A good flute is one that delivers a wide range of sound dynamics and is comfortable to play. The Pearl PF-505 E checks both of these boxes and is currently one of the most affordable beginner's flutes on the market. This flute is part of Pearl's Quantz series, which is named in honour of the composer, flute maker, and teacher Johann Joachim Quantz and makes flutes with robust and high-quality pointed French-style arms available to players in the budget price segment. The scope of delivery includes a padded case, a cleaning rod, a polishing cloth, and a gauze pad.
The Pearl PF-505 E makes a convincing case with its well-balanced intonation in all registers and a sound that is both smooth and powerful with plenty of character. A fact worthy of special mention is that the notes in the flute's lower registers do not drop in intonation and respond superbly. The notes in the third octave also intonate very steadily, so that it doesn't require excessive rotary adjustment. The flute is equipped with closed keys, which offer significantly greater comfort compared to ring keys, as the fingers can lay more flexibly on the keys - an important factor in helping beginners to learn successfully.
A beginner's flute should be designed in a manner that enables well-intonated and dynamic playing in all registers. The intonation possibilities shouldn’t be too extensive, but they should not be too limited either. The Pearl PF-505 E’s convincing playing and tonal characteristics make it a good choice for those who want to opt for the flute – whether they are a beginner or coming from another wind instrument. Many flute teachers will also value this flute as a good student instrument thanks to its excellent playing feel and sound characteristics, and on top of that, it is suitable as an affordable backup instrument for saxophonists or clarinettists.
Over the past fifty years, Pearl’s pursuit of perfection and innovation have made the company one of the leading brands in the field of high-quality flutes. The company was founded in 1968 by flute maker Tatsumi Shimoyama in Japan. The patented trademark of all Pearl transverse flutes is the “Pinless” key construction, in which the connecting pins commonly found in other designs are replaced by screw connections, and special “bridge constructions” are also used for added overall strength. In addition, the “One-Piece Core-Bar” provides increased stability and significantly reduces wear. Pearl supplies flutes for all requirements, from high-quality student models to professional-level instruments made of silver or gold for the most exacting players. Many famous flautists, such as Daniela Koch, Juliette Hurel, Benoit Fromanger, and Janos Balint have chosen a Pearl flute.
Until fairly recently, it was still hard to find a beginner’s flute that was both good AND affordable – but those days are thankfully over. Thanks to their excellent sound and playability as well as their reasonable price, Pearl flutes are becoming more and more popular, having also become serious competition for other manufacturers. The Pearl PF-505 E gives players a high-quality flute at an attractive price, and it will cut a fine figure in a wide range of musical applications - from Classical to Pop and from Folk to Jazz - and promises many years of musical enjoyment.