Yamaha Flutes Help

[seifeldin]

Hi all

I thinking of upgrading my Boheme flute from the Yamaha 281 to something higher and was wondering if the experienced members of this forum could help me choose a good upgrade.

I usually prefer Yamaha since I've been using them on other instruments for nearly four decades but I'm open to other makers if you think I should (maintenance and quality of build are highest on the agenda). I was thinking of the 381 or the 481 ? As you can see I'm not exactly an expert flute player.

Where is the best place to buy ? are there discount stores on the net like in the acoustic guitar market (30% off MSRP)???

Thanks
HS

[jemtheflute]

With respect, and I don't mean this to sound at all unfriendly, I think you're not in the best place to ask! Although there are some folk active here who do play Bohm system flutes and are knowledgeable about them, the vast majority of us are wooden flute enthusiaists playing traditional music, mostly Irish, on C19th Simple System flutes or modern keyless versions thereof. Quite a few of us are interested in historic flutes of all types and in the development of the flute generally, but few of us mainline on Bohm or even bother with it at all, let alone have wide experience of different models amd makers. I'm sure you can find other fora on the Web that will be of greater relevance to your particular interest and better able to respond to your query.

I also think it sounds as though you should try to visit a really good modern woodwind specialist shop if you can and get their advice and try out as many flutes that fall within your budget as you can. Reading some of the manufacturer's websites may also be helpful - just websearch on the obvious like Brannen, Miyazawa, James, Sankyo, etc...... Good luck!

All that said, you're welcome here, and if we can help with things we do know about.......

[Doug_Tipple]

Try here:
http://www.fluteland.com/board/

[seifeldin]

Thanks a million for your help

[sponge]

Hi seifeldin,

I bought a Boehm about a year ago and have owned three since then, I have two that I kept
the first was Trevor James, nice easy blower, not too bad on build quality, but it was an old model, great for leaving around and practicing on, I then had a trip to allflutes plus in London and tried quite a few different models the Yamaha 481 was nice all solid silver with the standard CY headjoint, the two flutes that blew me away are the Sankyo etude and cf201 and the Silversonic, these both had handcut headjoints, the yamaha CY headjoint is standard
machine made for all Yamahas up to series 4 flutes the series 5/6/7/8 have the hand cut EC headjoint, its these handcut headjoints that make all the difference, I managed to get a Sankyo silversonic at a great price from a friend and its amazing, build quality and sound, I also have a Miyazawa PCM 300R which is a bit rare as its made of silver, palladium, gold and copper, Miyazawa only use this on the top of the range alto flutes now, anyway to cut a long story short, I put my Sankyo head joint on my Trevor James £ 30 flute, and it now sounds like a million pounds, its all in the head joint as the James flute is nickel silver with a silver plate, I would strongly advice trying some headjoints out on your existing flute, Yamahas are very well built and are consistent, I tried two head joints on the Sankyo flute the standard cut and one called the NRS1, this is an amazing piece of kit, although all Sankyo headjoints are handmade, and each ones has a slightly different tone, they are great free flowing and easy to blow, so I would say just try out a few headjoints, as a good headjoint will still set you back the cost of a complete used step up flute. and remember all Yamaha flutes up to series four are machine made to the exact same specifications, but series 3 have solid silver heads and series four have solid heads and bodies, but all have the same CY cut headjoints, so in theory sound very much the same, extra silver content in the body makes a difference, but not as much as a well cut headjoint in my oppinion.

hope that helps sponge

[seifeldin]

Hi sponge

Actually this is very good advice ... thanks its much appreciated .... Will see if I can get a an upgraded Yamaha 5/6/7/8 hand cut EC headjoint.

Cheers
Hisham

[Cork]

Speaking as a Boehm player, Yamaha indeed does make a great flute, especially for the money.

And, if you're looking for a serious upgrade, try one of Yamaha's 700, or even 800, series flutes.

Of course, there are other, excellent flute makers to choose from, but be prepared to spend some REAL money, like $10,000+!

