re playing a lot of music that uses 3rd register E and higher then you will probably want to upgrade sooner as it makes a big difference to the high notes.
Hope this helps. And good luck!
I have been playing the flute for almost six years now and am going to be a sophomore in high school in a couple of months. Currently, I am renting a Yamaha student flute but have decided that it would be best to just buy a flute. I do not plan on playing in college, so I don’t want to spend too much on my flute. I have used a student flute all of my life and am unsure about whether I should invest money in an intermediate/open-holed flute. I have spoken to my cousin who is a junior in high school and she has been using her student flute from fifth grade. At the moment, I am looking into purchasing a Pearl student flute but am very bad at making decisions and am afraid I’m going to make the wrong choice. I would really appreciate your help!
Hello :)
Generally speaking 6 years is an excellent time to start thinking about upgrading. I would suggest an open-holed flute just because it will open up a lot of repertoire options for you in the future. Many contemporary works such as those written by Ian Clarke have to be played on an open-hole flute. Don’t stress too much about making a bad decision. So long as you stick to reputable brands like a pearl you should be fine. (I myself currently play a pearl).
The best thing you can do when your looking at getting a flute is to make sure you can have a go playing it first. (Most shops will let you do this.) And take your time. Play as many different flutes as you can, and start to get a feel for what you do/don’t like but don’t worry too much if you can’t tell a huge difference between them. Some people are really sensitive to the ‘feel’ of their instrument others not so much. Sometimes having a flute-playing friend go with you can really help too because they will be able to offer you a second opinion but at the end of the day its important you choose the one to feels right for you. The other big thing you want to make sure it has is a split-E mechanism as this helps greatly with the tone and intonation of high E and not all flutes have one.
Good Luck!
Let me know how you go and what you end up choosing.
Thanks,
The Techie Flutist
I played the flute throughout middle school and high school and a bit for fun in my college days. However since moving to China ,about 5-6 years ago, I haven’t played since. I’m interested in starting again but I’m not sure if I should go back to a student flute or spring for an intermediate flute. Also, I keep seeing a brand of flute called Roffew and I was wondering if you’ve heard of it and if you think it could be potentially a good brand to try out. Thank you 😊.
Hello :)
Wow, big move. Sounds like you had some experience under your belt before putting the instrument to one side. Ultimately the choice is yours but if I was in your position (and my budget allowed it), I would be looking at getting an intermediate flute. My reason being if you were to get a student flute you may be looking at upgrading after only a year or so of playing. For younger students, I always recommend a student flute because they are more durable but adults don’t really need to worry about that. You will also find that an intermediate flute produces a better tone and it is easier to play in tune. Which is useful if you’re looking at getting involved in community music groups. The biggest set back to an intermediate flute is its open holes. This may or may not be a problem for you. If it is, you can get plugs to seal the holes. (Most flutes come with them). This way you could get used to playing first and then remove them one at a time as you build in confidence. You might also find this article helpful – https://thetechieflutist.com/which-flute-should-i-buy-student-intermediate-or-professional/
As for Roffew flutes, I actually haven’t come across one before. But I’ve asked around my network work of flautists and I will get back in touch when I know a little more. Generally, it’s better to stick to well-recognised brands as many of the cheap and nasty flutes re-brand themselves regularly. A general rule of thumb is to avoid anything that walks, flies or swims. So, for example, the Dolphin or Parrot flute.
All, the Best with Your Flute-ing :)
The Techie Flutist
Thanks a lot for your recommendations. I actually misspelled the instrument brand. It’s called Roffee.
Thanks for your informative blog. My 10 yr old daughter started flute lessons a month ago and is loving it and making great progress. We bought her flute from her flute teacher for $70, who had originally bought it from cash converters for the same amount as a travel flute. It is a Suzuki Musique brand – from what I can find they sell for new for $250 usd. My daughter is making great progress and practicing every day, so I can she she will continue with learning. I am wondering at what point should I consider upgrading her flute. Would it be beneficial to buy a good student flute asap, or should I let her play her Suzuki for 6 months or a year and then upgrade to a good student flute or an intermediate. If I bought an intermediate would I then not need to upgrade ever or do they need to be replaced at some point regardless due to wear and tear. Thanks for your help.
Good questions!
First I recommend you chat with your daughter’s flute teacher about it because they will have a really good idea as to where your daughter is at with her playing and the condition of the flute she is using. Having a good student flute can make a world of difference. A good student flute will feel nice to play (the key work won’t be clunky) all the pads will seal (pads are located on the underside of each key) and it will produce a relatively good sound. Some students find learning on a bad instrument to be very off-putting but it depends a lot on their personality. Having said that if you’re looking at getting either a good student flute or intermediate flute I suggest waiting until your daughter has been playing for at least 6 months. This way your daughter can go with you and try playing the flutes. She will also have been playing long enough to have a good feel for the instrument and should be at a point where she can start comparing and contrasting how the different flutes play.
As long as you keep the flute regularly services (usually once a year) they should last a very long time. My first flute is still being used by students and has been going for well over 20 years. Many of my friends and colleagues didn’t upgrade from a student model flute until they were studying flute performance at uni (myself included). But if you were to get an intermediate flute you potentially wouldn’t need to upgrade again. Intermediate flutes are made from more expensive material but it is also a lot softer so they can’t handle getting knocked around as student flutes can. If your daughter is likely to drop her instrument a student flute would be safest.
Most intermediate flutes have open holes and a B foot joint. This means the flute is a couple of centremetres longer (maybe an inch) which smaller students can find to be a little too much. The open holes are not too hard to get around because you can put plugs in them. Although sometimes the plugs can fall out and get lost, so it would just depend on how careful your daughter is. But definitely have a chat with her teacher. She should hopefully be able to point you in the right direction.
Hope that’s helpful :)
Good day, I wonder if you can help me identify a flute:
All I know is that it is a minimum of 35 years old, assembled four times, and played three times, before it was packed away!
As for identifying marks, there is a stylized RIC engraving on the neck, and a serial number, being 15946.
Other than that, there is nothing toto go on….
Hello,
It’s not a brand I am formila with and google doesn’t seem to bring up much either. Which isn’t very helpful sorry. Why don’t you jump on facebook, join one of the many flute groups and post your question. Its possible that someone on there might know I bit more.
Good Luck,
I wonder if that’s a Muramatsu. They made an SR-RIC model.
Great Blog!