A side note after rereading my post regarding the old Armstrongs--
Either I'm fantastically lucky with my horns, or exceptionally careful with them, or something.
My old student Gemi hasn't seen the repairman since I got the Armstrong. And its only repairs were pads and corks, plus taking out a small dent in the head joint 'cause I was a stupid 4th grader joining all the other girls twirling their flutes (yes, I dropped it. On the gravel parking lot. Which completely devastated me) It still plays well enough for me to leave it at church during the school year for those times my choir director looks at me and says, "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you to, did you happen to bring your flute tonight?" I could probably play solos on it in a pinch, although it really doesn't play as well as either of my other flutes.
The Armstrong hasn't been in since maybe 2004 when I had my repairman tweak the keys' action. Not that it needed it, I just wanted it. No repairs besides pads and corks. And an upcoming cleaning 'cause I noticed a spot of tarnish just starting on the lip plate, plus crud around some of the posts.
The Yami I don't think has been in yet, except to loosen the head joint just a smidge as it came with that joint awfully tight. I don't think I've even had pads changed yet.
The Gemi picc has only had typical pads and maybe a cork once.
The Armstrong wood, same. Plus a total tuneup including oiling the wood.
The bass needed its right-hand keys adjusted shortly after I got it in about 2013. I'm guessing a difference in my playing vs Chris Potter's since it had leaks fixed before she allowed the owner to sell it to me. Nothing else since.
The piece of crap Artley is the exception. It needed a complete repad three times in three months once I hit high school and played it more. Turns out Artley didn't finish the edges of the metal of the holes. No, it's not like it's razor-sharp and slices fingers. But it is sharp enough to eat through pads. My repairman fixed that problem by hand-cutting a set of pads from trumpet spit valve foam. Zero issues since (well, ok, probably a cork), although that did not help its playing/tuning/key action any! OTOH, in marching band I could keep playing when it started to rain.
Is this normal, to not have much repair work needed? Or am I indeed lucky here?
>'Kat