Testing a completed flute

FAQ

-Are you an expert on flutes?

Well, I guess you could call me that, but really I mostly consider myself a flute geek! You know those people who are so obsessed with Star Trek that they go to conventions and know how to speak the Vulcan language of Klingon? I'm kind of like that with flutes. The flute is both my career and my hobby; I am fascinated with all aspects of flute playing, flute repair, flute history, and everything flute! I am an accomplished semi-pro flute player and a talented repairman. Fixing up used flutes is an enjoyable activity for me, so I don't really care that much about how much profit I make.

-How good are the flutes you sell?

I sell beginner level flutes of the highest quality, specifically the Gemeinhardt 2SP. Why do I only sell one brand and model of flute? Well, first of all, this particular brand and model of flute is universally known as one of the best beginner flutes made. Every teacher I know, as well as myself, recommends this make and model to their beginner students. It is the top selling flute in America, and the second highest selling band instrument in general. They are easy to buy and sell because there is such a large market for them.

Specializing in one type of flute also makes me an expert at repairing them; I've got these flutes down to a science! I know these flutes like the back of my hand, which allows me to bring out the best in them when I fix them up.

Every so often I encounter a flute which is unrepairable, or just doesn't play well. This has happened several times. Instead of "doing my best" on them, I send them to the "spare parts and experimentation" drawer. I will not sell flutes which I think are not good enough for my high standards. About 10 percent of the flutes I buy are not good enough. And that of the flutes I buy, considering that I only buy about half of the flutes I look at. Thankfully, there's actually a pretty good market for lamps made of flutes, so I don't lose too much money. If you buy my flutes, you can be confident that you are getting a good flute, not the typical junk. To succeed in business, you must have the best of something. My goal is to sell the highest quality used student flutes on eBay. You determine the price.

-What if I buy a flute and I don't like it?

I gaurantee your satisfaction. If you need to, you may return the flute within 7 days or receiving it and I will refund you your money. Why do I do this? Because I know that there are dozens of people waiting desperatly for a chance to buy one of my flutes, and I have no trouble selling them. I also offer a 30 day warranty, good for free repairs during your first month with the flute. No one has ever had to use this, but I offer it just in case. On very rare occasions weird things can happen during shipment, I supose.

-Should I buy a flute new or used?

I always prefered used flutes myself, if in like new condition. Flutes are not like cars. They are not ticking time-bombs and do not have a life expectancy. These flutes will last forever if well maintained. So, there is no problem with buying used flutes. The catch, however, is that the pads on flutes do go bad. After several years of playing, or a long time sitting in a closet, the pads will leak, causing the flute to play badly. It's hard for ordinary people to detect these leaks, so some people just assume the flute is beyond its heyday. However, if the pads are changed, the flute will play like new again. Of couse, the problem is that a re-pad service can cost between 150 and 300 dollars. The flutes that I fix up I buy on ebay, and let me tell you something: if the seller says "pads look fine to me", they probably still need work. My guess is that 70 to 90 percent of the ordinary used flutes for sale on ebay will need work soon. That means big bucks. My flutes are completely overhauled, and are ready to go for years. The flutes I sell are used, but play like or better than new. Of couse, they sometimes have some minor cosmetic blemishes, such as scratches or slight dings. None of these affect the sound. If it did, I wouldn't sell them.

-Putting my child in band seems so expensive! Is it really worth it?

Buying your kid a 300 dollar flute does seem expensive, but when you compare the cost of band to other popular extracurricular activities, you will find that band is surprisingly cheap, and well worth the money! The price of traveling sports teams such as soccer, football, or hockey can cost $300 per season, plus the cost of equipment, shoes, uniforms, and transportation. Karate classes can be expensive as well, $50 to $75 per month. Still, none of these extracurricular activities come even close to providing the benefit that music education has been proven to provide. Playing in band will make your child smarter, more confident, and socially active. It also a great activity for special needs students with learning disabilities, physical handicaps, or behavior/emotional issues. And trust me, no other activity will improve your child listening skills better! So while an initial investment of a few hundred dollars seems like much, it is actually one of the best deals in education, and a great investment in your child future. See the link at the bottom entitled ow Playing in Band Makes You Smarterfor specific information and research.

-I've bid on your auctions, but so far I've been unable to win.

Keep trying, I know it can be difficult to win an auction sometimes. I sell only a very limited quantity of very fine flutes, and many bidders walk away disappointed. I also usually have a few Buy-It-Now flutes for sale in my Ebay Store!

-I still have a question, do you mind if I email it to you?

Sure! I love answering questions, and I'd be happy to send you a very detailed response, even if it's not about my own auctions. I can give any advice you'd like to receive.

Sound Clip Samples!

Here are some samples of different flutes of different price levels playing the same song. The differences in sound are more dramatic in person, of course, but my cheap microphone gives a pretty good impression anyway. The first is of a Gemeinhardt 2SP, the kind of flute I sell. The second clip is of my own performance flute, a solid gold handmade flute by Pearl, worth $15,000-$17,000.