Recommend me a flute please

[AntiJamDidi]

Dd1 and I both play the flute, both around grade 5 standard. Dd1 will continue progressing as she has lessons and probably will have for another 3 or 4 years, I will not because I just play for fun. Currently we share the flute that was bought for me 20 years ago. It's a Yamaha 211 (I had to look on the flute to find that out, I know nothing about flute brands/models)

We want to buy another flute so we can both play at the same time. We don't have a huge budget, I definitely can't afford one like my friend has which cost her in the thousands . But I would like to get a decent one that will be good enough for dd1 to play at higher grades.

So, wise ones, do you have any recommendations? If you don't then I'll stick to a Yamaha, probably sticking to the reasonably priced 211.

I play one of these, studying grade 8 pieces at the moment but only for fun as I play multiple instruments:

(Pearl Quantz 665)
www.justflutes.com/pearl-pf665-quantz-flute-product26178.html

I couldn't afford to spend more than that but even with a silver-plated body there is an advantage to having the solid silver headpiece. If you can afford all-silver, do. The company make better quality instruments too, but their cheaper instruments like this one are very good value for money. You're best to go and try out multiple instruments, but this has definitely been a huge 'step up' from my first flute.

Can you get to JustFlutes to test some.
When dd had to step up after her grade 5 we went and she tried loads..ended up getting altus with silver mouthpiece.

Unfortunately she gave up playing when she went to uni..wants to sell it but i keep talking her out of it.

If you like Yamaha flutes (and I think the 211 is one of the best student flutes available) then you could look at the 311 which has a solid silver head joint. Otherwise Pearl is very good and I still play my 701 model (from 30+ years ago when I was at music college) when I don't want to take out my more expensive flutes.

I'd also recommend a trip to Just Flutes in Croydon if you can get there. Trying out instruments will give you an idea about what type of head joint and embouchure hole suit you.

Also as with any instrument maybe ask your teacher to scout out secondhand instruments from students moving on up..

Thanks all for your comments. I can't get to justflutes unfortunately because we live in Cumbria, but we do have a couple of music shops we can go and try some out at.

Theas your suggestion of scouting out secondhand instruments is a good one. I don't have a teacher (my last lesson was 18 years ago) and dd1 has lessons through school so I've never met her teacher either. I may have to speak to the woodwind teacher at my school to scout some out.

Emmersons are good. Lovely rounded tone with loads of harmonics. It's an American make, I got my second one off eBay after getting one stolen solid silver head makes a difference.

My teacher who used to play professionally in a national orchestra used to worry that my Emmerson sounded as good as her flute which was worth thousands (she had a mortgage on it).

Also in would thoroughly recommend Billy Bowmans in Cockermouth, even over the phone, they have a website but it's not that great.

Thanks for that BigBum, it was Billy Bowmans I was thinking of going to, we've bought all dd1's music there and been really happy with them, I always look very enviously at the instruments and I now have an excuse to try some out

As a flute teacher I would definitely recommend that you test flutes before making an investment, everyone is so individual and what sounds great when paired with one person might not suit another. I do also know a student who went through grade 8 with a yamaha 211, but I think if you're wanting to upgrade away from that flute there are some really good makes out there, often superior to the yamahas with a slightly lower price tag.

dd has same as ggirl - just upgrading the headjoint will make a huge difference, and cheaper than replacing the while thing.

Will you sell the 211 thoughh as that shoudl be worth a couple of hundred?