Any online place to buy straubinger pads??

[amir]

Hi everybody,

I tried to search through google for a place that I can buy straubinger pads, But unfortunately i am not able to find any place, which seems strange to me. Does anybody know a place from which I can buy straubinger pads? or alternatively other high quality pads??

Thank you in advance.

[mirwa]

Flute pads are hard enough for the average person to fit and get to seal correctly, straubinger pads are so obscenely stupid in there design, that you need to do a "straubinger course" to learn how to make them seal, hence they are not available to the general public.

Some people love flutes that have straubinger pads, this IMO has nothing to do with the pad but everything to do with the skill of the person fitting the pad, the mechanical precision a flute needs to be in for a straubinger pad to work effectively is better than the flute was when made by a manufacturer.

Steve

[amir]

Thanks for your reply!
I have already searched on the internet and I figured out that they held their classes only in the us and since I live in Italy I can not attend these lessons, in fact i am so interested to attend these lessons. I have some old flutes, I wanted to try to change the pads using some pdf tutorials, and try to learn it by my self, I know it is better to be taught by a professional but since I have some pdf books and I am a mechanical engineer and I am familiar with mechanical components and tools, since I use them frequently at my job, I thought maybe I can learn it by myself. Do you think the Chinese pads that are available online,are worth to be bought??

Thanks again,
Amir

[pied_piper]

Chinese manufacturing has greatly improved overall in the last few years, but there is still a wide range from bad to good coming out of there. Since you are in Italy, I'd recommend getting your pads from Music Center in Italy:

http://www.musiccenter.it/

Many U.S. suppliers actually get pads from Music Center. Their quality is excellent. They sell a wide variety of pads for flutes and other instruments, including softer pads and even clones of Straubinger pads (Straubinger's patent has now expired). Perhaps if you contact them, they will advise you which of their pads would be best for your old flutes.

[mirwa]

I am a mechanical engineer and I am familiar with mechanical components and tools, since I use them frequently at my job, I thought maybe I can learn it by myself. Do you think the Chinese pads that are available online,are worth to be bought??

Have you ever repadded a flute, using normal flute pads

Steve

[amir]

Since you are in Italy, I'd recommend getting your pads from Music Center in Italy:
http://www.musiccenter.it/

Thanks a lot for your useful link, it seems that they have a very wide range of products even though, I think their prices are a little high.

Have you ever repadded a flute, using normal flute pads

Never, In fact i want to try to learn that using some tutorials and buying some good quality pads. Do you think it is impossible??

[mirwa]

If you have never repadded a flute, then steer clear of straubingers,

A lot of repairers who do it for a living struggle doing flutes with normal pads.

Being a mech eng, means you have a good understanding of mechanical items, it does not give you a sense of touch which is whats needed to do flutes well

Steve

[amir]

If you have never repadded a flute, then steer clear of straubingers,

A lot of repairers who do it for a living struggle doing flutes with normal pads.

Being a mech eng, means you have a good understanding of mechanical items, it does not give you a sense of touch which is whats needed to do flutes well

Steve

Thanks Steve for your advice! maybe i will give it a chance with normal pads and using one of my worthless flutes
Amir