Which flute brand is better for a beginner flutist?

Question

MY little cousin is just entering 5th grade.. she knows for sure that she wants to continue playing the flute up through high school.

Her two options are to either rent a gemeinhardt flute

or purchase an armstrong flute [which cost 1400 dollars but is on sale and is brand new and currently costs around 400 dollars]

The gemeinhardt flute [to rent i] costs around 29.95 dollars monthy

and the armstrong is a proffesional flute... and has like little holes that are currently "clogged" or something like that.

and just for clarification... she is a BEGINNER... but she wants to play it on through highschool (:

Answer 1

MARMIANKA is right! take her advise!!!

you might even want to inquire about rent to own situations with your local music store!!!

Answer 2

I have been a flute teacher and competition judge since 1971.  NEITHER of these are what I recommend.  If you Google for Jen Cluff  ( no, I am NOT her - but she is THE BEST!!) then you will be able to read some great info about what to look for in a new flute for a beginner.  You might want to consider a USED flute, but a good brand and model - although they get pretty scarce!  Both Gemeinhardt and Armstrong have been sold and resold in the past several years. For people to say "I had one of these when I was a kid, and they were GREAT!" was true THEN - but sadly, no longer.    I advise Jupiter, Yamaha, Pearl, and a short list of a few other brands - maybe Emerson.  But read Jens' article - she will give you the best help.  Good luck!

Added info - an open hole flute will NOT be the best for her - yet.  They often come with OTHER configurations that will be problematic, like an inline keyboard, rather than offset G.  She basically needs a silver-plated, closed hole, C foot, offset G flute.  This will help her DO WELL.  Then, when she is in HS, she will want to move up to a better flute - and keep this one for marching band - or sell it to help pay for the new flute.  Go to www.fluteworld.com. and look over the flutes there.  Get some HELP choosing.  Do NOT NOT NOT buy something from a regular band instrument dealer, or God forbid, off ebay.  Yes, there are bargains to be had - but you better be a PRO to spot them!  Again - good luck - and you are a doll for helping her out!

Answer 3

Armstrong is a very good flute and the one you are referring to is the french open-hole model.

Once you get proficient at it, you can remove the caps and play open hole.

Just a note that Armstrong are well known in the industry and have been around for over 70 years.

Gemeinhardt is a good flute also but not as good as an Armstrong if you compare dollar for dollar.

Answer 4

There is no question....    Your cousin's parents should get the Gemeinhardt.   They have been manufacturing flutes for like about 60 years.... they know what they are doing with flutes and especially beginner instruments.    If the Armstrong flute is cheaper at $400.00 than buying a Gemeinhardt than you have to realize that the Gemeinhardt is really a better flute.   I just got one of my advanced students on a really nice Gemeinhardt.    She had been playing on an Armstrong.  She loved it the first instant she put her lips to the flute.    So...  I am sure there are lots of opinions here,  but as a teacher... I think the Gemeinhardt flute for her will give her many years of service.

Sincerely,

RJS1121 - flute teacher - 20 years.

Answer 5

I STRONGLY recommend the Armstrong! I played the flute 6-12 grade and used the same one the entire time. It has a great sound and held up to the abuse i put it through!

Answer 6

I have a Gemeinhardt and I ADORE it.  It has such a beautiful and clear quality to it.  I played an Armstrong for seven years though (I've played for fifteen all together), and it was okay for a beginning flute.  I would recommend keeping the holes plugged until she is a little more advanced.  Especially with little fingers, if you don't completely cover the holes the sound quality is terrible and airy.  I would recommend the Gemeinhardt.  It's a high end good quality product, and if she doesn't like it she can always quit renting it and get the Armstrong.  Good luck, and tell her congrats for making such a smart decision to be a musician!!

Answer 7

You should get the Armstrong although it is more expensive, it will last you for years and it has a good re-sale value as well.

The french open-hole system is a good model and once she advances and gets the feel of it, she cna remove the caps.

Answer 8

The Armstrong sounds like the better deal. If she wants to play up through High School, then it would be cheaper to just buy the $400 dollar flute then paying about $30 a month which after about fourteen months exceeds the cost of the Armstrong flute.

So I would buy the Armstrong flute. But that is just my 2 cents!

Hope this helps.

If you do buy the Armstrong, I would keep the holes plugged until she is ready to play open hole.

Answer 9

Well, the Armstrong sounds like a GREAT deal, those are good flutes. Really, it doesn't matter if you're a beginner. Be warned, though, she may not decide to play it through high school...I thought I would but now I think I'm just going to do it for the year so it looks good on the college apps...

You should ask her music/band teacher if the "clogged" holes would be harder for a beginner...I can't imagine why, though, all the fingers sho0uld be exactly the same.