Thanks, goldenflute. The model I have my heart set on is a Yamaha Yfl 461. From what I've been reading around it's a reliable flute. My private teacher thinks it's great he even offered to buy it himself and sell me his old flute. I think I'm going to go for it, but what do guys think?

PerrinLark, great I am so glad you found a flute you like! I hope you really enjoy playing it! Sounds like a good flute from what I have read.

I've played on a very nice Yamaha 461. I think that they don't play much better than the 200 series or 300 series though. I'd look into the 600/700 series. They play much nicer.

Thank-you hdeuge!

Hey mate, what are you talking about? It takes even a lesser person to lie! You really have some issues.

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It is so pathetic that you are still trying to stir up trouble. And here I thought I was bad! So I take it you have a little black dress that you are not telling us about?

No, no! Don't start your ranting here, the both of you!!! I checked out the saxophone forum yesterday, yeah, they don't have conspiracies and allies and battles going on. I don't know whether to laugh (because it is pretty funny) or just be really disappointed. Thanks for the advise everyone!

I apologize PerrinLark for mine and Micron's tiff. Your a good guy, I hope you stay with us. Micron means well too most of the time. I just don't know what that was all about??

Micron: I can believe you!

I'm not going to say names but I think y'all know who this is aimed to! Look, I joined this forum because it looked like clean,fun,and helpful one. My mistake. I've now regretted joining it. The flute forum I've found has been nothing but a place where you can get together and argue and name call people! This is not what I wanted! It's gotten to the point where before I read a post I see who wrote it, if in the past the person has been helpful I read it. But, if the person has been rude or something I don't even bother reading it. So, as you can see I don't read Binx's posts.

I'm going to stay with the other forums as they stick to the Terms and Conditions! And are thoughtful!

No offense agaist the good guys! (^:

I'll admit I haven't read all of the replies and I'd rather not get mixed up in the argument, but I'd thoroughly recommend a Yamaha considering the time you've been playing - they're very easy flutes to play, and can take you relatively far until you feel you need to change again. I had a Yamaha 221 for 6 years before I bought a Miyazawa, and it got me through grades 2-7 with ease. If you learnt on an open hole than it's fair that you'd like another, although they usually only appear within the £600 (although I don't know which currency you use?) bracket in Yamahas.

Alternatively, if you were looking for a higher flute to last you longer then I'd also recommend a Miyazawa or a Sankyo, although then you'd be looking at the £1500-3000 ($2500-5000 approx.), but for the quality of sound and playing the price is well worth it.

Hi!
If this is a flute you really love, then no one is going to stop you!
Try not to listen too much to the people who've been spoilt by these posh brands such as Altus, Avanti, Burkart, Miyazawa, Muramatsu...
Just make sure you have tried it, seen if it played well, and gauged if it's going to be comfortable for however long you need it!
Happy flute playing!
Pyface

Be careful what you say, I haven't been spoilt by owning a Miyazawa. Since I'm intending to go far with my flute I kinda needed an upper level instrument, 'cause by that point my yamaha was blocking me vibrato-wise (sounds daft, but true. It's much more audible on my Miya)

However, I thoroughly agree with choosing the flute that's right for you - you'll be able to tell by playing different flutes which one suits you best

It would be great if the moderator would incorporate a sticky thread so that way you wouldn't have to constantly be repeating yourself Micron. I am not sure if I would particularly keep using that as a reference as his skills may be very good, but his tone suffers from what I can hear over a video on line. It may just be because of the student Yamaha though or the recording. That is why I say it probably isn't the best example. It is so hard to get an example of sound especially from a youtube video unfortunately. Perhaps in really life his sound is amazing.

Pyface, while some of us may be "spoiled" as you say from the "posh" brand of flutes, you must remember that we had to start off on a student flute at one time too and do remember that. Well, I am willing to bet most of us anyway.

BTW, I don't think I have presented a link to this clip before.

No, not this particular link, but the links are always to the same person playing. I have an MP3 recording of me playing on a Yamaha 221 that I did posts a couple years back I believe that might have also helped. I have no idea where it is now as I have changed computers so many times since then. I have played a student Yamaha as well as a student Jupiter on a professional gigs and no one knew the wiser. So, it can be done. If you have a good embouchure, you can just about manipulate any flute to sound good. Of course the mechanism is lacking a lot compared to my pro flute, but it gets the job done.

I wouldn't've said you can't play well on a student flute, just that some find it harder to - I remember being commented on my sound before I got my Miya, most of it's in the playing.