There's a reason for that. It's a GREAT flute and superb value. It comes with a Powell head joint (my regular flute is a Powell).

To flesh this out a bit, I started on two Gemeinhardts. The 3S is a nice instrument in your price range. Then I tried a Yamaha intermediate flute but could not play it because the key layout was quite different than what I had learned (mostly in the thumb but also the foot). I kept hitting Bb for B natural (your wife will know). This would not be a problem for a beginner who could learn the layout, but I still think it's a bit 'off' that admittedly loose standard. The Sonare was the ticket (great sound, and a match with the fingering position I knew), and I played that for several years before moving up to the Powell. I kept the Sonare for emergencies.

This must be a holiday gift? I would seriously hold out for a Sonare if you can find one.

Keep in mind, I've played flute for 40 years but only as a double. I like seeing the shocked looks when people look up and say, "the TRUMPET player took that flute solo?".

BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors