Greetings,
While it’s preferable to avoid cracked headjoints, you’ll find that they are frustratingly common in antique instruments with lined headjoints. Don’t fully discount anything with a cracked headjoint. Many cracks that can be professionally repaired to the point of being invisible. Print out pictures from eBay and take them to the fellow who will do your repair/restoration work for a better idea of what to avoid.
When shopping on eBay, pay special attention to the feedback rating. Even when a seller has a very high rating, I always click through to read the good and the bad. Almost any seller with a rating in the hundreds or more will have some negative feedback so don’t be turned off if the seller has had a few run ins. What I look for is whether or not the seller has received negative feedback recently or longer ago. Those who are going through a “bad patch” should be avoided for the short term.
The feedback page is also where you find out how the seller has earned his rating. If you discover that a seller deals mostly in second-hand paperbacks priced at less than $1 or household knick-knacks, then you’ll want to ask that seller a lot of specific questions. You’ll also want to provide some very specific directions on how the instrument should be packaged if you win. They may charge you more for shipping, but it’s worth it. You would be amazed at how some sellers pack unfamiliar merchandise.
The most common antique flutes on eBay are the German factory models. Some are wonderful. Some are dogs. And it’s impossible to tell when you’re buying based on a jpg image. With these instruments, you should make sure that a satisfactory return policy is in place and understood by both buyer and seller.
“Brand Name” flutes (both antique and modern) pop up on occasion, but you’re going to pay premium for a Pratten, Ruddall & Rose, Hamilton, Healy, McGee, etc. It seems that you’re trying to avoid spending a lot of money.
It’s been said before a million times, but avoid mass-production Pakistani flutes at all cost.
You could also look for sellers who specialize in selling instruments. While you probably won’t find a hot bargain with an established specialist (because they usually have loyal patrons who bid on their offerings regularly), but they tend to offer more accurate and dependable items. So, it’s a peace-of-mind trade off.
There may be others, but I only know of one eBay seller who specializes in selling wooden flutes (and the occasional fiddle & guitar). The user name is glinjack. I’ve never made a purchase from this seller, but he/she has got a good feedback rating and has been selling since 1999. For all I know, this person uses this discussion board.
I hope this helps.
John Harvey
