The flute appeared on Brad Hurleys “for sale” page yesterday with an asking price of $1500.00. Yet he set his reserve on e-bay at some higher amount. Probably just testing the waters. (I’m looking for a good keyed flute)
Tom,
I just got one. There are lot’s to choose from. What are you looking for?
Bill
Meant to add, I just sold a 4 key LeHart, and just got a Burns’ 6 keyed Rudall and unkeyed Pratten flute, with unkeyed joints for the Rudall flute. Casey Burns and Skip Healy have short waits for keyed flutes, and there’s always the used market.
Bill
Hi. A new flute with six keys made by Jil Léhart is 540 Euros plus 77 for each key. And he offers quality with a year waiting list.
So new, this flute would cost right about 1000 euros, or well under $1100. Seems like the seller is asking quite a premium to avoid the waiting list, perhaps more than is warranted (just my opinion).
I was quite surprised to see this flute appear on Brad Hurley’s site before the auction even ended. Seems a bit shady. If it had met the reserve on eBay, there would have been a legal contract to sell it, so advertising it elsewhere, especially at a lower price, before you know whether that is going to happen just isn’t right, in my opinion.
There’s my 2 cents,
Steven
I happen to know this particular seller; I sincerely doubt he’s doing anything shady, although he may be asking more than he should, depending on your view of pricing used flutes. I know that he’s trying to raise money (or reimburse himself) for a Rudall, and I’m fairly sure that parting with the Lehart wasn’t an easy decision.
The Lehart in question is a very good flute, and because of my having played this particular one, I can wholehearedly recommend Lehart as a maker (it’s the only one I’ve ever personally tried).
As for the seller’s asking price, that seems to be the way some sellers work – we had a thread a while back where I argued that a used flute should be a bit less expensive, or equivalent, to a new one, with the perk that you get it right away. Others argued that a used flute from a good maker, since you can get it right away, should be a bit pricier. I still personally feel that a used instrument should be a bit of a bargain (otherwise, I’d rather work with and have the maker’s guarentee), but someone jonesing for a good 6 key flute might feel the extra few hundred and a flute in hand is worth avoiding the year or so of high anxiety and wait.
Again, knowing the seller, I think he’s just trying a variety of avenues in order to sell his flute for a good price, and, yes, get as much as he can. The flute itself is quite real, and quite nice, and beyond being enterprising, there’s nothing shady going on.
Gordon
I was prepared to buy this flute on e-bay for a max. of $850.00 but it shot up to $1525. I was aware of the new costs. It is 5 years old and has been re-padded and serviced, to me it is worth less than a new one.
I am looking for a flute that has the potential for good top octave intonation and has 5 or 6 keys hopefully placed so a boehm system player like me can adapt without too much agony. Probably all the major makers are good enough but I lack experience to guide me. I have played keyless older wood flutes and keyed older german flutes which I found fascinating, but all were too quiet for me. I want a “honker” as well as good top octave.
I guess I was a little imprecise in my choice of words. When I said shady, I wasn’t implying anything illegal or fraudulent or anything like that. It just seems to me that if you put something up on eBay, you have an obligation to see the auction through (or end it early, if that’s your choice) before making the same item available in another forum.
I certainly do understand the seller’s desire to sell this flute to raise money for another one – FlOA is a whole lot tougher on the wallet than WhOA! And yes, I do agree that many people feel a premium can be paid to avoid a waiting list. I just thought that the premium being asked in this case was a little too high. That’s not to say everyone will feel the same way, and if someone wants to pay that much, great! They get a new flute, and the seller gets to pay for the one on the way. But given that the waiting period is only a year (very reasonable for a 6-key flute these days) and the maker, although well regarded, still doesn’t have the same reputation as someone like Patrick Olwell, more than 50% seemed a bit much to me.
Of course, I’m just stating my opinion, which in the long run won’t matter too much. I won’t buy the flute, but if someone else has a different opinion (and happens to be in the market for a 6-key flute), maybe they will buy it and be very happy. 
Steven
Hello,
I bought a used lehart with six keys for $750 last june. I think it was a steal, i’d have paid more if I knew how good it was. I think though a little less pleasing look wise (funky nickel post keys) it is as good as flutes get. I like it better than some olwells I’ve tried (prattens). Only flute i’d rather have is a sam murray. Some flutes fit the player and especially if you’re new to it you shouldn’t go on name alone, try some flutes and see what works by going to sessions and hearing or playing what you like.
Patrick
Hello.
I happen to be the fortunate/unfortunate owner of the Lehart that was listed on ebay, and currently listed on the Wooden Flute Exchange. Let me first say thank you to Gordon for his affirmation of my character. Indeed, I am not trying to conduct any shady deals. I posted the Lehart on the Exchange when I realized that it was not gong to make my reserve price (or come very close to it) on eBay. Premature, I admit, but not intended to ‘scam’ anyone. As Gordon so eloquently pointed out, I need the money to help finance another flute. I must also say that despite Lehart’s pricing system, I feel the flute is worth ~$1500.00. I have heard over and over again that LeHart flutes are underpriced (perhaps the same can be said of Sam Murray). This particular flute , as Gordon has mentioned, has a wondeful, full, strong tone. As someone else alluded to, it could be designated as a ‘honker.’ I recently sold a three keyed Sam Murray (also an excellent flute), and I have to say that the Lehart seemed to have a ‘crisper’ edge to the notes than the Murray. Both flutes are great. Perhaps it’s just a question of style and preference. Anyway, I wanted to acknowledge this thread (a surprise it was!) and to sya that in no way did I mean to undermind this community or the integrity of the
traditional community when posting the flute on a second list.
Arbo
I am one of the fellows that asked you a question while it was on e-bay. You set your reserve higher than the final bid but it is common (I believe) to approach the last bidder (the one who went $1525) and ask him if he still wants to buy it at that price. His e-mail is on your list of bidders. Good luck.
“This particular flute , as Gordon has mentioned, has a wondeful, full, strong tone. As someone else alluded to, it could be designated as a ‘honker.’”
Wow…
I’ve never seen/heard/played a Lehart flute that I would call a “honker”. I would put them somewhere in between a Rudall and a Pratten (I believe they are actually Rudall replicas) as far as palyability, but to call it a “honker” I think is a bit over the top. I would much sooner call any of the big-bored Prattens (Hamilton, Healy, etc.) honkers than the Lehart.
Just my 2 cents- I think calling a Lehart flute a honker is definitely a mischaracterization of the instrument.
-R-
I seem to be able to get the ‘honk’ out of it. Perhaps we should have a side discussion about the definition of a ‘honker’?
A.
I can verify that Arbo gets the Lehart to honk quite well, though I would have say the flute itself has a purer tone when played sweetly than other so-called “honkers”, including his Murray, which he sold, which had an incredible honk.
Honking, as it were, is a stylistic trait, and while I have a Hamilton Pratten also capable of great honking, it’s not part of the style I employ most regularly. The Lehart is more than capable of allowing a player to do whatever a good player is capable of doing, and want to. While definitely a finer bodied flute than a Pratten, the Lehart is still a large-holed instrument with a good-sized bore, and so it can be made to honk. 
This is a pretty interesting thread ~ Certainly, the flute should be offered to the high bidder, in my opinion. You are willing to take 1500 for it on the other site ~ the high bidder may not have that information available to him.
Mary
Mary,
The flute has been offered to the high bidder who will be made aware of the listing for $1500.00. The high bid offer was $1525.00.
Arbo
Thanks, Arbo! I’m sure he or she will be pleased, and very happy with the flute! M