Cocuswood Boehm flute found in a local shop, is it any good?

[monoRAIL]

I saw this in the window of a music shop:



I don't play Boehm flutes, only keyless irish so far, but this looks fascinating and quite cheap ($325 Australian is about $237 US). Is this any good?

The label says open G# which I believe is an unusual fingering setup for the keys - that doesn't bother me as I haven't learned the alternative system anyway.

It's also 'old pitch' which I guess means it's no A 440Hz, but again that doesn't really bother me as I tend to play on my own mostly.

I will ask to give it a try next time I go past, but I don't really know what to look out for in a boehm flute. I assume you'd check the keys are all sealed properly and that there's no cracks in the wood. Anything else that's important to look at?

[ScottMaurer]

Old pitch is what crushes the value on it. Could be a fine player but its not going to be useful for much but enjoying solo.

[dubrosa22]

Pretty good value to me.
I play on my own too (on flute anyway) so if I were you I'd go in and give it a toot and see if it's a good 'un

V

[jemtheflute]

French made. Thibouville-Lamy made very good quality instruments. "Old pitch" could possibly mean high, made for the English (and British colonial) market, or low, continental diapason normal, but it obviously isn't modern pitch. If you can, measure the sounding length and I can tell you what pitch it is. Open G# is actually a better system than closed, but takes a bit more getting used to. Could be very enjoyable for solo use. Quite likely to need an overhaul, however, if not a full repad and clean etc. But you might be lucky on that front. A proper refurbishment, even not involving any repair work, would doubtless cost more than the asking price, but that, I think, is fair.