| Wife is a flutist. I feel your pain.
Muramatsu silver flutes generally run in the $2500 to $8000 range, depending on model and options. They also make gold and platinum instruments in the $12k to $30K range, but if it were one of those I do not think you would be contemplating replacement. As a point of reference, a complete overhaul (partial disassembly, cleaning, replacement of certain parts that wear including pads and springs, reassembly, alignment, testing - sounds like a brake and tire job, no?) by an experienced flute mechanic will run $800 to $1000. From what you describe, this flute is going to need a good deal more repair work than a complete overhaul would entail.
If we are talking about an EX model or similar at the low end of their range, then replacement may be in the same price range as repair and it should be quicker. Because there are few options available on that model (basically inline or offset G key and split E or not) you can probably find a dealer with an exact replacement in stock.
Mid-level models like the GX add wall thickness and C# trill options, so you will have to get lucky to find the exact model that you want in stock. High end models like the GS have even more options and may even have to be special ordered.
A lot of the decision comes down to how much you trust your repairman. Can you trust their work, particularly on the head joint and the key mechanism, to bring the flute back to something close to what it used to be? This is not a job for someone who dabbles in flutes as a sideline to their clarinet business - you want a flute specialist and probably one who works regularly on Miramatsu instruments.
If you are contemplating a used instrument, never buy one that you cannot examine closely and play before purchasing. Realize that high-end used instruments sometimes sell for more than the retail price of the same model new instrument, because you know exactly what you are getting in terms of sound and response and you can get the instrument immediately instead of having to wait anywhere from a couple of months to a couple of years for it to be built.
I agree with violadad. Do not feel that you are imposing on the teacher. Ask her whatever questions that come up. |