The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinetgal
Date: 2004-05-15 01:41
Can any of you clarinet/sax players recommend a flute that is easy to play and not expensive? I seem to develop asthma when I play flute. One I have tried with some sucess is an older Armstrong 80B. I want one even easier! thanks.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-15 05:38
Any flute that's in good mechanical (pads and regulation) order will play okay. When they get out of adjustment, even a little, they can be horrid beasts. With a properly adjusted flute you shouldn't have to strain to play ot. Have you had your instrument checked by a tech lately? In my neighborhood there's no charge to tell you if you need to consider having some work done. Bundy, Artley and Armstrong are popular ones in my area, moderately priced, and they all play okay if the pads don't leak.
- rn b -
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-05-15 06:57
I just got out my Buffet-Crampon Paris 228 flute to remind myself how good it is. Silver plated, closed-hole, suitable for student or anyone else who wants an inexpensive flute that plays well and easily. My favorite tech, who is a superb flautist (his prinmary is a Pearl), says it's a very nice piece. Despite the "Paris" marking, it was made in England.
I got this thing through ebay and have less than $100 in it, including minor repairs upon receipt.
Hope you are fortunate enough to find just what you want.
Regards,
Joh
Post Edited (2004-05-15 07:05)
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2004-05-15 10:51
I recommend Muramatsu EX. Thiey have following characteristics.
1)Key arrangements(how each tone hole is located dimensionally) is based
on Albert Cooper system, which gives the most precise intonation now.
2.Special pad system.
James Galway has an EX, although he plays a Muramatsu platinum model
on concerts.
Details of specificatoin and price is shown in this URL.
http://www.muramatsu-america.com/instr.htm#ex
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Author: woodwind650
Date: 2004-05-15 16:21
armstrong makes a great student flute which you can get w/a split E. i've always thought that yamaha made one of the best sounding student instruments as well. inexpensive?.........well, new will generally be around the $400 range like a student clarinet. if you can find one of these on Ebay, then you'll be in good shape. just make sure you get it checked out by a reliable technician.
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Author: Pam H.
Date: 2004-05-15 18:01
I have a Yamaha student flute. It plays well and has needed very little adjustment. I paid around $200. I have had it a few years and will probably do some new pads and minor "going over" sometime this year.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-05-15 18:18
The Yamaha flutes are high quality and very consistant.
The 300/400 series are the intermediate flutes - probably a good place to start. The 200 series are the student models, and the high end starts with the 500 series and continues upwards.
In addition, many doublers (clarinetists) find having an offset G key to be most comfortable...GBK
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2004-05-15 21:42
This iis a flutist URl well known to flutisits, when you may find appropreate articles or consultations.
http://www.larrykrantz.com/
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2004-05-16 02:19
Definately a yamaha. The best bang for the buck is an intermediate yamaha flute. It has a great solid silver head joint. Excellent intonation and its a breeze to play. I know several professional flute players who use their Muramatsu flutes in orchestras but use an intermediate yamaha in pits. The reason is because the yamaha is cheap enough if something should happen but does not sacrifice anything in tone and reliablility.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-05-16 04:53
As a capable flute player who has worked on and played over 125 brands, I'd say Yamaha, Yamaha, Yamaha. The 'cheap' flutes by other makers either have a pathetic tone (especially Buffet!), are unreliable, very variable from flute to flute (SOME Armstrongs play OK), out of tune, bits fall off, etc.
Yes, if you go for something more expensive, the above mentioned Muramatsu EX is fantastic flute for the money. But there are others in that price range too. It comes to personal taste, and most doublers actually don't have a lot of that because they are rather struggling if they go from clarinet to flute. The average doubler from clarinet will be the limiting factor far before a Yamaha student flute is. In my opinion a recent model student Yamaha plays better overall that a top professional Haynes of several decades ago.
If you are doubling, you are quite likely never to use low B and it is more likely to be a nuisance (for playing low C) than a help. Split-E could be useful for security, and ease of playing third octave E. In-line G should not even be made or offered. Open holes are are much more likely to be a nuisance than a help.
"Cooper scale" was mentioned above. That, or its equivalent, is standard now on almost every flute (except the poorly-copied junk) without it having to be being stated.
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