What do you think of an armstrong 140?
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
What do you think of an armstrong 140?
I just bought a used armstrong 104 and am ok with it, but i wonder if i made a good choice?.. Well I bought it because i want to play it in school next year for band... so what do you say?
Last edited by moises911 on Fri Oct 29, 2004 9:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
I am in 8th grader and will begin playing the flute in high school! ^-^ (not bragging here) LOL
Is the model # 140 or 104? Im unfamiliar with a # 140, but the 104 is the basic Armstrong student flute, usually played by beginners, and retained by high schoolers for marching band. It's a good basic flute with a decent scale (plays in tune ok) and reasonably good tone. 
How advanced is your playing?
How advanced is your playing?Yeah, it is a 104, lol. Im going to barely start as a begginer in high school, so i dont plan on playing in a band soon, just band "class", lol. But im going to save up money to buy a better flute. Does anyone know any good brands that have color flutes? I would love one of those, but i wonder if you can bring those to band class. If you do know one can you give me a link to the website? Thanxx! 
I am in 8th grader and will begin playing the flute in high school! ^-^ (not bragging here) LOL
oh i saw this store on ebay that manufactured flutes and they had them on mostly every color. But when i tries seeing what brand it was, it only told me the manufacturers name, it was something like, "victorian music" or something like that, but i didnt like it cuz it sounded mysterious considering they all should have a brand name, even if it isnt such a good one, you know? 
I am in 8th grader and will begin playing the flute in high school! ^-^ (not bragging here) LOL
don't get a colored flute (unless you are ungodly rich). From my experience (and I've tested a good number of intermediate/advanced flutes...and tried out a few beginners-speaking of which I still can't narrow down which intermediate/advanced flute is the best...), the flutes that are colored don't have a pure of a tone. They don't project well, either. Most colored ones are also beginner flutes, so that wouldn't be much of a step up.
What I'd suggest trying when you plan to upgrade is
1.get a new headjoint or
2.get a new flute
Now, about headjoints. Solid silver is the step up to silver plated. If you practice more often, and hold off getting a new headjoint, I'd recommend getting a wooden headjoint (those things sound beautiful)
About flutes. Depending upon how much you practice (and whether or not you really practice), there's a variety of options for you to make.
Gemeindhart's-not my personal favorite, they are ok.
Emerson-again, ok flutes
Pearl-pretty nice, again, not the best
Jupiter- their workmanship is still not up to par (aka big no-no, even though our first chair plays one)
Altus-nice flutes (expensive)
Yamaha-either I've been playing on really bad ones or they're really bad at making flutes.
I'd suggest trying out (from WWBW, or from fluteworld) an Emerson model 8B, a Gemeindhart model 3SB, a Jupiter Dimedici 911, a Pearl 665 Quantz, or 775 Quantz, and a Yamaha model YFL-381H or model YFL-481H. Also try out the Poor Man's Wood Flute. From what I've heard, it sounds relatively good. My teacher also recommends looking at www.flute4u.com at Miyazawas.
Hope that helps a little bit.
What I'd suggest trying when you plan to upgrade is
1.get a new headjoint or
2.get a new flute
Now, about headjoints. Solid silver is the step up to silver plated. If you practice more often, and hold off getting a new headjoint, I'd recommend getting a wooden headjoint (those things sound beautiful)
About flutes. Depending upon how much you practice (and whether or not you really practice), there's a variety of options for you to make.
Gemeindhart's-not my personal favorite, they are ok.
Emerson-again, ok flutes
Pearl-pretty nice, again, not the best
Jupiter- their workmanship is still not up to par (aka big no-no, even though our first chair plays one)
Altus-nice flutes (expensive)
Yamaha-either I've been playing on really bad ones or they're really bad at making flutes.
I'd suggest trying out (from WWBW, or from fluteworld) an Emerson model 8B, a Gemeindhart model 3SB, a Jupiter Dimedici 911, a Pearl 665 Quantz, or 775 Quantz, and a Yamaha model YFL-381H or model YFL-481H. Also try out the Poor Man's Wood Flute. From what I've heard, it sounds relatively good. My teacher also recommends looking at www.flute4u.com at Miyazawas.
