• Headjoint: Solid silver
• Body: Solid silver
• Key Style: Open Hole 
• Key Design: Y-arms 
• Inline / Offset: Offset G 
• Footjoint: Low B foot
• Case: French-style hard-shell case included

 

In 1931, William Teasdale Armstrong, a highly respected craftsman and a C.G. Conn shop foreman, founded his small flute repair shop in Elkhart, Indiana. Word of his skill and uncompromising commitment to quality quickly spread, and it wasn’t long before he was asked to manufacture instruments for professional musicians.

 

In the 1970s, Armstrong developed a “new” flute scale in conjunction with Albert Cooper.  Prior to this new scale, flute makers would correct the tuning of A=435 commonly found on flutes by cutting the end of the headjoint to bring pitch up to A=440.  While this served to correct the pitch in the center registers, all other octaves did not play in tune.  With the Armstrong and Albert Cooper changes, the headjoint tapers and tone hole locations and dimensions were all redesigned to dramatically improve the performance of the instrument, in what would become today’s 102, 103, and 104 model flute platforms.

 

This Armstrong 80 flute features open hole keys that provide flutists the ability to play a higher level of music with techniques such as quarter tones.  It also encourages proper hand position and provides more clarity in tone.  The B footjoint allows flutists to play a broader range of music.  Built in Elkhart, Indiana, the Armstrong 80 flute is designed to last and will enhance the playing experience for flutists of all levels.