Flute Trials
We encourage anyone wanting to purchase a flute to begin with a Flute Trial! We can do in-person trials of 7-8 flutes in your price range and then narrow it down to your 3 favorite flutes that you get to take home for a free 7 day trial. We can also do trials through the mail where we ship you 3 flutes for a 7 day trial. This should be adequate for making sure you have the perfect flute for you, so when we do the trial process there are no instrument returns.
Flute Purchases Without a Trial
Some people decide to purchase a flute or headjoint without a trial. We do encourage you to do the trials above, but realize that this isn’t practical or necessary for everyone. In this case, you have 15 days from the date the flute arrives to return for exchange for an instrument of equal or greater value. The flute must still be in new condition with no scratches or dents. Any scratches or dents will be charged $120/hour for removal and cleaning. The customer must pay the return shipping. There are no refunds.
Flute Warranties
All new flutes, as well as flutes sold as Certified Pre-Owned, come with a minimum 12 month warranty. This warranty covers defects in parts or craftsmanship. It doesn’t cover wear and tear on the instruments, or accidental or intentional damage. The vast majority of the time these issues can be resolved with an in-person 1 hour quick-fix appointment and you can take the flute home with you when completed.
If you need to ship it in for a warranty, then you would pay the shipping to us and we would pay the return shipping to you. In this case we would do the repair as quickly as possible and return ship it the next weekday that we are open. We are open Tuesday through Saturday, so a warranty that arrives in the mail on a Friday won’t be return shipped until Tuesday. One that arrives on Tuesday will be return shipped on Wednesday. In very rare cases (3-4 times in the last 5 years), there might be warranty work that needs to be returned to the flute maker, or a special part must be ordered. If this happens then it will take longer depending on shipping and repair times with the manufacturer. ALL WARRANTIES ARE VOID if the instrument is repaired by someone other than FluteWorks Seattle or a flute technician approved by FluteWorks Seattle.
As-Is Instrument Sales
Used instruments sold As-Is have no warranty and no refund. If a used instrument is sold As-Is and you get an Overhaul, the Overhaul will come with a 12 month warranty.
Accessory Trials
If you can come into the store, we allow you to try out many of our accessories in-person before you purchase. Ergonomic aids are particularly impossible to find the right thing without trying it in person. If you are trying to find an ergonomic aid that works right for you, we offer to mail you a package of many ergonomic aids for a free 7 day at-home trial before you purchase. You then ship back any ergonomic aids that don’t help you. You pay the shipping both ways and you pay for the products you keep. All shipping charges are non-refundable.
Accessory Purchases
Most online accessory orders have 30 days from the day the products arrived to return it to FluteWorks Seattle for a refund on the product only. The customer pays shipping. The item must be in it’s original packaging and in new condition. Swabs and cleaning cloths cannot be returned once the packaging is opened. Any products with adhesives like lip plate patches cannot be returned after use. All shipping charges are non-refundable.
Sale and Clearance Items
Sale and Clearance items are NOT eligible for returns. They are sold as-is. All shipping charges are non-refundable.
Return Process
If you wish to return an item, please first reach out to us via email (fluteworks@gmail.com) or phone call (781-526-3677). Once we approve the return, you will pay to ship it back or make an appointment to return it in person. Once we receive the item in its original packaging in new condition, we will issue a refund. If purchased with a credit or debit card, we will attempt to apply the refund to the card. In some cases, it will be necessary to issue you a check for the refund which will either be handed to you in person or mailed to you via first class mail. All shipping charges are non-refundable.
Custom Instrument Orders
Custom orders are being made just for you! Often these special orders are for an instrument with un-popular options like the inline G, and re-sale of these items will be very difficult. All custom flute or piccolo orders require a non-refundable 50% deposit, with the other 50% due upon delivery, no exceptions, no refunds. Purchasing from in stock instruments or an instrument we get on trial from the manufacturer gives you the chance to trial the instrument before purchase.