Armstrong 103
A student-tier open-hole flute from Armstrong, a brand tracing to a 1931 Elkhart, Indiana repair shop and today part of Conn-Selmer, still built in Elkhart with top-adjusting screws specifically for ease of repair, per the manufacturer's own listing.
A student-tier open-hole flute from Armstrong, a brand tracing to a 1931 Elkhart, Indiana repair shop and today part of Conn-Selmer, still built in Elkhart with top-adjusting screws specifically for ease of repair, per the manufacturer's own listing. Suited to students ready for (or specifically wanting) open-hole keywork; less suited to an absolute first-time beginner than a closed-hole model.
Key specifications
| Manufacturer | Armstrong |
|---|---|
| Product status | Current |
| Body/Headjoint | Silver-plated nickel |
| Key Configuration | Open hole, Y-arm keywork |
| Foot/G Key | Inline G, C foot (per this listing; other 103-series variants offer offset G / B foot) |
| Adjustment | Top adjusting screws for ease of repair |
| Built | Elkhart, Indiana, USA |
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Open-hole keywork is a genuine step-up feature versus fully closed-hole beginner flutes, encouraging correct hand position as students progress; top-adjusting screws are a documented ease-of-repair feature.
Weaknesses
- Open-hole configuration is a bigger adjustment for a true first-time beginner than the closed-hole ("plateau") flutes elsewhere in this guide; Armstrong sells several similarly-named 103-series variants (open/closed hole, inline/offset G, B/C foot), so confirming the exact configuration matters more than for a single-configuration competitor.
Playability and construction
Not assessed hands-on — this review is based on specification and market analysis (see the badge above), so no subjective playing-feel claim (response, intonation tendencies, resistance) is made here. See the Verdict below for what this assessment is and isn't.
Construction
Silver-plated nickel body and headjoint.
Competing models
Verdict
A student-tier open-hole flute from Armstrong, a brand tracing to a 1931 Elkhart, Indiana repair shop and today part of Conn-Selmer, still built in Elkhart with top-adjusting screws specifically for ease of repair, per the manufacturer's own listing. Suited to students ready for (or specifically wanting) open-hole keywork; less suited to an absolute first-time beginner than a closed-hole model. See our full The Best Beginner Flutes guide for how it compares to alternatives.
Other flute models reviewed
Each of these is assessed on the same basis — documented specifications and market positioning, not hands-on playing tests.
- Allora AAFL-229 Student Flute Allora
- Prelude FL711 Student Flute Prelude by Conn-Selmer
- Odyssey OFL100 Odyssey
- Gemeinhardt 1SP Student Flute Gemeinhardt
The Best Beginner Flutes
How this model compares against the alternatives, and which one suits which player.
Where to buy
Prices and availability are checked periodically, not a real-time feed.
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