While a piccolo is undoubtedly not the most commonly used flute today, there are still a lot of flutists that appreciate the uniqueness of this lovely instrument. This musical instrument is often associated with excellent key and headjoint as well as an outstanding tone
. Over the past years, piccolos have been used by novice, intermediate and professional flutists to add wonderful vibes to any musical renditions. So, you may be looking at the possibility of buying a piccolo.
If that should be the case, what are the things you need to consider before buying a professional piccolo?
What are the Best Professional Piccolo?
2) Roy Benson RBPC502 Advanced Piccolo
- Rosewood, synthetic wood body
- Silver plated nickel-silver head joint
- French style case with cover
1) Pearl PFP105E Piccolo Flute
- Split E Mechanism
- Grenaditte High Wave headjoint
- Pointed cup arms
- Pearl"s Pinless Mechanism
- Includes Case and padded case cover
3) Gemeinhardt 4SP Piccolo - Silver Plated
- Metal Head joint
- Key of C
- Nickel plated keys
- High quality
Your budget
How much are you ready to spend on a piccolo? This should be the first question you need to ask yourself as you plan to get a piccolo. Notably, the bigger your budget, the higher your chances of getting a high-quality professional piccolo. However, irrespective of your budget, you may still be able to buy one that will take care of your basic needs.
Your needs
Why do you want to purchase a piccolo? Will you be playing it in front of a crowd for outdoor performance? You need to determine why you want to buy one before you start shopping for it.
If you are using for outdoor performances, you need to look for a piccolo that is durable, unaffected by the weather, and capable of long-distance projection. Silver-plated or plastic piccolo will be a good choice.
In addition to the factors mentioned above, don't rush into buying a piccolo. Get a recommendation online or offline from people that know many things about piccolo. Furthermore, you can play it safe by first renting a piccolo to see whether you like a particular product or not.
7 Best Professional Piccolo Reviews
1) Pearl PFP105E Piccolo Flute
Pearl PFP105E Piccolo Flute is another nice product from Pearl that is manufactured with the special Grenaditte, which is a patented material that you cannot find in any other manufacturers' products.
This material protects the instrument against any fluctuations in temperature and also ensures accurate tonal center and pitch. It is worthwhile to note that this piccolo also has a Grenaditte high-wave embouchure as well as pointed cup arms. The instrument key is E.
Apart from the special Pearl's Pinless mechanism that this product uses, it also relies on a split E mechanism. You should understand that it is a multicolored piccolo; hence, it has a one-of-kind appearance that distinguishes it from most other piccolos.
The weight of this musical instrument is 1.8 pounds while the dimensions are 14 x 3 x 5 inches. Also, Pearl PFP105E Piccolo Flute comes with a case as well as padded case cover that keeps your piccolo neat and safe whenever you are not using it.
2) Roy Benson RBPC502 Advanced Piccolo
The materials for making Roy Benson RBPC502 Advanced Piccolo is Rosewood, which is a form of synthetic wood that does not crack easily. This wood is also known to be capable of delivering a warm, round tone that is often associated with the pricey wood piccolos.
On the other hand, both the head and keys are made out of silver-plated, nickel-silver materials. All these astounding features of Roy Benson RBPC502 Advanced Piccolo combine to make this musical instrument suitable for outdoor performances.
The instrument key of this product is C. It has a French-style case with additional cover that offers some levels of protection to the piccolo. With this, you can use this product for a long period without any scratches or dents on its body. The dimensions of the RBPC502 Advanced Piccolo are 12 x 6 x 6 inches while the weight is 1.32 pounds.
3) Gemeinhardt 4SP Piccolo - Silver Plated
If you are looking for a silver-plated professional piccolo that has wide professional and good for outdoor use, Gemeinhardt 4SP Piccolo should be on the top of your list. This well-designed piccolo features a special ABS body. Its head joint is made of metal. This makes this instrument to be significantly durable.
The instrument key is C; this is similar to what you will get from the majority of piccolos that are available in the market today. Although the keys of Gemeinhardt 4SP Piccolo are nickel-plated, the color of the instrument itself is silver. It has dimensions of 1.5 x 1.5 x 12.5 inches.
The shipping weight is just 1.05 pounds while the exact item weight is 1 pound. This makes Gemeinhardt 4SP Piccolo one of the most portable piccolos you can find anywhere. Overall, this musical instrument is good for professionals that want to get the most out of playing the piccolo.
4) Pearl PFP-165E Series Piccolo with Grenadilla Headjoint
Pearl PFP-165E Series Piccolo comes with Omni synthetic pads which are known to be of premium quality. This piccolo has a Grenadilla high-wave head join embouchure that does not only increase its functionality but also adds to its beauty, tonal warmth, and stability. The body is made with Grenaditte composite body that is unique to only products from this Pearl.
