I just played the Copley Delrin last weekend. It’s a fine flute, well in tune with good tone and easy to play – all those things for $350. And I’m very pleased with my Forbes Delrin which at $400 would serve you well, too.
I wish either of these flutes had been around when I started out. If they were, I’d have at least a couple fewer pieces of kindling on my hands today, having spent both more and less on flutes that weren’t half as rewarding to play at any level.
Good luck!
Here’s a more valid cost comparison of flute v. whistle; Sweetheart - Resonance Flute in African Blackwood v. Sweetheart - Resonance low D whistle in African Blackwood. Each sells for about the same ($450) and each involve about the same amount of time and materials to produce. In fact they share the same body.
You might notice that many keyless flutes require more time and materials to produce. Compare the Copley session flute ($850) to the Copley without tuning slide and long D foot ($550) The session flute has the additional cost/time features of a sterling silver lined head; a sterling silver tuning slide and a separate long D foot.
So, if you are a whistle player looking to transition to flute or a generouus friend looking to help a buddy out, there are options to consider that shouldn’t break the bank. Cheers and good luck. Cyril.
While on the subject of Sweetheart flutes, I’d like to add $0.02.
Earlier this summer I got one of the new Resonance flutes, in blackwood and without rings. As a Sweetheart fan, I wanted to compare the older and the newer flutes.
In a number of ways, this new model is an improved flute. Among other things, it plays just a bit more easily, the hole spacing is about the same, although the holes are just a bit smaller, and on the day I got it Walt Sweet got four d’s out of it, so it has a greater range than the old model.
However, I will not be giving up my old model, as it has a bit more flexibility in terms of color variation, and has a bit more edge (as optional) to its tone.
Bottom line: I like them both, but they are somewhat different flutes. The new flute is more refined, including a wider range of tuning ability, while the old flute is something of a hot rod.
You obviously don’t know a lot of guitarists! 
Actually, the big difference is that there are a lot of decent guitars made in factories today, and few if any wooden flutes made that way outside of Pakistan – this used to not be true. Now, guitars made in Asia or Mexico are made with the identical specs and materials as one made in the good ol’ USA. The cost difference is (often) in the superficial things that make a finer instrument exhibit quality. So, if you want a Strat, one made in Japan is not all that much worse than one made in Californial.
With wooden flutes, they’re all hand made, and a good hand made flute takes a lot of work to make and quality materials, none of which come cheaply. There are good choices of makers that are on the lower side, and some that, good as they are, charge way too much for a keyless, IMO, but beyond that, you’re never going to get a hand-made flute of any quality at a factory-type price.
Sorry – double post!
guessin I’m going to budget around 250ish for a low end, I might just grab one of those PVC models that folks say are good.
3* good options in that price Range (no particular order):
Doug Tipple
A used Tony Dixon 3-Piece Polymer (don’t get the 2-piece PVC one)
Hammy Hamilton Practice Flute
Pat Olwell Bamboo
Billy Miller bamboo
Used Burns Folk flute
Probably forgot someone.
Doc
Hi Lance , having tried cheap plastic flutes to start with myself , I can tell you they only sound good when played in brick built buildings (convenient if you work with the local water company for example) as the acoustics are brilliant and there’s definite satisfaction in playing there.
However, a more expensive plastic flute, e.g. M+E may give that same imaginary person who works with the water company astounding, addictive satisfaction in brick built buildings (and at home and other places too), folds up nice and small for carrying around with him/her…but the important thing is having a flute that’s addictive.
All the best.
James.
having a flute that’s addictive. James.
OH so james, you are saying, it is all flute junkies over here???
NOW I understand…
berti