Fluteland.com Flute Message Board

I'm not familiar with the 105, but if I had to make a guess, I'd say it is just an open hole version of the Armstrong 104 student flute.

In the end, it really is your choice. If it feels right, plays right, and sound right, then that is what you should get. The C# and split E are extra cost options, not requirements. The extra cost up front will slightly increase later resale value, but not dramatically. I have neither option on my f...

There is not one answer to this question. A lot depends upon the style, instrumentation, capabilities of the player, and even personal preference can be a factor.

AFAIK, Yamaha does not publish serial numbers. You could try contacting Yamaha to see what they can tell you about the instrument. I have a YPC-62 that I bought about 10 years ago and it is a decent piccolo. The logo on mine is a bit different than the one in your photo. Personally, I would be less ...

As far as I know, there is no such thing as an Armstrong 180 B. I looked it up on eBay and it looks like a standard sterling silver Armstrong Model 80 B that has been plated or colored gold (probably done aftermarket rather than at the factory) For the price you paid, if it is in good playing condit...

Your best bet would be to visit a specialty flute store that stocks and sell a wide variety of headjoints. That way you can a wide variety of headjoints to find something that suits your preferences and needs. Many major cities have such a shop. I would not recommend trying to get your Artley headjo...

My ophthalmologist is also a musician, so he understands the needs of musicians. Every time my prescription changes he also writes a second prescription for "music glasses". The prescription is for progressive lenses that are optimized for reading music at an arms length away. You may want to discus...

I don't know. Do they sell ear plugs for cats?

Seriously though, play recorded flute music in the house when you are not practicing. Perhaps that will get them more accustomed to it if they hear it more frequently and don't necessarily associate the flute sounds only with you.

Glad to hear that you are making progress!

Most likely, you are just pressing the flute too hard with the left index finger. That will tend to diminish the blood circulation which can lead to the "pins and needles" sensation. Make a conscience effort to use less pressure to balance the flute and take more frequent breaks to promote blood cir...

All the flutes you mentioned are fine flutes worthy of your consideration. I have a friend who swears by Brannen and others who like Haynes. For me, I chose a Muramatsu AD (the predecessor of the DS) more than 20 years ago and have continued to play it since then, although I did switch to a David Wi...

For a 7 year old, the main consideration will be the size of the flute. With stringed instruments, 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 size instruments are available so that the instrument is appropriately sized for younger hands and arms. That is not so much the case with flutes. Your thought of visiting a flute spe...

The difference is in the percentage of silver versus other metals in the alloy. 925 sterling silver is 92.5% sliver. The alloys with higher percentages of silver simply exceed the 92.5% silver benchmark to be designated "Sterling". The only notable difference is that higher silver percentages tend t...

Welcome to the Fluteland Board! Don't get discouraged. After a timeout from playing, it takes a while to get back to a high level of playing. While I never totally stopped playing, (I'm a doubler - flute, sax and clarinet) I did not do much playing for about 10-15 years. It took me a while but I did...

Welcome to Fluteland! For starters, take a look at the Fluteland Frequently Asked Questions page: Fluteland FAQ That has a lot of good information about selecting flutes and various brands that are well respected, good brands. After you peruse the FAQ, feel free to come back and ask some more specif...