PRO MODEL YAMAHA YFL881B .925 STERLING SILVER FLUTE. Pristine, clean 100% new pads, top-of-the-line Japanese Start Price USD 3,975.00 Current Price USD 3,975.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price USD 4,175.00 Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, November 26, 2008 End Time Saturday, December 06, 2008 Location Wichita, Kansas See more about 'PRO MODEL YAMAHA YFL881B .925 STERLING SILVER FLUTE.' Description WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY 2525 East Douglas Avenue Wichita, KS 67211 Tel: (316) 684-0291; FAX (316) 684-6858 Email: wbic@wichitaband.com A FINE AND ORIGINAL HAND MADE SOLID STERLING SILVER FLUTE FROM YAMAHA’S CUSTOM WORKSHOP. Stamped on the head “ silver / 925 / CY” plus Yamaha’s logo. Stamped on the body “ YAMAHA / established in 1887 / Japan” and “silver”, plus serial number 2292 on the trill-keys rib. We don’t have a full list of Yamaha’s serial numbers, but believe it was manufactured about 1990. Researching the catalogs in our library, we’ve discovered this model, the YFL-881H, was Yamaha’s “top of the line” when it was made. It’s quite a fine instrument, actually. The head, body and foot plus all keywork, are of .925 pure sterling silver. All tone-holes are soldered to the body, as are the best flutes from 19th. century Paris and 20th. century Boston. Pad cups are pointed and the key-arms extend over the pad cups, exactly like the best hand-made flutes from Boston or Paris. The solid silver body and head measure .015 inches thick and all tone-holes are soldered to the tube, not extruded like the cheaper “commercial” models. Embouchure measures 10.2 X 11.9 mm. Sounding length is 629 / 630 mm (A = 442 / 443 ). Yamaha’s model YFL-881 is still in production, as we understand it. Current “suggested retail price” is now about $8,000, with street price a bit over six thousand. Our flute was a recent trade-in, but it came to us in very good original condition. We’ve lightly polished the silver, have replaced ALL pads and corks and are pleased to offer it to our clients with our full recommendation and 24 month service warranty. Springs are all original, are white gold and do not need to be replaced. They’re good for another century or more. There seems to be a bit of confusion about what constitutes a “hand made” flute. Years ago, the cheaper instruments, always with extruded tone-holes and flat pad-cups, were sold by Boston flute maker, the William S. Haynes Company, through a small dealer network. Ergo, the so-called “Commercial” designation for this model. The better flutes, those with soldered tone-holes, pointed pad cups and extended key-arms, were sold only through the Haynes offices in Boston. They called them “hand made” models and so do we. We’ve been told that the original design of these superb instruments came from the dozen years that Verne Q. Powell was the shop foreman at Haynes. Verne quite liked the way the French flutes of Louis Lot played and was able, in the early 1920’s, to convince Bill Haynes to introduce a similar “top of the line” model for America’s professional players. Yamaha’s “handmade” flutes are based on the original designs of Paris master technician Louis Lot and later instruments from Haynes and Powell. Restoration and padding work on this superb Japanese flute was done by our premier flute technician, Allan K. Shorthill. Keywork is “French” (open holes) and the G is “in-line” and has B foot. Please note the original case with the instrument, which looks almost new. The flute has been very little in the past 20 years. Reserve price on this superb American flute is $3,975. ”Buy it now” price is $4,175. We have no hesitation in recommending this instrument to one and all. NOTE NOTE NOTE. We’ll visit France and England from December 3 until December 15 and if there might be a musician in those lands who has interest in this superb instrument, we’re happy to put it in the briefcase and bring it with us. It would be a good opportunity to arrange a “hand to hand” delivery, which would eliminate UPS charges and any possible shipping damage. ******************** Wichita Band Instrument Company is a small musical instrument emporium located in the center of the USA. We’ve been in business since 1953 and have had the same owner since 1963. Originally we were a repair shop that specialized in woodwind and sax restoration. Today we have 18 employees including eight of the finest repair technicians in the country. Virtually ALL the items we sell have been fully reconditioned in our own shop, although we do sell a few unrestored historical instruments each year. Due to the heavy demand for our services, we do no school repairs, and very few “walk-in” repairs. It’s sometimes possible to buy a professional flute on Ebay for a lower price, but unless that instrument wears all new pads and corks from a reputable shop, you won’t know how it plays until you spend another several hundred to have it mechanically overhauled. With a used flute from OUR shop, you know it’s in the finest condition when it arrives at your home! Here’s what we do to all used flutes we sell: The instrument is taken apart and everything washed clean. We don’t believe in chemical dips, but do use plenty of soap and water! Dings are next burnished from body, head and foot. With a little effort, we can make things look “like new” again. After the body-shop work’s been completed, we swedge hinge-tubes tight again and re-fit them to the flute body. Finally, pads and corks are replaced and the instrument play-tested. Most customers tell us that our flutes are then actually “mechanically better than new”. Wichita Band’s service warranty is the same as it’s been for more than thirty years: “ALL new and all used instruments sold by Wichita Band Instrument Company come with our 24 month service warranty. It’s in addition to any factory guarantees. For two full years, we will repair or replace ,whichever in our estimation is the more advisable, pads, corks, springs or other parts required, at no charge to the customer. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance charges. Cases and plating finishes are not covered by our service warranty but are sometimes covered by factory guarantees.” Wichita Band Instrument Company maintains a repair department capable of restoration work of the highest quality. Even though repairs are essentially “free” for the first two years, after that period has expired, we remain at your service to maintain and repair your musical equipment forever. It’s our “service after the sale” promise and has been since 1953! In the event that a customer requires service under factory guarantees or Wichita Band’s service warranty, the item must be returned to us and not directly to the manufacturer. Anything we sell can be sent to you for a short approval period without obligation. We collect NO SALES TAX, unless you’re lucky enough to live in Kansas. The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance and must pre-pay back to us any freight and insurance charges on returned equipment. International shipping is available. Returned items will be refunded within 3 weeks of receiving the item. We’re happy to send any instrument “on approval” for ten days, but ask the prospective buyer to pay shipping both ways and to reimburse us for posting, clean-up and re-stocking charges (2.95%) on any returned instrument. VISA/MASTERCARD/DISCOVER/MONEY ORDER/CHECK/WIRE TRANSFER ACCEPTED. Credit cards not accepted from some countries. Must ship to the credit card billing address with exceptions made at our discretion. We’re happy to respond to any and all questions about flutes and other musical instruments, but please don’t write and ask “What’s granny’s mellophone worth?”. Do an Ebay search and you’ll learn more than we’ll be able to tell you. **** ******** Keep in mind that it’s sometimes possible to buy a used flute on EBay for a lower price. But any instrument from our shop will be completely restored to like-new condition. Our shop has eight full-time technicians to serve you, including three who work only on woodwind instruments. And as we strongly recommend you “try before you buy”, it’s possible for our clients to locate the flute that’s perfect for them. Send it back for a refund and we’ll still be friends. OUR STORE Place a Bid!