Gemeinhardt Model 3SS Handcrafted Solid Silver Flute c.1973 Overhauled-Rich Tone

Beautiful

Gemeinhardt USA Model 3SS

Solid Silver Handcrafted Flute
Open Hole, B Foot

Made c.1973 During the Heyday of Elkhart Flute Making

Overhauled with Warranty
Velvety Rich Tone-Fluid Mechanism

To flute players the name Gemeinhardt needs no introduction. But most flutists don't know that a small number of handmade solid silver flutes were made from the 1960's through the 1980's. These 3SS flutes were all solid silver with sterling silver tubing and solid silver keys. They also had a gemstone such as a sapphire placed in the main pivot post to reduce wear to the mechanism and reduce friction.

Just such a flute came into our hands recently! This rare find differs greatly from the new equivalent called the 33SS. The contemporary model only has silver plated keys yet sells for more than $3500. Here you're getting double the value in silver and a heavy tube thickness of .018" giving this flute a robust and rich tone like nothing you can find nowadays.
We just overhauled this beauty using professional double skin teated pads. Some makers are now using synthetic pads covered with fishskin which we never use here. The synthetic pads vibrate differently inhibiting the maximum vibration of the instrument. In fact it's very hard to get them to vibrate at all. Pads made from natural materials vibrate along with the instrument lending to a freer and more fluid response.

A flute of this quality is truly a find! It plays with a strong full tone at A=440 and easily tunes to A=441 and slightly above.

Included is a the original leather covered French style case in good usable condition, a new plush lined case cover, swab, wood cleaning stick and a set of key plugs.

If you are a serious flute player or just love the tone of a vintage American make instrument, you won't want to miss this deal.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. More photos sent on request.

Thanks for looking!