I am tempted to purchase a used Gilles Lehart or Delrin flute, which seems to be in my college student price range. If someone is selling a Gilles Lehart or Delrin flute I would be curious to hear the prices. I am located in California so stateside shipping is preferred.
A new Lehart is currently priced at €920 (approx. $1000), so with shipping from the EU, that would put it just slightly over your budget. Same for a Lesouef, at €950.
Since you’re in the US, it’s really worth checking with Dave Copley. Last year I got an F flute in delrin from him, and the turn-around time was very short (1 month or so) because he was about to make a new batch when I contacted him. I was a bit lucky, but I expect his waiting time to be very reasonable for a delrin flute since delrin doesn’t need to season.
A D Copley in delrin with tuning slide is $830, and the bare-bones no-frills model $360. Good price, good intonation, forgiving embouchure, strong low D, and a very professional maker.
I used to own a LeHart flute with wood with the same “grainy” look as the once pictured here. But it was well made and a strong player. The wood’s appearance could be a natural feature, a stylistic finishing choice on the part of the maker, or a combination of the two. Buying a flute sight unseen is always a risk, but I personally wouldn’t let the pics turn me off if the flute is otherwise represented as being in good shape and is fairly priced. YMMV.
Hi Denis
I originally posted the link but I apologise I had not studied the pictures closely. I have a Lehart and it is an excellent player. I have watched le boncoin for flutes for sometime and the prices flutes go for are lower than appears to be the case in the USA. This flute has been listed I think for some time. I think it is over priced for its apparent condition. A better looking flute by Juilleret went recently for less. A Hamilton unkeyed flute has been unsold on the boncoin for several months asking price 850 euros. A 6 keyed flute by Morvan is 2300 euros and there is a de Keyser flute for 600 euros all look in better condition than the referred to Lehart. Good flutes come up fairly frequently. As has been said Lehart flutes can be grainy. Mine has never been as grainy looking as this one. the makers stamp appears to have been filled in with white material at some point. Maybe in an amateur attempt at restoration. Clarinet restorers used to do this with gold leaf and inexpert over spillage resulted in fragments sticking in the wood grain. Something like this appears to have happened to the barrel of this flute. I don’t think it is simply a bad photograph. The corks may need replaced here and the slide looks to have a patina which might need expertly polished off. In good condition Leharts play great. The left ring finger can be a bit of a stretch compared to some other flutes but you get used to it. Given this is a flute on the boncoin which has some doubts about its condition and has been unsold for some time I would suggest finding out more about the history of the flute from the seller. I would suggest 500 euros is a fairer price for the flute and would suggest you offer this. If not accepted then watch the boncoin closely for another flute you might fancy. One will eventually turn up. Maybe sooner than you think. I bet this Lehart will still be there. Remember O Hagan in Belfast makes a brilliant flute for £750 . Likewise Baubet also makes a brilliant flute in Galway for 600 euros. I would also check out the price of a Villoing flute from Normandy. I am sorry but I think this flute is overpriced. I hope this helps. Cheers Ian