Azumi Pricing
Azumi flutes are priced to provide professional features on a quality intermediate flute at an accessible cost for the advancing student.
What Makes Azumi Unique?
Azumi Flutes were designed by Altus Handmade Flutes founder and flutemaker Shuichi Tanaka. For this reason, each Azumi flute also features professional specifications that reputable educators, technicians, and musicians recommend, such as the Altus Scale and an Altus Z-Cut Headjoint. Each instrument is crafted from high-quality materials in our own facility from start to finish.
Azumi Flutes USA stands behind our instruments and guarantees that Azumi flutes are free of defects in workmanship and materials. Our “Guaranteed Through Graduation” (10-year) Warranty is one of the best warranties in the industry, and our USA-based Customer Service Center is available to help assist if a problem were to arise.
Azumi flutes are built to last and hold their value. Thanks to sterling silver components, professional design, and a 10-year warranty, they are welcomed in trade-up programs and sought after on the used market. This means your investment can help fund a future upgrade, unlike many cheaper flutes that have little resale potential.
How Much Do Azumi Flutes Cost?
Azumi flutes prioritizes honesty and education. While we cannot provide the exact cost of your potential new flute, we can explain the factors that will go into the price, the most important being the amount of Sterling Silver vs. Silver-Plated Nickel Silver you choose. Sterling Silver will have a warmer, richer tone with more resonance and flexibility than a Silver-Plated flute. Additional features such as a Split E Mechanism and a C# trill key will also contribute to the price. You can learn more about additional features and specifications on our Features page.
Based on these factors, you can expect an Azumi Flute to fall somewhere between $2000 – $5900.
AZ1 Flutes
Sterling Silver Lip Plate & Riser, Silver-Plated Nickel Silver Body
$2,000-$2,800
AZ2 Flutes
Sterling Silver Headjoint, Silver-Plated Nickel Silver Body
$2,500-$3,600
AZ3 Flutes
Sterling Silver Headjoint and Body
$3,800-$5,900
Interested in getting an exact quote?
Why Choose Azumi?
Warranty
Durability
Built with sterling silver components and professional craftsmanship, Azumi flutes are designed for years of reliable play and easy servicing.
Resale & Trade-In Value
Financing
How do I know if I’m getting the best price for an intermediate or step up flute? What are other things I need to consider?
When purchasing an intermediate flute, it is important to try various flutes in your price range to find the best fit when it comes to response and tone quality. Contact your dealer of choice to try a variety of comparable flutes. We recommend consulting your private lesson instructor or school director to help guide your selection.
We know sticking to your budget is important, but you should also consider value—not just price—when purchasing a flute. Just like buying a car, you’ll want to find a flute that can be serviced with routine maintenance (professional cleaning and oiling, key adjustments, etc.) and has readily available spare parts if a repair needs to take place. While some intermediate flutes cost less than an Azumi flute, many lack warranty coverage or are made from materials too poor in quality for proper repair work.
In addition, you should ensure your flute has a case to protect the instrument in transport, as well as a cleaning rod and soft cloth to swab out and wipe down the instrument to remove any moisture and fingerprints after playing. This will help keep the pads and finish pristine. Most flutes, including Azumi, will already come with a standard case, but there are additional styles of cases that you can purchase separately if you are looking for specific features that would better fit your needs.
If you are renting your Student Level flute, you may have the option to trade-in and trade up to an intermediate level flute from the same store. Contact the store you are renting from for more details. While this is an option, some flutists keep their student-level flute for marching band use, unless they already play piccolo in marching band. This is to further protect their investment from the hazards of playing outdoors and keeping pads safe from moisture damage in the rain.
Designed with the musician at mind, Azumi flutes are priced to provide an excellent value. With our warranty and durable craftsmanship, you can have peace of mind that your Azumi flute will be with you for many performances to come.
Azumi Pricing FAQs
What is the difference between Silver-Plated and Sterling Silver Flutes?
