Anybody know anything about old flutes?

[Trippstarburst]

I have a Buisson flute that I picked up for about £50 ($90), but it's really old. Does anyone know how I can find out how old it is? And is it worth getting it refurbished?

Anything anyone can tell me about this would be great.

[Tully]

In general, I don't think it's worth it to refurbish a really old flute, as modern ones are usually mechanically better and have a more accurate scale.

[Gordon (NZ)]

I agree entirely. And furthermore, modern flutes have far better tone/response/volume/versatility in timbre. This even appplies to the very best old flutes. You won't find many professional players playing old flutes, like they do saxophones.

I have worked on several Buisson flutes, and would be happy to never play/service one again.

[otomah]

And furthermore, modern flutes have far better tone/response/volume/versatility in timbre. This even appplies to the very best old flutes.

Where would you make the break between modern and old? I considering purchasing a flute to learn on. I've got a very old flute that I am working with now and thought I might like to stop beating my head against the wall.
If I look at used flutes - how old should I consider?

otomah

[bruce bailey]

The only old flutes that are popular today are Haynes and Powell. As far as the break for "new" ones, I would put it at about 1980. Any Yamaha, Emerson, even Jupiter will play better than most older models. I will even consider new Gemeinhardts, Artleys and Armstrongs as being of the old style. As mentioned, saxes and flutes are quite different. One old flute that is nice would be the Conns with the 2 piece sections where the foot is made to the body. A great doubling flute and I have about 10. They are pretty rare and usually go for around $300 and would be from about 1918-32 sort of like a Chu-flute! An old Haynes will set you back at least $1,200 in decent playing condition. For a good easy blowing starter flute, find a Yamaha for around $150.

[Tharruff]

Gordon and Bruce,

My wife has a Selmer New York flute that her mother was given when she was in high school. It was purchased used, probably sometime in the '40's. It has always been kept in good playing condition and is the only flute my wife has ever owned. She plays it regularly and for her needs, is completely happy with it.

It appears to be sterling silver. The serial number is 44XX. I have never seen another Selmer flute.

On the Selmer website there is a brief mention about Selmer flute manufacturing being in New York City at one point in time, (maybe in the '20's ?) then moving to Boston, then to Elkhart. I'm assuming that this flute is one from the first iteration of the Selmer flute company.

Have either of you guys run into one of these flutes over the years ? If so, what was your impression of it ?

[Gordon (NZ)]

When I was a kid Selmer had quite a reasonable name for flutes, and I played on a school one for a short period.

It was nowhere near as good as my teacher's Haynes (then considered an outstanding flute), but better than the Kohlert I then bought, which was better than the Grassi of the day.

The volume was gutless (compared with that Haynes), but the tone was very even across the range.

I later bought that Haynes. Now I find Haynes from that era to be pathetic compared with modern good flutes. I would probably prefer to play a student Yamaha than that Haynes now.

That is all I know, which is actually very little.

[bruce bailey]

I have a Selmer Elkhart flute that is all sterling and I would guess that it was made in the late 30s (C# foot roller). It is marked USN and I remember that the military had a number of these. It is similar to a Haynes of the era. I agree with Gordon that newer flutes are just better in all ways. I recently took a 1936 Haynes that is one of the nicer ones in trade on a lower line flute I make. Even though my flute does not compare in mechanism to the Haynes, it has a better scale and sounds much better due to improvements in flutes over the years.