The unbiased *BEST* flutes list

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(Piko)

Here are IMHO the best flutes available now. Please share your opinions and feel free to provide what you think are the best 3 flutes for these price categories:

Beginner: (- $500)
#1 Pearl PF-501RE Open hole model, C foot, silver plated with offset G and split E $530.00

#2 Gemeinhardt 2SP Silver Head, Silver plated, C foot. $520

#3 Emerson EF6 Open hole, all silver plated, silver lip plate and riser, under-cut tone holes. Cfootjoint $529

Beginner/Intermediate: (- $1000) [Features to look for: Split-E, Pointed Arms, Silver]
#1 Sonaré SF5BEF Open hole model, silver Powell Signature headjoint, silver plated body, off-set G, Split E mechanism, B footjoint. $1,093.00

#2 PF-665RBE Quantz Open hole, silver headjoint, pointed keys, silver plated body, B foot with off-set G and split E mechanism. $995.00

#3 Gemeinhardt 3SB Open hole, silver head, body and foot, low B footjoint.
Please indicate Off-set or in-line G key. $910.00
(note: Emerson & Jupiter provide similar models, just $100-200 more in cost)

Intermediate/Professional: (- $2000) [Features to look for: Pointed Arms, Split-E, All Silver]
#1 DiMedici 1011RBSOE Open hole, silver head, body, and foot, pointed key arms, offset G, split E mechanism, D# roller, B footjoint. $1615.00

#2 PF-765RBE Quantz Open hole model, silver head, body, and foot, pointed key arms, B footjoint with split E and off-set G. $1695.00

#3 Trevor James VIRBOEA Open hole, silver head, body, and foot, offset G, split E mechanism, gold springs, special engraving, ornamental crown. $1,845.00

Professional +$2000:
Any brand that offers custom made flutes. Professional flutes should have at all the features of Intermediate flutes… so sadly… you’ll probably want to skip on over to $3500+ range flutes for a handmade flute with pointed arms, Spit E, Solid Silver/Gold… Or add a $1000-2000 custom head joint to your current $2000 flute to step-up till you can spend 5 grand on a flute.

(KC)	I would have to say IMHO that these are the top flutes made today. Powell Muramatsu Haynes Brannen Miyazawa None of the flutes that you mentioned above I would even categorize with these brands. They are in a whole other league all together.

(Scott)

gemeinhardt in my opinion is not a good flute at all, not even their student models. And Sankyo is also another good flute.

(Piko)

The best professional +$2000 professional list was left off for good reason. There are far too many different well known hand flute manufactures that to list any 3 as being the best would not appropriate... Powell, Muramatsu, Haynes, Brannen, Miyazawa, Sankyo, Landell, Komoto, Nomata, Tom Green, Altus, Burkart, Yamaha, etc...

(Piko)

"gemeinhardt in my opinion is not a good flute at all, not even their student models. And Sankyo is also another good flute."

What flute in the $500 price range would you suggest as being the best in its category?

Sankyo does not offer a comparitive flute under $2000. None of their flutes offer Spit-E mechasism and you cannot begin to get pointed key arms without paying $9200 ($8400 C foot). Sankyo would be categorized in that +$2000 unnamed flute category.

(KC)	I also don`t think that Gemeinhardt is any good. I would say that Yamaha is the best for under $500. You can get the 221S at flute World for $450.

(Scott)

yamaha would be the best student flute. and sankyo has released a new line. The 201 is 2500 and comes with pointed arms. All of their models have optional slip E. If you don`t believe me go to www.fluteworld.com to see for yourself. Even though that really is a necissary thing for flute players. Also most professional flutes don`t start around 2000 that`s usually still in the high intermediate range. I think the pro. flutes start around 3500.

(Piko)

My pricing is from flute world as well. The YFL221 "Standard flute, plateau, silver plated" is $808.00.

It certainly doesn`t fit the beginner pricing nor compare well with the intermediate flutes of similar price.

(Piko)

My information is from Flute World and I also checked the Woodwind and Brasswind. There are only trill and roller options for the Sankyo, No option for spit-E mechanism. Where do you see an option for split-E?

(Scott)

Well that was my mistake but it`s still not needed for EVERY flute player to have a split E. Just because a flute doesn`t have it doesn`t mean it`s a piece of crap. And just because Yamaha is more expensive then Gemeinhardt doesn`t mean it`s overpriced at all, a yamaha would probably last twice the length of a Gemeinhardt and you wouldn`t have to take it to a shop as frequently so it`s a good investment to buy a yamaha and spend a couple of hundred of dollars more.

(Piko)

There appears to me to be a great deal of love for Yamaha in these boards. I`m sure they make wonderful flutes. I own a wonderful Yamaha Oboe.

Yamaha just prices itself 60% higher than equivalent brands. Add 60% to the cost of any of the #1 flutes in my comparison and there you find the cost the Yamaha equivalent flute.

(Scott)

It`s not only on this message board. If you talk to a real professional they would reccomend yamaha over gemeinhardt any day.

(Piko)

Haynes offer split-E option for $1000 and Powel offers the split-E option for $620 in addition to the cost of its handmade flutes.

There`s nothing wrong with it. Some people just would not buy a flute from a manufacturer that does not provide all the options that are available.

(Scott)

There are no powell flutes that are sold for under $3,696.00 unless they`re used, but certaintly not $620. And the cheapest haynes is priced new around $5,995.00.

(Scott)

ok i might have misunderstood you. Are you talking about the actual mechanism is going to cost that much? or are you talking that whole flute will cost that?

The unbiased BEST flutes list

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