A Professional Flute Built on Handmade Heritage
There's a reason serious flutists keep coming back to Yamaha's 500 Series. These instruments sit at the intersection of handmade craftsmanship and modern consistency — the kind of flute that rewards the player who has put in the work and is ready for a tool that keeps up. The YFL-587HCT is the in-line G model of the 587 line, adding a C# trill key for expanded technical flexibility.
The heart of this flute is its hand-finished sterling silver headjoint, modeled after the Type A headjoints found on Yamaha's 800 and 900 series handmade instruments. That's not marketing shorthand — it means the cut and finishing on this headjoint directly reflects design decisions made for Yamaha's most revered professional models. Pair that with a nickel silver body that's silver-plated throughout, and you get a flute with real tonal character across all registers.
The YFL-587HCT is a natural fit for advanced students moving into serious performance, college-level players, and working professionals who want the precision and reliability of Yamaha's professional line without stepping all the way into handmade pricing.
A Headjoint Worth Talking About
The hand-finished sterling silver headjoint on the YFL-587HCT is based on Yamaha's Type Am design — a modified version of the Type A headjoint supplied with the 800 and 900 series handmade flutes. The result is a headjoint that offers broad expressive range, balanced response across registers, and a sound that opens up as you push the dynamic extremes.
Yamaha also subjects the headjoint, body, and footjoint to their proprietary acoustic annealing process — a heat treatment that allows the metal to vibrate more freely. The practical effect is more even tone and response from the bottom of the register all the way to the top.
French Open-Hole Keys and In-Line G
The YFL-587HCT uses French-style open-hole (ring) keys with an in-line G configuration — the traditional layout where all toneholes run in a straight row. Many advanced and professional players prefer the in-line arrangement for its feel and the subtle tonal benefits some players attribute to its more direct venting. If you're already comfortable with in-line G, this flute will feel exactly right.
The keys are hand-assembled and meticulously balanced, and the non-fingered keys — A# and F# — feature pointed key arms drawn from traditional European styling, the same design found on Yamaha's handmade instruments. Stainless steel springs provide reliable, consistent action over the long haul.
B Footjoint with Gizmo Key and C# Trill
The "HCT" designation tells you two important things: this flute comes with a B footjoint and a C# trill key. The B footjoint extends the instrument's lowest note down a half step to B, and many players also find that its added length contributes to a slightly darker, fuller tone overall. The gizmo key on the B footjoint helps stabilize the high C — a common technical concern that the gizmo addresses cleanly.
The C# trill key is a separate lever and tonehole that makes B-to-C# trills — notoriously awkward on standard keywork — smooth and reliable. It can also facilitate a range of other trills and tremolos, giving you more options when the music calls for them.
Product Features:
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Series: Yamaha 500 Series professional flute
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Headjoint: Hand-finished sterling silver, Type Am (based on 800/900 Series handmade design)
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Body & Footjoint: Nickel silver, silver-plated
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Key Type: French open-hole (ring keys) with in-line G configuration
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Key Arms: French-style pointed key arms on non-fingered keys
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Footjoint: B footjoint with Gizmo key
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Trill Key: C# trill key included
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Tone Holes: Drawn, curled
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Springs: Stainless steel
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Acoustic Annealing: Heat-treated headjoint, body, and footjoint for optimized resonance and response
Brand: Yamaha
Model: YFL-587HCT
SKU: YFL-587HCT
Condition: New
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