If you are looking to spend less to own a flute than rental is for a year, and you want to ensure you get a good quality one then consider ours. Yes, like most student flutes our daughter played it for a couple of years then moved on to the tuba of all things. I don't know flutes any better and any other parent, but so we trusted Long & McQuaid and bought it there for some five hundred or so (been awhile). It is a Gemeinhardt model 2SP.