The flute is a very pretty red. The red coating seems fairly thick, but will have to worry about scratches - so be careful! As far as the playing goes, it plays pretty well, has a nice sound, and after some adjustment of the headjoint, seems to be in tune. Almost all the notes sound well, but there is an issue with playing the B flat with the right hand - it sounds like there's a leak. I'm debating with myself on exchanging it, but I don't use that fingering often, so I haven't made up my mind. The high register sounds good and the low register is acceptable for something this price. How long will it last? Who knows? How much does it cost? Not much. The springs are supposedly stainless steel so can they rust? Don't know. At least I don't have to worry about tarnish. It does have a one year warranty, so that's good. I bought this instrument to use in a community band just for fun (we wear red) and I think it will be fine for that, but I certainly wouldn't use it in the flute choir I belong to. As far as a beginner goes, as long as all the notes play on the one you get, I think it would be good for a beginner, and the bright colors available would probably encourage any child to practice more. My guess is, with much playing you'd probably end up replacing it every two or three years but eventually a beginner progresses into a better flute anyway. As long as all the notes sound on the flute you receive, I would recommend it as OK for a beginner and a lot of fun for the more experienced. The flute comes with a hard case, a nylon case bag (my $9000 Yamaha didn't come with a case bag - had to buy one on Amazon), a cleaning rod and some stuff in a tiny jar that I think is to grease the tenons.