Flutes for Sale

All of the flutes shown on our website are being sold by private parties. If you see a flute here that piques your interest, please email us at [email protected] and let us know which flute(s) you’d like more information about. We will be happy to answer any questions we can and put you in touch with the seller.

1.4 (F#, Gb), unknown with two hankō

[catalog ref MG1.4.1]

$800 USD

This is a well-made and very sweet playing flute, of a length that we don’t see many of. Tuning is very good through both registers. In the KSK lineage this length is favored for playing Azuma Jishi, though it’s fun to experiment playing a variety of tunes on a shorter flute.

1.6 Kumosen

[catalog ref MG1.6.3]

$400 USD

This is a well-constructed flute that has very good tone overall but also has some minor tuning problems. Some of the holes were re-positioned at some point in its history, presumably to improve the tuning overall. Despite that however low Ro is a bit sharp. This would be a good flute for someone who wouldn’t mind the small tuning anomalies or who would want to invest in getting the flute a good tune-up.

1.6 (E), Seika with two hankō

[catalog ref PJ1.6.1]

$1100 USD

This is a beautiful older flute with a pronounced curve to the bamboo. It is well-crafted and well-tuned and has a solidly pleasing tone through both registers.  It is delightful to look at and will be impervious to cracking from now on owing to its extensive bindings.

1.7 (Eb) Muramatsu with two hankō

[catalog ref MG1.7.1]

$600 USD

This is a well-made and well-tuned flute that has a bright and clean sound through both octaves. It is well-tuned overall and is a pleasing alternative to playing a 1.8.

1.7 (E), ShōZan, one hankō

[catalog ref MG1.7.2]

$1100 USD

This is an exceptional flute. It is well made and well-tuned in both octaves and each note can be played gently or strongly with good response. The craftsmanship is high quality and the multiple bindings mean that you should never have to worry about cracks in the future. Overall, this is a lot of flute for the money.

1.7 (E♭) ‘Shōkō’ with hankō

[catalog ref PJ1.7.1}

$1400 USD

The maker of this flute may be a student of Inoue Shōzan. It’s a beautiful flute that was later refurbished and re-tuned by Monty Levenson. The tuning is now excellent and the overall sound quality is great – very responsive through both octaves at all volume levels.

The hankō on the left is the maker’s, Shōkō.

On the right is Monty Levenson’s, added after he refurbished the flute.

1.8 (D), unknown maker, no hankō

[catalog ref MG1.8.11]

$300 USD

This is a sturdy, substantial flute that plays especially well in the upper octave. Low Ro is a bit unsteady and then the sound quality increases as you play up the scale. Tuning is good throughout both registers however and this would be a good flute for someone more interested in a sweet sound more than a big sound.

1.8 (D), YōZan, one hankō

[catalog ref MG1.8.12]

$1400 USD

This is an outstanding flute and a bargain at this price. It is very well constructed and tuning is spot on. Low Ro is big, resonant and substantial and the flute can be played strongly through both registers and into the third octave. The bamboo is lovely and the multiple bindings mean you shouldn’t ever have to worry about further cracking. This would be a terrific flute for someone looking to upgrade to a high-end bamboo flute that they won’t ‘outgrow’ for years to come.

1.8 (D), unknown maker, no hankō

[catalog ref MG1.8.13]

$100 USD

This flute has something of a ‘homemade’ quality to it.  Tuning and sound quality are inconsistent and its overall construction is fine but not great.  This would be a good project flute for an aspiring flute maker who would be interested in making the corrections it would need to be brought up to a good overall playing quality.

1.8 (D) unknown maker; one hankō

[catalog ref MG1.8.14]

$200 USD

This is also a well-made flute in excellent condition – no cracks, flaws or blemishes. The tuning is good and the overall tone color is on the more sweet and mellow side. This is another good flute for someone who is looking to purchase an affordable madaké shakuhachi.

1.8 (D), unknown maker, one hankō

[catalog ref MG1.8.14]

$200 USD

This is a well-made Tozan flute, light weight and thin walled. It has a sweet sound more than a big sound and overall tuning is good. This might be a good flute for a player who gravitates to a more quiet and gentle style of playing.

