can you please recommend me some cheapie beginner flutes about 50 dollars to start with. (with recommended sources/ shops/ sites)
also what key should I choose.
berti
Hi.
The only flutes in your range of $ I can recomend is Tony Dixon’s cylindrical PVC flutes which are good for the price. Tony Dixon is the nicest man. Check his website out at http://www.tonydixonmusic.co.uk/about.html .
These cheapie flutes are great for teaching you embouchure and grip, but are obviously not for preformance or sessions.
There are other makers of cylindrical PVC flutes, and PVC in general is probably a better choise than the cheapie wood flutes out there, these PVC’s are hand crafted and tuned by good craftsmen as opposed to most cheap wood flutes I’ve seen or heard about.
Good Luck
Also, the Hammy practice flute: http://homepage.tinet.ie/~hammie/practice.htm. At EUR 70 + shipping it’s a bit above your price range, but worth every cent. My humble opinion, others’ mileage may vary.
Sonja
Hi!
For that kind of money I would cast my vote on a bamboo flute by Patrick Olwell or Steven Cox (Tallgrass Winds).
Key? - Depends on what you plan to use it for.
For ITM go for a #D
/MarcusR
I started with the Doug Tipple PVC flute, which he sells on eBay. After playing it for months I moved on to a Sweetheart. I just got an M&E that I’ll start playing once I feel more comfortable.
-jeff
I’ve got a Doug Tipple flute in D. It’s the gray PVC version with offset holes and tuning slide.
Here’s the current eBay listing:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10183&item=3719598532&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
They go for $49.95 + $6 shipping.
It’s a good flute for that price but I have a Casey Burns Mopane Beginner’s flute now which is what I play. The Burns is better I think but it’s also $250.
If you’d like to give the Tipple flute a Try PM me. I’ll sell it for $40 including shipping.
-Brett
I don’t know where Blackbeer is, so I’ll go ahead and pitch Alan Mount’s PVC flute in his place. 
Seriously, lots of fun, ergonomic fingerholes, care free, 50 bucks last I heard (I bought mine used).
Search Alan Mount, he’s a board member.
Mary
i would highly recommend a 3 piece dixon polymer. there are several knocking about secondhand for around $100 or so & they sound fantastic for the price
tim
key of d - unquestionably ! most ITM is playable on a d flute with little or no cross fingering/half-holing
I have a Doug Tipple PVC flute in the key of D and Steve Cox Bamboo in G. Both are nice flutes and both makers are a pleasure to deal with. The Tipple is easier to play but I like the sound of the Cox much better and play it almost exclusively. You can’t go wrong with either.
I just recieved a Hammy practise flute on loan from a generous member. He apperantly didn’t like it very much, but now that I have it here I can’t see why. It’s wonderful flute. Full, rich, strong and reedy tone, light weight and a very comfortable finger strech. This is indeed the best cheapie flute I’ve ever played. I previously recomended the Dixon PVC, and I wount change that, it is a decent beginner model, and very inexpensive, but the Hammy is ten times better.