has anyone spent a serious amount of money on a flute?

[brimfull]

DD is working towards grade 7 and her teacher has suggested that she needs to upgrade her yamaha flute.She's been trying out a couple of heads (an altus and a pearl).
Basically this upgrade will cost about £500 .I am not musical and the difference on the tone from her old one is marginal.Apparently the next best would cost about £1000.So what I'd like to know is is there a dramatic differenc in the sound and tone of a £1000 flute to our upgraded head for £450.
We will need to trek up to London to try out others so I'd like to know if it's worth it.

Thanks

oi! Dh plays the fr.horn and he is only the tiniest bit uncouth and i dont mind wet carpets!

I loik an uncouth man mesel'
But NO WAY would I let him tip it on the carpet - we've got wooden floors and I've still banned him!
Better go off to bed before I make anyone else heave...

It's a flute?? £1000? not even an option in my house

A 13 year old child I knew was once bought a piano for his birthday. I'm sure it cost something like £12,000. He wasn't even grade 8 or anything .

Apparently the music shops were really helpful when they were trying to chose one - well you would be helpful to someone spending that much on a 13yr old boy wouldn't you Bet they were rubbing their hands with glee in preparation for his 18th!

Maybe one of xenia's friends?

My total advice as a flute teacher is go to Top Wind.

That's it.

No seriously, Andy etc. will totally see you right. I would just buy a head at this stage - you can add the flute later if you need to

Some of that Grade 7 and 8 stuff will sound and feel totally lovely on a silver head.

Thanks ,yes it's a head we're after I think.She actually preferred the altus head with the solid silver mouthpiece rather than the solid silver pearl head.Will definately arrange a trip to topwind.thanks for the advice.

Friends DD had new flute for grade 7 & it cost over £2000 with VAT reclaimed by school purchase scheme. It is "pink" (really it is rose silver), and she has now passed grade 8 (aged 15).

However, her saxophone teacher then said she needed a new one (at several thousand pounds) to take her grade 7, and she has several other instruments.

Where doed it stop?