1.8 (D) ‘RyōDō’ with one hankō

[catalog ref MG1.8.5]

$100 USD

This is a well-made flute with a strong Ro but the tuning is uneven otherwise and the sound quality is a little inconsistent through both registers. This would be a good project flute for someone interested in correcting the pitch and tone issues.

1.8, Seika KōZanChō, two hankō

[catalog ref MG1.8.8]

$250 USD

This is a Tozan style flute, well-tuned and with nice tone overall but not particularly strong-playing. The hankō are very worn and difficult to see and were visually enhanced in the image below in order to make them easier to identify.

1.8, Kumomine with one hankō

[catalog ref MG1.8.9]

$900 USD

This is a heavy and heavily modified flute, older vintage, that we’ve dubbed the ‘Frankenflute’. By now, it’s probably virtually indestructible. Despite its age and obvious history of repairs it’s a very strong playing flute with very good tone through both registers.  Tuning is good and it certainly doesn’t lack for character.

1.8 (D), SeiHō ??, one hankō

7-hole tuning

[catalog ref PR1.8.1]

$2100 USD

We’re not sure about the maker on this one. It’s a well-made Kinko style flute that was re-tuned as a 7-hole instrument to facilitate playing western music. The additional holes can be temporarily or permanently plugged however for playing in the traditional manor. This is well-tuned flute with a very pleasing tone quality through both octaves. The bamboo is beautiful and the upper half of the flute should be impervious to more cracking owing to the quality of the repairs it has already undergone. This could be an especially good flute for a 7-hole player who is looking to upgrade.

2.0 (C) ‘SeiKa’ with one hankō

[catalog ref MG2.0.2]

$1200 USD

This flute is nicely made and nicely tuned. The bamboo used in its construction is relatively thin-walled resulting in a lighter weight instrument. Its tone color tends to be on the quiet, mellow side almost like jinashi. It plays easily and, as a 2.0, is a good flute for playing western tunes.

2.05 Chikuji, two hankō

[catalog ref MG2.05.1]

$325 USD

This is a nicely made flute with a mellow sound overall.  It’s tuned a little flat of standard Cmin (2.0) pitch, but the tuning is internally consistent and very good otherwise.  This would be a great solo/meditation flute for someone looking for a longer flute or looking to move up to a madaké flute.

2.1 (Bmin), Monty Levenson w/ one hankō

[catalog ref JY2.1.1]

$1,100 USD

This is an advanced student version made of tiger bamboo (torachiku). It has been played very little and is in perfect condition, and it plays at the very high level of quality that is typical of Monty’s flutes.  It comes with an utaguchi cover and bag, both made in Monty’s shop.  The original price was $1100 not including the bag and utaguchi cover.

 

You can find general information about these flutes on Monty’s website: 

https://www.shakuhachi.com   Click on Advanced Student Flutes on the menu on the left side of the web page.

2.1 Shōkō

[catalog ref MG2.1.1]

$600 USD

This is a very well-made flute with a great sound but, as sometimes is the case, it’s not tuned to a particular key. The low Ro on this one falls between a B (2.1) and a C (2.0). The tuning is internally consistent however, which means that this is a great instrument for playing solo.

2.1 Seika KōZanChō

[catalog ref MG2.1.2]

$500 USD

This flute has multiple hankō but we haven’t been able to identify the maker. It’s a well-crafted and well-tuned instrument with a lovely sound overall. The low Ro is solid but not especially big. We think it’s a great flute at this price, especially for someone looking to move up to a longer shakuhachi with an attractive, mellow tone.

2.4 (A), Monty Levenson with one hankō

[catalog ref PR2.4.1]

$3000 USD

This is a professional quality cast-bore flute typical of Monty’s very high quality of construction. It was made 6 or 7 years ago and has only been played a half dozen times at most according to its owner. It certainly appears to be in nearly perfect condition. As is true of virtually all of Monty’s flutes, the tone quality and tuning are excellent through both octaves and into the daikan range. This flute would be an excellent choice for anyone looking for a beautifully made and beautifully resonant 2.4.