Therefore, you cannot find other products from other manufacturers that have the same body as the Pearl PFP-165E Series Piccolo. Also, this instrument features Pearl's Pin Less Mechanism as well as the wondering Split E mechanism.
Weighing 1.8 pounds, this instrument comprises pointed cup arms. Its dimensions are 15 x 3 x 5 inches. When you order for this product, you will get a case and padded case cover along with the instrument.
This cover tends to protect the Pearl PFP-165E Series Piccolo from any scratch or other things that could affect its aesthetics.
5) Gemeinhardt 4PMH Piccolo
For those looking for excellent student model piccolo, Gemeinhardt 4PMH Piccolo is one of the best choices. This musical instrument is often used by school marching bands and professional flutists. It boasts of having a silver-plated head as well as a high-quality plastic body.
Since it is made of plastic material, this product is well recommended for those that need a durable piccolo that is good for outdoor performances. Irrespective of the humidity and temperature, you can enjoy playing this instrument without much hassle.
Also, you don't have to spend so much time on cleaning and maintaining Gemeinhardt 4PMH Piccolo. Some of the basic features of this piccolo include conical bore, silver-plated keys, and beryllium copper springs.
It weighs 1 pound with dimensions of 12.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 inches. Additionally, this product is good for jazz, rock, big band, pop and several kinds of musical styles. In conclusion, this piccolo is good for flutists of all levels.
6) Jupiter Piccolo JPC-305S
Jupiter Piccolo JPC-305S is a professional piccolo that boasts of having an aesthetic plastic body as well as a head joint. This musical instrument comes with a silver-plated, nickel silver keys that allow you to play awesome tunes without any hassles.
Generally, this piccolo works in key C, which is perhaps the most common key for most instruments of its kind. It is worthwhile to note that Jupiter Piccolo JPC-305S has a nice molded case that adds to its overall look.
Hence, this instrument will likely look good in your hand as you play melodious tunes for you and others to enjoy. In addition to its features, this instrument has dimensions of 10.1 x 4.2 x 2.5 inches.
In addition, the weight of Jupiter Piccolo JPC-305S is measured to be about 1.25 pounds. This weight makes this instrument to be slightly more portable than most other piccolos on this list.
7) Yamaha YPC-62 Professional Piccolo With Standard Headjoint
Yamaha needs no introduction when it comes to musical instruments and this product is one of its finest piccolos. Yamaha YPC-62 Professional Piccolo has been used by many musicians due to the cool features that it has.
One of its best features is high-quality hand-craftsmanship that ensures that it is easily playable. The design of this product also guarantees exceptional intonation. The body is made of Grenadilla wood.
Similarly, the headjoint features Grenadilla wood with wave-cut, conical bore. This new kind of headjoint ensures that the product delivers a great dynamic range and pleasing response.
Yamaha YPC-62's posts and keys are made of silver-plated nickel-silver. It features a split E mechanism and instrument key C. Besides, it has undercut tone holes. The dimensions of this piccolo are 11.9 x 4.1 x 2.8 inches whereas the weight is 1.32 pounds. Again, Yamaha YPC-62 is a good piccolo for professional players that want to optimize their experience.
Choosing the Best Professional Piccolo
Having reviewed professional piccolos, it should now be easy for you to choose a product that can offer you the basic features that you need within your budget.
Also, although most piccolos are designed to be used for a long time, your maintenance and care will play a pivotal role in deciding the durability of the products. With proper care and maintenance, you will have no issues with the playability of your piccolo for a long time.
2) Roy Benson RBPC502 Advanced Piccolo
- Rosewood, synthetic wood body
- Silver plated nickel-silver head joint
- French style case with cover
1) Pearl PFP105E Piccolo Flute
- Split E Mechanism
- Grenaditte High Wave headjoint
- Pointed cup arms
- Pearl"s Pinless Mechanism
- Includes Case and padded case cover
3) Gemeinhardt 4SP Piccolo - Silver Plated
- Metal Head joint
- Key of C
- Nickel plated keys
- High quality
When it comes to maintenance, you need to be careful of moisture because it is the primary cause of the deterioration of a piccolo. Moisture also allows bacteria and germs to grow inside your piccolo and also makes the pads to fail.
Therefore, you must care for your piccolo to prevent it from becoming moist. Swabbing is one of the main ways to prevent moisture. A pad saver can also be utilized to maintain a piccolo.
Similarly, you need to make sure that the humidity and temperature are okay for the instrument. With all these, you will enjoy using your piccolo for a long time.