So you have decided to take the plunge and purchase your first flute, but what is the best beginner flute to buy and how do you go about choosing a beginner flute? Buying a first flute can be very confusing with very conflicting opinions. Here is a buyers guide with some easy guidelines that will help you navigate buying a beginner student flute.
What are the most recommended student flutes for beginners?
How do you get the best flute advice?
What is the best beginner flute?
NEW OR SECOND-HAND FLUTES?
Everyone likes ‘shiny and new’ and at least you know that the flute is perfectly set up! However a new starter flute can range from £500-700 and this can be too much for some people to want to pay.
Used flutes/secondhand flutes can represent excellent value and are often less than half the price of a new flute. There are however a few things to be careful of when buying a used flute.
FAQ
Has it been recently serviced? A basic service/adjustment can cost upwards of £100 and it is likely that most used flutes from private sellers may need this.
What is the condition of the silver plating? – If a flute has been cleaned and wiped after use then the silver plating should be in excellent condition. If however it has not been regularly cleaned/polished, then moisture can lift the plating. Early signs of this are pinprick marks in the plating and these will get worse and could take the plating off.
What is the condition of the pads? – The most expensive parts of a flute to replace are the pads. A full repad of a flute can cost more than the flute itself if it is a beginner model, so it is best to check the condition. Pads should be nice and yellow and not frayed at the edges. Fraying pads is a sign of paper being used to soak up moisture and this can be harsh on pad skins.
Are the joints fitting well? – Check that the headjoint is not too tight or too loose and also the footjoint. The most common issue is a loose footjoint when incorrectly taken on and off.
Any signs of damage? – Look down the length of the flute against the light to see that it is not bent or that there are any ripples in the body. This would suggest a repair that may/may not have been serious.
Recommended Flute brands for Beginners
For students looking for a beginner flute, whether a new flute or a used flute/secondhand flute for sale, you need a reliable make. There are a lot of flute makes on the market, some of which are reliable and are a constantly popular choice and others that are cheap makes.
As a general rule, flutes that have been made in Japan, the USA and the UK are good reliable makes. Popular choices for beginner flutes are makes such as Pearl, Yamaha, Trevor James, Jupiter, Gemeinhardt, Armstrong, Azumi and Buffet. The most popular are Yamaha and Pearl but all will be solid starter flute models. There are a large number of unbranded or branded makes from China on the market platforms. These are largely inferior makes that will play but are likely to cause issues quite quickly.
What specification am I looking for?
It is always a good idea to talk first with your teacher when buying a flute, starter flute or upgrade. Teachers have their own opinions on what they would like their students to learn on and what specification will suit them. Having said this there are some constant choices that are generally the same for the vast majority of beginner flute players. I will cover the explanations in a different blog but the specification that is most common is the following:
Nickel silver, silver plated head, body and keys.
Closed holes
Offset G with split E mechanism (The latter is important)
C footjoint
In summary:
If you are unsure then speak to the flute teacher first or call a flute shop for flute advice. At London Flutes we advise beginner flautists on their first flute to world class principal flautists looking for a bespoke set-up. Feel free to contact London Flutes for advice on what flute to buy, used flutes/secondhand flutes for sale and anything regarding buying that perfect flute. We are always happy to help. Have a look at our Beginner flutes for saleand if you have any questions than please Contact us.
