Yamaha CY headjoints
Back in 1990 (or 1991), I bought a handmade solid-silver Yamaha CY headjoint at Best Music in Oakland. I bought this particular CY head (a demo that they had behind the counter for $370), because I was so impressed by the way it played in comparison to all the other headjoints I had. In fact, so intrigued was I by this head that I ended up calling Yamaha in Michigan to find out more about it.
During my conversation with the Yamaha rep (Tom Wheeler?), I was told that Yamaha had seven old men in Japan that handmade their pro headjoints (starting in 1992 however, Yamaha began machine manufacturing the CY heads except for those on their most expensive pro model flutes). When I inquired as to how they came up with the CY cut for their 581 model pro flute, I was told that when Yamaha was doing their R&D, they actually had sixteen headjoint designs in a box. This box had been flown all over the world to professional flutists in major symphonies. The flutists were asked to vote for the cut they liked the best and the overwhelming favorite was the CY, and so Yamaha went with that. Apparently, such R&D is typical of the way the Japanese do business - smart!
During my conversation with the Yamaha rep (Tom Wheeler?), I was told that Yamaha had seven old men in Japan that handmade their pro headjoints (starting in 1992 however, Yamaha began machine manufacturing the CY heads except for those on their most expensive pro model flutes). When I inquired as to how they came up with the CY cut for their 581 model pro flute, I was told that when Yamaha was doing their R&D, they actually had sixteen headjoint designs in a box. This box had been flown all over the world to professional flutists in major symphonies. The flutists were asked to vote for the cut they liked the best and the overwhelming favorite was the CY, and so Yamaha went with that. Apparently, such R&D is typical of the way the Japanese do business - smart!
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Comments (10)
Absolutely, smart! Yamaha still does things like this with oboes, at least -- or so I've been told by an oboe player/teacher. He says all the oboists in the Philadelphia Orchestra play on Yamahas now.
(On a pretty much unrelated note, have you ever wondered how it is that an instrument like an oboe -- which is MUCH more complex than a flute -- could see for so much less? A top-of-the-line oboe is only around 6-7 thousand bucks! I guess it's all about demand.)
Anyway... I have a Yamaha 581 flute made around 1985 with the CY cut head joint and it really is a nice flute. I should play it more often!
Hi Rebecca,
Just noticed your comment today as I was going through my settings, thanks! :-)
I didn't have the email notify selected for comments - that now has been changed.
As for the price of pro flutes in comparison to oboes, there doesn't seem to be logic. Over the years, I've often whined to my electric guitar friends about just how much more guitar they can get for $400 than I can for a flute. Perhaps it's a supply/demand or 'what-the-market-will-bear' scenario that makes for such expensive flutes. Along those lines, I've never been able to understand why a flute with a silver mechanism is typically twice the cost of a silver-plated one (i.e., Yamaha 681 @ $4,000 vs Yamaha 581 @ $2,000). anyhow...
BTW, I wanted to tell you again how much I like the layout of your blog. That "Blix" theme is great as are your modifications - makes for a very inviting visit! :-)
Thanks again,
-Bob
OK, I get it, but you have to wonder why, if the CY headjoint is so great, Yamaha puts the EC headjoint on their most expensive models.
Just wondering.
The EC cut is geared more towards the bottom end, i.e., louder/stronger low notes (like the Sankyo NRS-1) whereas the CY cut is more balanced throughout. Big low notes are in vogue these days and so Yamaha is simply responding to the market by shifting to the EC. For what it's worth, I still prefer the CY.
Hi there.
Very interesting your post. I´m precisely very interested in this point because I am experimenting some problems with the EC cut of my new Yamaha 684. I had before a Yamaha 284 and the thing is that I feel more difficulties in playing my new flute 684, in spite of all the money I have spent. I´m a little dissapointed and I think that it is the head cut of the flute, great mistake I think. It is very difficult for me now to play high notes. Is CY cut used in 284 models? Do you know any flutist with similar problems? I would do anything to test the CY headjoint in my new flute, but I bought it trough Internet and I think I will have some problems to change it.
Regards, Jose
Ah, I miss my old CY headjoint! I bought a Yamaha 581h with a CY headjoint in 1990 while still in high school. That flute was incredible--and I went on to play it in music school at UW-Madison. Years later, and no money to pay rent, that flute was sold. (Note to everyone out there: NEVER sell a musical instrument.) Anyway, I recently purchased a Yamaha 784h with an EC headjoint on eBay (after not playing flute for years). It plays adequatedly in lower range, dreadfully in the middle range, but SINGS on notes in the higher range. However, to be honest, I would give anything to have my old 581h with CY headjoint--it was consistently great throughtout the scale.
> Ah, I miss my old CY headjoint!
Hi Laura,
I have a mint condition CY for sale if you're interested:
see photo
Just let me know! :-)
-Bob
Hi Levosqui
> Is CY cut used in 284 models?
When I talked to Yamaha a few years ago about the kind of headjoint cut on the 200, 300 and 400 series flutes, I was told that they were based on the CY. This still seems to be the case as I just looked at the Yamaha site and here's the specs for the 281
Thanks,
-Bob
281 link above doesn't work, sorry.
Here it is again:
281
Hi there. Thanks Laura and Bob for your comments. I´m thinking of seriously to buy the CY headjoint for my flute. I keep on trying with EC but never feel confortable. It is not he headjoint itself. I´m sure that other flutists will find it correct. But I find it terribly beautiful to make it sound beautiful. It is like fighting against myself.
Regards, Jose