I was recently just checking out some new piccolos, and I had saw that there were the new flutes that everyone knows that the large companies are making, the branched off flutes from the parent company. Sonare, Avanti, Brio!, etc. I figured I'd try them. They all were pretty typical I felt except the Brio! due to the "Dana Sheridan" head joint, but that was only because of the head joint since I noticed on some of these models. They had I'd say 95% identical bodies on them. Same keys, same foot keys, same trill keys, same silver marking all saying 925. This may be just a coincidence haha, but I doubt it. Any of you realize this?
The sound you can produce from each flute is what counts. I tried a Sonore and an Avanti recently. I loved the look of the rose gold on the Sonore but it was not as playable to me as the Avanti. I don't know about the Brio, but I do know it is made by the Gemeinhardt company, and so that turned me off.
But if it's the sound that counts then why would Gemeinhardt turn you off, since the Brio! has the same body as all the others, and a head joint that is made by "Dana Sheridan." I believe this is very poor manufacturing, on all the companies behalves, and I am very disappointed.
I did not notice them being identical when trying them out for myself. The Avanti is made in the USA in a completely different factory than Brio! or Sonare. Even if they look similar in design, they won't be. The Brio has a little different pointed key cup design than the Sonare last time I checked. Correct me if I am wrong, but you really can't say they are identical in design with the naked eye. It would require you to take them apart completely and do some measurements. I plan on buying an Avanti soon just to use as a backup for a while. I thought that I wanted to get a Sonare, but after servicing one of the older ones, I said forget it! I thought their newer ones sounded and played better, but if their medal is as soft as their older ones, then I wouldn't touch one! The mechanism could bend just like butter!
I agree that you really can't tell just by "looking" that they are identical. As I stated before, the differences emerge upon the playing. I really struggled with my Gemeinhardt. It rarely played in tune, and I spent most of my practice time trying to change the direction and intensity of my air stream to compensate. When cold it was flat, when warm it was sharp as a razor. Sometimes I had to pull the headjoint so far out that I was worried it would fall off the body. Needless to say, for just me personally I would not want to buy an expensive product the is connected to Gemeinhardt. Just had a bad experience and have developed a bias. I don't think I am missing anything buy avoiding that company. There are plenty of others to choose from.
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