Product Reviews: Arista Handmade Solid Alto Flute Headjoint

I thought I would write a review of the Arista alto head joint for anyone who might be considering taking the plunge but is understandably hesitant due to the price.

I own a Pearl PFA 207ES alto flute - it's a good instrument but the headjoint doesn't suit my embouchure. My concert flute is an Arista and produces a very pure and full-bodied tone. I wanted to achieve comparable tone quality on the alto flute but found it difficult to capture this with the Pearl headjoint.

As a player I thought it would make sense to try a headjoint made by the same maker as my concert flute, ensuring that the cut and design would be similar - requiring minimal adjustments in terms of technique and performance. I wasn't disappointed, the head joint is a joy to play and produces a beautifully focused and rich tone. The result is an alto that feels like an extension of my concert flute with similar capabilities in terms of projection, colour, articulation and tone quality. The benefits were immediate but the more I play it, the more possibilities I discover. The unique characteristics of the alto flute are still present and there are still technical adjustments to make in terms of intonation in the third register and so on, but these are far easier to make on the Arista.

The headjoint had its first outing in front of an audience recently and a number of people commented on the sound of the alto flute. I also felt very secure playing it, knowing that the tone could be produced with relative ease. Had I performed the same concert on the Pearl headjoint I would have struggled to achieve comparable results. So, I would have no hesitation in recommending the Arista - while it's a considered purchase, I think it's worth the extra money. Everyone's embouchure is different, but it's definitely with a try if you're in the market for a new Alto headjoint.