Gemeinhardt Flute
The 2SP has been a frequent and authenti instrument choice for decades and remains the most frequent instrument chosen by dealers and educators for beginning flutists. With an unexampled level of quality control including two tiers of professional magnehelic bench testing, the 2SP provides a solid foundation for student musicians to build on.
Gemeinhardt is the world’s greatest exclusive maker of piccolos and flutes, making musical instruments for all level players from beginning students to professionals. Kurt Gemeinhardt was born in Germany and served as an apprentice to his father, also a flute maker. In fact, Kurt Gemeinhardt was a fourth generation flute maker. It is no wonder that Gemeinhardt has had a significant influence on the evolution of the flute in the 20th century.
In 1928 Kurt moved to Elkhart, Indiana, America’s mid-20th century capital for musical instrument production. In 1948 he opened his own constructing plant called The Gemeinhardt Company. Gemeinhardt specialized in all-silver flutes, and in 1952 the plant had to be expanded to accommodate orders. Later, Gemeinhardt also made entry level flutes and other intermediate models.
In the late 1990s, Gemeinhardt acquired Roy Seaman Piccolo Company, which was famous for it is handmade granadilla wood piccolos that are in demand from masters the world over. Today, Gemeinhardt makes a range of flutes, including piccolos, student, intermediate, and professional flutes, bass flutes, and alto flutes.
The company is now part of a parent organization, Gemstone Musical Instruments, also based in Elkhart Indiana. Gemstone makes and distributes each level flute under a assortment of names, including Gemeinhardt, which has a long reputation as a company that makes magnificent flutes with pretty intonation.
You may still on occasion find a hand-crafted Gemeinhardt flute from the 1960s – a heap of of them made by Kurt Gemeinhardt himself. These are amazing instruments, a good deal of of which feature an open hole design, which allows for a richer, more lush tone. Anyone lucky sufficient to find a solid silver open hole flute from the 1960s will compensate various thousand dollars for it, but in addition to it is inherent quality and craftsmanship, it will have a long history to go with it, and might just have been kept in the hands of the outstanding Kurt Gemeinhardt himself.
Gemeinhardt Flute Photo
Gemeinhardt Flute Image
Gemeinhardt Flute Image
Gemeinhardt Flute Photo
Most helpful client reviews
53 of 53 persons found the following review helpful.
 Great Beginner Flute! Best value for your money
By D. R. Gendreau
I did the homework so you don’t have to.
I looked around a long time before settling on this peculiar flute. My daughter is starting band and I wanted a decent starter flute that would be easy to play and be lasting at the same time. I played in band galore years ago and I have seen a huge array of dissimilar instruments. I can’t see how you could a better value than this instrument. First of all it is Triple silver plated not nickel/silver like so some cheap flutes are. It is very apparent when you primary see this instrument that is silver plated. I may tell you this instrument is not one thing short of stunning in appearance. More significantly than basi aspect is silver may be polished to regain primary luster. I played a brass instrument that had a clear lacquer coat that looked astounding after 2 years even even though I cleaned my instrument after each use. I had a friend that had a silver plated trumpet that was gorgeous after 6 years of playing. For me personally, silver plated is the best compromise from the intermediate and professional flutes that have gold and silver and other precious metals in their hardware. Please keep in mind this finish may still be worn off. You perfectly will have to wipe this instrument off after each use. The acid and oils in your hands and saliva will eat the finish off the instrument. This is much more lasting than the cheap lacquer coated instruments but you still have to take care of it. It will surely stay finelooking much longer than one that is not silver plated.
Open or closed 16 hole? My intention is to get my daughter a dissimilar flute or piccolo as she progressed if she desired to proceed in band. As an introductory flute the closed hole is a better solution for a heap of as it is difficult for most young learners to keep that hole closed and learn the other fingerings. That being said, if you want to get a single flute for your child I would suggest as the best option one that has a plug that may be got rid of for that 16th hole or an open 16th hole flute. You will find galore beginner flutes that have the 16th hole closed. Sometimes referred plainly as a Plateau model.
Curved head or not? If my daughter was not closely 12 with intermediate length arms I might would consider this option. I shied away from this because I was afraid that altering it back to a straight flute could potentially injure my daughter’s progress. Good technique starting from the get started will get over the problem of the keys being so far out. In case anybody is marveling what I am talking about, Jupiter one of the brands that sells a flute with a C-shaped head joint that shortens the distance you have to reach with your right hand to play the flute. Maybe I am too old school, but I think that playing with the usual shaped instrument will lead to better overall progress. This model does not come with that option. It was something that I explored so I put that info here in case you where taking into account that for your child. Please disregard this paragraph if you are not mesmerized in this option for your child.
Key Action. One comment I read here said the key action was “stiff”. First of all, this is a beginner instrument, you want the key action to be clean and decisive. Stiff in my sentiment is an overstatement. This misleading comment alone could turn hundreds off to what I consider a great starter instrument. I played this instrument and went through the entire range of keys and I found them to be very good to excellent. I think perhaps if you where looking for an intermediate or professional instrument that this one would be rather disappointing. I would feel a vast majority of beginners would be very satisfied with the key action with an equivalent number of masters would be sorely disappointed. Please take the “stiff keys” review with a grain of salt. My review is strictly from a search for a beginner’s instrument view.
I found this an easy flute to learn on. I have never played one in my life and found the tone to be very clear and easy to blow. The very same “stiff key” review cited a harsh tone. I may not say that is true.
I expended a long time looking all over for the best value instrument. My selections where a applied Yamaha or this one new. I am not a huge fan on buying used products, I would never consider buying a applied band instrument that was not lately refurbished by a professional music shop. You may speedily rack up a huge bill on alternate pads, key substitute and adjustments.
I think when you go just underneath this price point you genuinely get into the cheap stuff. Poor key action, bad misaligned pads, poor craftsmanship and a finish that looks ugly after a year. [...].
[...].
36 of 36 persons found the following review helpful.
Excellent Beginner Flute
By A
When I basi started playing the flute two years ago, I received this flute as a gift from my parents. It has served me in a faithful manner so far, and I have only had to take it for repair once, and that was just a quick tightening of a leaking key.
The Gemeinhardt 2SP is a VERY lasting flute. It withstood my rough, clumsy, inexperienced fingers and my innumerable dropping of it. (On carpet, thankfully.)
The headjoint, keys, body, and footjoint are all silver-plated. Although the quality of the tone cannot, of course, match those of an intermediate or professional flute, they come out clear and without apparent effort and are more than sufficient for a beginner.
I highly commend the Gemeinhardt 2SP for the flute beginner.
Two thumbs up!
25 of 25 persons found the following review helpful.
 beginner flute
By R. Meadows
I received the flute quick and in good condition exept for numerous sticky goo on the inside of the body piece, in regards to an inch wide. I took it off with q-tip and vascoline. The embouchure hole is the oval shape (unlike the Jupiters and Armstrong, which is a rounded-off square shape), and requires soft playing to get clear notes. If you like a better tone, and do not mind using more air power, I suggest the other models mentioned. For now Im happy with this model, since the notes are quicker having the little oval shape, and necessitating less effort and air. For my indoor sparetime activity I find it suitable for soft and quiet playing. The keys are soft to the touch, not bouncy, and you get a black plastic cleaning rod with it.
See all 23 client reviews…
|