Hope that helps a little bit.
Oooooo, look out for (avoid) EBay! Not that it's impossible to get a good deal on there, but you've got to REALLY know what you're looking for, and have some experience with lots of flutes, to resist all the substandard flutes available on EBay, and to sort through the items which are mislabeled, incorrectly listed, or just outright scams... You've only begun playing flute, eh? It's cool you're starting 
, but wait a bit (ample time to save up $$$, too) to try out some intermediate flutes until you're playing well enough to truly hear a big difference beween a new ("better") one and your current model. When you're ready for a new one your teacher should be able to offer some great suggestions. The type of intermediate flute you buy should be based on your abilities and goals. A few of my students are just about ready to make this switch, and have a lot to consider before plunking down the $$$$. How seriously do they want to play? Are they playing incredibly well already? do they want to remain competitive with other junior- and senior-high school students for All-State and other auditions? Do they want a flute to last until well after college, if they're not pursuing a music degree? Do they only play moderately well and only want to play in their church or a community band? Do they want to be a professional musician? Is it ok to buy a flute now that they may have to replace in two-three years because they're then outplaying the flute? Many of the girls sound very nice on the intermediate Armstrongs, although these have changed slightly in the past year or so. A choice of headjoints is available, which helps. You can get most of these for uner $2000 US. During college, a lot of the education majors, and even a performance-major graduate student, played on the Yamaha 500 or 600 ($2400 and up, depending on options) series flutes. Solid silver is nice, but another consideration is whether the better craftsmanship of a silver-plated (with silver head only) Muramatsu, or something, trumps solid silver of a lesser brand (I think it does). Sooo much to think about-----but don't do it right now...just relax and play and study and get kinda good, and stuff'll start falling into place. 
Have fun!!
, but wait a bit (ample time to save up $$$, too) to try out some intermediate flutes until you're playing well enough to truly hear a big difference beween a new ("better") one and your current model. When you're ready for a new one your teacher should be able to offer some great suggestions. The type of intermediate flute you buy should be based on your abilities and goals. A few of my students are just about ready to make this switch, and have a lot to consider before plunking down the $$$$. How seriously do they want to play? Are they playing incredibly well already? do they want to remain competitive with other junior- and senior-high school students for All-State and other auditions? Do they want a flute to last until well after college, if they're not pursuing a music degree? Do they only play moderately well and only want to play in their church or a community band? Do they want to be a professional musician? Is it ok to buy a flute now that they may have to replace in two-three years because they're then outplaying the flute? Many of the girls sound very nice on the intermediate Armstrongs, although these have changed slightly in the past year or so. A choice of headjoints is available, which helps. You can get most of these for uner $2000 US. During college, a lot of the education majors, and even a performance-major graduate student, played on the Yamaha 500 or 600 ($2400 and up, depending on options) series flutes. Solid silver is nice, but another consideration is whether the better craftsmanship of a silver-plated (with silver head only) Muramatsu, or something, trumps solid silver of a lesser brand (I think it does). Sooo much to think about-----but don't do it right now...just relax and play and study and get kinda good, and stuff'll start falling into place. Have fun!!I wholeheartedly agree with the ebay thing
Anyways, if you have the cash, and you plan on going on to college to do some playing (or all-state band), try out straubinger flutes, and drelinger headjoints. I know for a fact that straubinger is a good company, they made my lesson teacher's flute, and her previous teacher's flute, etc etc. Made the footjoint much easier to use for free, unfortunately, the price is... well, I'll let you find that out....(remember, unless you are really wanting to go somewhere with flute, DO NOT LOOK AT THE PRICING)
Anyways, if you have the cash, and you plan on going on to college to do some playing (or all-state band), try out straubinger flutes, and drelinger headjoints. I know for a fact that straubinger is a good company, they made my lesson teacher's flute, and her previous teacher's flute, etc etc. Made the footjoint much easier to use for free, unfortunately, the price is... well, I'll let you find that out....(remember, unless you are really wanting to go somewhere with flute, DO NOT LOOK AT THE PRICING)