Yamaha YFL-34

This review is on a YFL-34 Yamaha Flute serial number 0001428. I bought this flute in India for roughly 10,000 Rupees ($200+). The flute is listed as an intermediate flute and was in production from 1974 to 1979.

The flute is smooth in play, and it seems like it survived a bit better through the years than the Selmer Signet I had. As a bonus, this flute, though old, is from a major company, so I have the advantage of someone else proving some of what I'm saying in this review via their website.

While I wish I could commend this flute in sound like the Selmer, I can't. Sterling Silver Body verses just a Sterling Silver Headjoint is, well, quite a difference if you let your notes vibrate the instrument (rather than you vibrating the instrument). However, this flute is in pretty good shape for being from the mid to late 1970's. I have had no pad problems whatsoever. There does not seem to be any convenient way to play a C, though maybe that's just because I keep buying flutes before they made such adjustments to make life easier.

As for this thing, notes vibrating the instrument. To explain. When you play a flute, you'll notice that the bottom notes make the instrument vibrate a little. And if you correct your posture enough and your breathing, the lower notes will vibrate a lot more... and sound better. Every note on the flute can vibrate the metal, though you may not have the feeling in your fingers to feel it. Solving this is easy. Learn braille level I with flash cards. Your touch sensitivity will become much better, and you will be able to feel the vibration of the metal at not so obvious times. Getting this touch sensitivity is necessary if you are an absolute stickler for tone. You don't have to believe me to try what I'm saying. It does work... memorize the braille well, and as the months pass by, after memorizing by feeling rather than looking, you'll see for yourself what I mean.