Pearl Flutes: Tradition Meets Technology

Pearl flutes, crafted by the Pearl Musical Instrument Company, have gained a reputation as high-quality instruments, blending craftsmanship and innovative designs. Let’s explore the brief history of the Pearl brand, their most popular series, and what flutists especially value in their flutes.

Pearl Flutes: The History of the Brand

Founded in 1946 in Japan in post-war times by Katsumi Yanagisawa, Pearl has earned a reputation as a trusted flute-making company and quickly made its name in the industry. The company started in Tokyo by making music stands and accessories. However, as the musical instrument market developed and grew, Pearl also evolved and expanded in size and manufacturing capability.

In 1968, to meet the increasing demand for high-quality flutes, Pearl founded their first flute factory in Chiba, where they planned to craft handmade musical instruments with a clear vision of constant improvement of their mechanisms.

The company introduced their first flute featuring “One-Piece Core-Bar” construction in 1972. This is still the distinctive feature of all Pearl flutes. Later, the company also introduced another solution, “Pinless mechanism”.

The company reached its peak popularity under the leadership of Katsumi's eldest son, Mitsuo, who created the export division. Thanks to his decisions, Pearl flutes became available for flutists from different parts of the world. Moreover, Pearl company became an inspiration and a role-model for many other manufacturers.  Since 1985, Pearl started to deliver their top-quality flutes at budget-friendly prices, including instruments for students.

Behind the great success of Pearl flutes is many hours of work and dedication.  The company has always tried to make their flutes as perfect as possible, and they have managed with this task as their products became the number one choice for musicians all around the world. Pearl continues to blend traditions and innovative approaches, offering flutists of various levels musical instruments with excellent precision, durable build and top sound quality.

Why Are Pearl Flutes so Good and Popular Among Musicians?

The company incorporated a few innovative mechanisms into their flutes to reduce the wear and tear, improve key action, and provide flutists with better playability. Let’s explore reasons why Pearl flutes are considered the most reliable and smooth in action.

One-Piece Core-Bar

Thanks to this construction, all Pearl flute eliminate issues related to the wear, in the areas of the high C key and the king post next to the F# key. The rod extended from high C through the king post helps musicians feel more comfort during performances.

Pinless Construction

Every Pearl flute features a patented Pinless Construction, which helps to resolve issues such as protruding needles that allow easy access for perspiration and body acids, and heighten risk of corrosion. Pearl instruments also feature a bridge mechanism that makes the whole mechanism stronger.

Japanese Quality Control

Great attention to the entire production process makes each purchase of the flute a perfect investment with the guarantee to meet artistic needs. Pearl flutes stand out thanks to the accurate pitch, excellent sound projection and flexible articulation.

Ergonomic Design

The company creates their instruments with flutists’ comfort in mind. Therefore, their models boast ergonomic key placements and lightweight construction allowing musicians to have only pleasant experience during performances, regardless of how long they play. 

What Musicians Say about Pearl Flutes and Why They buy Them

In their feedback, musicians who bought Pearl flutes and used them for their creative purposes highlight the following pros of these instruments:

• Pearl flutes sound great. Flutists value these instruments for their warm tone and perfect projection. This feature is typical for representatives of all series of the brand.
• Pearl flutes are perfect for active performances. These instruments are created with a focus on the long-lasting construction and mechanisms, reducing risks of corrosion and issues with key actions.
• Pearl flutes feature innovative designs. The company’s revolutionary pinless mechanism and One-Piece Core Bar make it easier to maintain the instruments and play them.
• Pearl flutes are easy to customize to individual needs. What flutists also highlight as the key advantage is the ability to customize Pearl flutes and their playing style, by selecting various headjoint options.

What are the Most Famous Pearl Flutes?

The brand offers a great variety of series of flutes, each one with its distinctive features.

Handmade Maesta Gold

The Maesta series is the heart of Pearl flute craftsmanship. The instruments from this series have gained positive feedback from orchestral musicians, soloists, conservatory professors and owners of prestigious awards worldwide. The Maesta flute's bodies, foot joint and head joint are available in gold finishes of 10K, 14K and 18K, offering musicians rich overtones and a wide dynamic range. The gold finish makes instruments elegant and eye-catching. Moreover, gold can also be used for the keys, lip plate, and rings.

Handmade Maesta Silver

Flutes from this series are handcrafted by skillful and devoted to their work craftsmen using 925 sterling silver, 970 silver, and 997 pure silver, providing flutists with excellent sound projection. Depending on your needs, you can buy the flute with traditional soldered tone holes or contemporary drawn tone holes.

Elegante

This series features instruments that have been bestsellers during many years. Flutists select Elegante flutes for their precise and high-quality workmanship, excellent intonation and projection of the sound. Elegante flutes are designed for professionals and offer increased dynamic range, clear articulation and rich tone. The headjoint options include Forza and Largo.

Dolce

These instruments, mostly aimed at aspiring flutists, feature accurate pitch and flexible articulation. Dolce flutes have a silver headjoint, silver-plated body and footjoint, and feature ring or covered key style. Within this series you can find both C- and B-foot flutes, with some of them featuring E-mechanism.

50^th Anniversary Special Models

This series, created to celebrate 50 years of Pearl’s existence, features a collection of flutes that embody the constant striving for perfection, absolute dedication to work, advanced skills, and desire for innovations. You can buy Cantabile flutes with handcrafted from 958 silver body and eye-catching engraving, Maesta flutes made of 14K gold with a compact sterling silver inner-bridge mechanism, and Quantz flutes with a 925 silver headjoint and lip-plate, made of Zircote wood for luxurious tone.   

Recap

Started as a small group of skillful craftsmen united by the goal to handcraft flutes that look and sound well, the company rapidly grew to the respected and world-renowned manufacturer in the flute-making industry. Driven by the spirit of innovation, the company has always offered musicians a perfect combination of improved performance, rich tones, and light construction in their instruments. Pearl flutes are highly valued by aspiring musicians and advanced flutists because the company has always kept player’s comfort in mind, controlled the entire production process and used the best materials.

Would you like to learn facts about other flute-making brands? We have recently featured an article about Muramatsu flutes.

If you’re a flutist or know some flute players, feel free to explore our collection of flute accessories, featuring premium leather bags for B and C foot flutes, flute crowns, care towels for flutes, leather wallets with flute-related embossing, and other useful items.