Concert Flute
Armstrong 104
Price: 165 EUR – 176 EUR
Price history
Cheapest seen
Most expensive seen
Availability: 4/10 (Common)
A US-built beginner flute known for CNC-machined key cups that seat pads perfectly flat, addressing one of the most common sources of air leaks and inconsistent tone on cheaper student instruments.
About the Armstrong 104
Built in Elkhart, Indiana, the 104 pairs a silver-plated headjoint and body with closed-hole Y-arm keys and an offset G that follows the natural contour of a student's hand. Its bottom-adjusting mechanism and beryllium springs, finished to a high polish, are the same fundamentals found across Armstrong's beginner range, but the 104's defining detail is its CNC-machined key cups - manufactured to a tolerance that lets pads sit perfectly flat against the tone holes rather than needing hand-fitting.
That precision matters more on a beginner flute than it might seem: air leaks from imperfectly seated pads are one of the most common reasons a cheap student flute plays inconsistently, and Armstrong's answer was to engineer the leak out at the manufacturing stage rather than relying on setup adjustment after the fact.
Where to buy
Price
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Reverb Armstrong 104 Closed-Hole Flute, USA 165 EUR Best price View details
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Reverb Armstrong 104 Flute, USA, Good Condition 176 EUR View details
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Reverb Armstrong 104N Nickel-Plated Flute w/ Case, USA, Good Condition 176 EUR View details
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Reverb Armstrong 104 Model Closed-Hole Flute, USA, Good Playing Condition 176 EUR View details
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Source: https://reverb.com/item/48192907-armstrong-104-model-closed-hole-flute-usa-good-playing-condition
Sound character of the Armstrong 104
This is a beginner flute built from silver-plated nickel tubing rather than solid or sterling silver, which gives it the brighter, more direct tone typical of the student tier rather than a warmer solid-silver core. Its closed-hole (plateau) keys fully seal each tone hole, and Armstrong's CNC-machined key cups seat flat on the pads to minimize air leaks, so the tone stays clean and focused rather than airy or unfocused.
Technical data for the Armstrong 104
| Body | Silver-plated |
|---|---|
| Keys | Closed-hole Y-arm |
| G Key | Offset |
| Foot | C foot |
| Springs | Beryllium, high-polish |
Price history for the Armstrong 104
Cheapest seen: 165 EUR · Most expensive seen: 176 EUR
Cheapest seen
Most expensive seen
The history of the Armstrong 104
Armstrong builds the 104 domestically in Elkhart, Indiana, positioning it as a dependable and widely-recommended entry point into flute for beginning students.
