If you're new to fluting or looking for extra support on your musical journey, it's not always easy to know where to go and who to trust. From buying sheet music and flutes to extra resources, there are a few major flute retailers out there that I know and trust as a veteran flutist and flute teacher.

Buying from online stores can be stressful because you can't always trust that you're getting exactly what you ordered, but these retailers are trustworthy, reliable, and value customer service.

Have you had any experiences with these vendors? Comment below and share your experiences!

Flute Center of New York

If you live anywhere outside of New York, you might be skeptical about buying from a company with New York in the name. But as a Tennessee resident, FCNY is my Number 1 choice for buying flutes and sheet music!

FCNY is the biggest flute vendor in the States with one of the best instrument trial programs out there. While their physical store is in New York, they ship trial instruments straight to you and they have an associate keep in touch with you throughout the entire purchasing process.

One of the most important services they offer is instrument repair. If you buy a flute through them, there are special warranties. Their repair prices are reasonable and they usually have a quick turnaround time.

They are also partnered with Rose Music to sell a large variety of flute sheet music and offer free shipping for orders over $75. They have collections if you want to explore new music, and it's easy to search for your specific piece.

The last thing I really like about FCNY is that they have free resources on their website created by professional flutists. Want to know how to pick a new flute or watch a masterclass? They've got a little bit of everything.

Overall, I recommend FCNY to all of my student's parents when they're looking to buy a new or used flute. The staff at FCNY treat you like family and only care about matching you to the best flute for you!

Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company

Carolyn Nussbaum is a flute player turned flute repair technician turned flute retailer, which is the long way of saying she really knows her stuff. Based in Texas, her music store is a one-stop shop to buy flutes, repair services, and sheet music.

Like FCNY, Carolyn Nussbaum has free resources on her website for flute care, college auditions, and career insights. She sells a little bit of everything and is happy to help find hard-to-find sheet music.

I was recently looking for a specific piece that I couldn't find on any major flute website. While at the Florida Flute Convention, I was able to ask Carolyn herself at her booth. She did some digging, found my sheet music, and ordered it for me and shipped it directly to my house.

Compared to the other flute retailers Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company is a little smaller, but not by much. She often has better prices on sheet music than Flute Center of New York and Flute World, my third go-to online flute retailer.

Flute World

Based in Detroit, Flute World was the first flute and sheet music retailer I ever learned about as a flute student. Their sheet music collection has over 48 different categories and genres, which includes music recordings.

Flute World sells every flute in the flute family with lots of brands to choose from. With stores in Michigan, California, and North Carolina, they also ship trial flute straight to your door and offer repair services.

Their flute accessories are a huge plus, with a big assortment of flute bags, cases, cleaning cloths, and flute stands.

The one down side I've personally experienced with Flute World is that even with paying full shipping, my sheet music orders don't always arrive when the tracking number says they will. Given how big Flute World is, it doesn't bother me all that much.

However, if you need your music in a short deadline, I recommend checking out Flute Center of New York or Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company.

Final Flute Notes

Buying flute resources through online retailers can be easy and enjoyable while giving you exactly what you're looking for. Flute Center of New York, Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company, and Flute World all offer similar services and great customer service.

Are there other flute retailers you know and love? Let me know in the comments!