Sterling Silver flutes are crafted from 92.5% pure silver, whereas Silver-Plated flutes feature a base metal core of Nickel Silver with a thin layer of silver plating on the surface. Nickel silver is an alloy of nickel, copper, and zinc. It is silver in color but does not actually contain silver. It is extremely durable and provides an excellent base for silver plating, which is one reason it a great option to help reduce the cost of instruments.
Different metals respond and resonate differently. Sterling Silver tends to produce a warmer, richer tone with greater resonance compared to Silver-Plated flutes. Additionally, Sterling Silver responds more easily to subtle changes, providing more flexibility.
The closer you get to the embouchure hole, the more effect the silver content has on the instrument’s response. As the silver content increases, so does the price. Silver content on step-up flutes is introduced on the headjoint first and the body tube second.
Remember that the design dictates how a flute will play; the amount of silver in your flute serves to enhance that design. Azumi step-up flutes allow you to receive the benefits of a step-up flute design and the flexibility to choose the right amount of silver content for your budget.
Why do Azumi flute prices vary so much?
Prices depend on how much sterling silver is used, additional mechanisms (like Split E or C# trill key), and the level of hand craftsmanship.
What’s the difference between the AZ1, AZ2, and AZ3 models?
AZ1: Sterling silver lip plate/riser, silver-plated body (entry-level intermediate).
AZ2: Full sterling silver headjoint, silver-plated body
AZ3: Sterling silver headjoint + body.
What is the Altus Scale and why is it important?
An instrument’s scale is the relationship of the tone holes to each other, the size of each hole, and the distance of the tone holes from the embouchure. All Altus and Azumi flutes use the Altus Scale which is known for its excellent intonation, carefully tuned harmonics, and balanced registers.
The Altus Scale is based on the work and recommendations of renowned British flutist William Bennett and expertise of Altus flutemaker Shuichi Tanaka. An admirer of flutemaker Albert Cooper’s scale work, Bennett modified Cooper’s scale and prioritized tuning harmonics to increase the resonance of the instrument. Flutes using the Altus Scale are easier to play in tune, while the enhanced resonance allows for a flexible sound with more depth and color.
Are Azumi flutes more expensive than other intermediate or step-up flute brands?
Not always. Azumi sits in the mid to upper range of intermediate pricing. Some brands cost less but sacrifice warranty, durability, or upgrade potential.
Why are some flutes less expensive than Azumi?
Some manufacturers cut costs through the use of thinner plating, pads with a shorter lifespan, outsourcing production, and materials that limit long-term serviceability. They also often don’t offer a warranty.
Why are some brands more expensive than Azumi?
Boutique brands or professional models may use more sterling silver or even gold, extensive hand-finishing, and smaller-batch production.
What hidden costs should I expect with a new flute?
Routine maintenance (pad replacement, adjustments, cleaning), potential case upgrades, and insurance. For regular players, plan to budget $200-$300 per year for maintenance which covers routine maintenance, 1-2 minor repairs and occasional pad replacement.
A complete overhaul that includes repadding, new springs and key adjustments can run $800-$1,500 and is needed every 8-15 years depending on use.
Does an Azumi flute hold its value for resale or trade-in?
Yes. Many dealers offer trade-up programs, and Azumi’s durability and warranty make them strong candidates for resale.
Do Azumi flutes come with a case and cleaning supplies?
Yes — each includes a French case and cover, cleaning rod, and cloth.
What about financing or payment plans?
Most Azumi dealers offer 0% financing or rent-to-own options. Check with your local dealer.
Is an Azumi flute really worth the investment?
For advancing students who need professional features without paying professional flute prices, yes. If you are already auditioning for conservatory or professional programs, you may want to compare against full Altus or other handmade flutes.
Why has the cost of flutes increased over the years?
Many factors go into the cost of manufacturing a flute including the cost of raw materials (including silver), labor costs, facility costs, equipment and tools, shipping, tariffs, etc. The cost of silver has increased 770% since 2000.