My First Intermediate Flute: Miyazawa 202

Hi everyone,

I would like to share with you my first ever Intermediate flute with you, and also mention the specifications.

Stock Image from the Miyazawa Website

Specifications

• Hand-finished flute
• 925 solid head joint, MZ-10 cut with .990 high purity riser
• Silver plated body and mechanism
• Available with closed or open holes
• Offset G or Inline G key
• Split E Mechanism on offset models
• Available with C foot joint or B foot joint
• French-style Pointed Key Arms
• Partial Brogger System™' mechanism 

What's Included

• Leatherette-bound wood case
• Case cover with shoulder strap
• Wood cleaning rod
• Cleaning gauze
• Microfibre polishing cloth
• Open hole models also include a set of rubber plugs

This was my first intermediate flute upgrade once I had grown out of my Trevor James student flute. It was also an emergency purchase, as I grew out of my Trevor James student flute so quickly. Also, the Miyazawa 202 was my first introduction into the world of Japanese branded flutes.

On the Miyazawa 202 flute I had a slightly different head joint than the one listed in the description. I think it was called the M1 head joint, but that has long since been discontinued and replaced with the MZ-10 head joint. I also opted for the closed hole option at the time, as couldn't get a note out of the open holed model. It also had the partial Brogger system, which meant that E to F# in the right hand could be adjusted to suit how you played the flute.

I think I had this flute for around two years, and if I'm being really honest it just didn't suit me and I actually struggled with it from time to time. I also found the mechanism to be on the clunky side, and I don't know if it's because I'm naturally heavy handed. It also didn't give me the tone that I was looking for, and the head joint wasn't quite a user friendly as the one on my current flute. But, on a more positive note I did manage to start and develop my harmonics on this flute.

Please don't think I'm bashing the Miyazawa brand, as I know that are a highly respected company in the world of flutes. It's just that their flutes don't personally suit me, and also the Miyazawa 202 flute that I purchased at the time was 20 years old, and I was its first owner.

But by having a Miyazawa flute has given me a love for flutes that have been made in Japan, and Japanese flutes are in a 'league of their own' when it comes to partially/ fully handmade flutes.