As far as best price goes: http://www.wwbw.com/

However, I'd suggest to support your local musical instrument dealer, first, although their price might be somewhat higher.

[seifeldin]

Thank you all for your help
Hisham

[Cork]

You're welcome, and let us know how things work out.

[ChrisCracknell]

I own a Yamaha 674 flute with a B footjoint. And very nice it is too. I've been trying out other flutes recently (out of academic interest) and the only ones that tempted me were up around the 6000 sterling mark (i.e. more than twice what the Yamaha cost me). The Yamaha 674 has the EC headjoint and solid silver body and very good it is too. The keywork is notsilver - for that you need to move to the next step in the Yamaha range - but I don't notice any difference. It is generally a big loud flute with quite stable tuning (compared with my mate's Muramatsu (also loud!)) and a bit harder to bend the tone colour. But this is a very fine level of distinction.

Value for money the Yamaha is good. Mine has open holes, offset G, split E and B foot. Think about what options you want before buying... I find the B useful, but it is a bit extra weight and not everyone likes it.

Go to shops and try as many different flutes out as you can. Preferrably as "blind" as possible, i.e. don't think about the brand, model or price of any of them until after you've come up with some opinions. Try to have at least three or four as well as your own current flute (for comparison) to try out at any given sitting.

'bye,

Chris.

[seifeldin]

I own a Yamaha 674 flute with a B footjoint. And very nice it is too. I've been trying out other flutes recently (out of academic interest) and the only ones that tempted me were up around the 6000 sterling mark (i.e. more than twice what the Yamaha cost me). The Yamaha 674 has the EC headjoint and solid silver body and very good it is too. The keywork is notsilver - for that you need to move to the next step in the Yamaha range - but I don't notice any difference. It is generally a big loud flute with quite stable tuning (compared with my mate's Muramatsu (also loud!)) and a bit harder to bend the tone colour. But this is a very fine level of distinction.

Value for money the Yamaha is good. Mine has open holes, offset G, split E and B foot. Think about what options you want before buying... I find the B useful, but it is a bit extra weight and not everyone likes it.

Go to shops and try as many different flutes out as you can. Preferrably as "blind" as possible, i.e. don't think about the brand, model or price of any of them until after you've come up with some opinions. Try to have at least three or four as well as your own current flute (for comparison) to try out at any given sitting.

'bye,

Chris.

Thanks for the good advice Chris ....

[tin tin]

A number of years ago, when I was still a Boehm flute player, I upgraded to an Altus 907 and picked out a rather lovely Britannia silver headjoint for it (also by Altus). I tried a number of other flutes before settling on that one, including some of the higher end Yamahas. I found the Yamahas to be sort of like a Labrador retriever flute: big and friendly and easy to get to know. (No offense intended to labs, which are very nice dogs...so I'll end the analogy there.) But in exchange for the big, easy sound and in-your-face volume, I felt like the tone color palate and some nuance was sacrificed. They are well-made, with a nice, fluid mechanism.
Now, you may experience the opposite, but at any rate, I'd recommend spending a few days with your top two or three choices. (I only got a handle on how to play the Altus after spending the better part of a week with it--initially, I wasn't taken with it.) And then buy the flute you choose--not just one of the same model, but the actual instrument you've been trying.

[Cork]

@ Tintin

I'm an Altus fan, too. And, I largely agree with your assessment of Yamaha flutes, but for the money Yamaha flutes are a great deal.

There are the flutes which great artists are pictured with, and then there are the actual flutes which they are recorded with.

Great music has been played on far less than "professional" grade flutes!

[ChrisCracknell]

I must second tintin here. Buy the actual flute you try and like, not another of the same model. Best will in the world, but they do vary whatever the manufacturer may aim for in uniformity.

Good advice for wooden flutes too.

[ChrisCracknell]

Also, don't get me wrong; I have found flutes that I have liked better than my Yamaha, just in a completely different price class. I'd like a Chris Abell for example... And the Miyazawa I recently tried and liked was also quite expensive...And I've tried one or two Muramatsus that were very nice too.