Where can I order a complete set of flute pads?

[ErikJon]

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Hi, friends.

I am an experienced saxophone player, an intermediate guitarist, and have played the recorder for about two years. My wife and I are just now taking up the flute for the first time.

We are beginning with a typical student-level Bundy made in the early 1970s, I believe. (serial no. 26697). I don't know what key it is in, or what the more precise term for this instrument is, but is the same silver flute typically found in any high-school band (but not a piccolo).

Anyway, we live in South America, but we come home to Atlanta, Georgia, USA, once a year, to visit our families. We've just picked up this flute during our current visit and want to take it with us.

Unfortunately, where we live, in Venezuela, repairmen are few and hard to find and hard to trust. It is not uncommon for a repairman to keep one's instrument indefinitely--with the intent of selling it--without ever returning it to the customer. The police are not much help. I may be exaggerating the severity of the situation, but it certainly happens, particularly with better brands, I suppose.

Consequently I intend to learn how to do most of the smaller repairs myself, when they are needed. I have changed about fifteen saxophone pads during my lifetime, and made other intermediate-level repairs, so I am assuming that the flute will be somewhat similar.

At any rate, I want to buy a complete set of flute pads to take with us, perhaps two, just to have on hand whenever a pad goes out.

When I reviewed Ferree's Tools' website, or J.L. Smith, it seems that the pads were all sold individually by size, and moreover, all the styles were different depending on the model. I am a bit pressed for time, as we leave the country in two weeks, so I don't have time to measure each cup or pad on the instrument, and thickness, only to place an order. What I would like is for someone to sell me a complete set of pads according to the instrument model alone, if that is possible.

If that is not possible, perhaps someone would be so kind as to give me simply a list of all the pad styles, sizes and the quantity needed for any flute of this type. I understand that, as with the saxophone, some pads last longer than others, as some may receive much more moisture than others, for example. Perhaps I would need more of one size than another, for that reason.

The pads currently on the flute are of a whitish felt of some sort. The instrument itself seems to be silver plated.

If you would also be so kind as to recommend an inexpensive website for buying these pads, I will be grateful. We don't need "name-brand" pads at this point, until we see how far we go with our studies. We need just "decent" pads, I suppose.

Perhaps you also have some suggestions regarding other "essentials" for this new home repair kit of mine (keeping in mind that I already have much for my saxophones, to avoid any duplication).

The local music store clerk told us that there was some sort of rod that all flutes needed in order to measure and fix the correct depth from one end of the flute to the other. I don't know what it is called or where to get one, but any suggestions will be appreciated.

As for cleaning, I have some swabs that I have used for different-sized saxophones and recorders, and I assume that these will work for removing the moisture with each use.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated, but most especially regarding where and how to order quickly two sets of pads.

Sincerely yours,

Erik Jon
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[pied_piper]

Try MusicMedic.com They sell pad sets. However, be aware that often pads sets will have one or more pads of the wrong size. Instrument manufacturers are notorious for changing specs in mid-run. Music Medic offers a guarantee though:

If you order a pad set from MusicMedic.com you may receive replacements for up to 5 pads that do not fit from the set. It's that simple. We will ship the pads you need without any additional charges. There is no need to return any spare pads or take any other action.

If more than five pads from the set do not fit, You can receive a complete replacement pad set when you return the original set and provide the measurements, make, model and serial number of your instrument.

If you'd like a refund, you can return the set to us as per our return policy.

These pads should be suitable for a Bundy flute:
http://musicmedic.com/mainpads/flute-an ... -sets.html

Just be aware that there is a LOT more to replacing pads than simply installing them. It involves disassembling the flute, installing the pads, shimming, assembling, adjusting. test playing, more adjusting, re-shimming, re-adjusting, reassembling and test playing MULTIPLE times to get it right. Did I mention there are a lot of adjustments? It is not a job for the uninformed. If you read some other posts here under the Repair and Maintenance threads, you will begin to get a sense of the challenge that you are in for. First time repadding attempts rarely go well for novices and that goes doubly for someone that has not yet learned to play the flute. (Just a little sage advice)

For cleaning/swabbing the flute, this is what you should use along with a piece of nice soft cotton or silk of the appropriate size:
http://www.wwbw.com/Yamaha-Plastic-Flut ... 9639280141
http://www.wwbw.com/GEM-Swabs-Silk-Flut ... 9647320981

[ErikJon]

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Good grief. Is it that complicated? I never dreamed. It sounds like most of the keys are so interrelated that the others have to come off before one can be changed. The saxophone has a few like that, but most are not so complicated. Moreover, I don't think I have ever had to shim on the saxophone just to change a pad, but only to fix leaks.

I am very grateful for the information and for your wise advice. The set you recommended looks cheaper than the others I had found online.

If there are any other little tools or gadgets that you would consider to be a "must," please let me know.

Incidentally, I have the ancient Eric Brand Band Instrument Repair Manual, but if there are better books that you would like to recommend for flute repairs--with good pictures and diagrams--I would love to know.

Thank you very, very much.

Erik

[ErikJon]

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Wow. Thanks for the warning. I had no idea. Maybe I should also buy a book on flute repair.

The pads that you recommended are cheaper than others I had found online.

Thank you very, very much.

[fluteguy18]

I agree. It's a much more complicated process than installing saxophone pads. I would recommend choosing a shop in the US to mail it to for an overhaul, but the overhaul costs and shipping alone would make the purchase of a new instrument a more viable option. You could also schedule to have the work done while you are in the US, but I'm guessing that you want it to be finished before you travel. Purchasing the supplies that you would need to do the work properly is costly and that alone would equal or exceed the value of this specific instrument (particularly after you calculate international shipping).

Decisions, decisions.

Really, this is the route I would go:

http://www.fluteworld.com/Jupiter---511S.html

Buy that, and then this:

http://musicmedic.com/products/repair-k ... r-kit.html

It's a better instrument that will last far longer than the one that you have now, and when it starts to go down hill, the repair kit will handle most of your emergencies until you can get it to someone during a visit to the US. This may be out of budget, but just purchasing the needed supplies and tools to do the work correctly, you're going to be at least half way there.

[ErikJon]

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Wow. What a strange situation to be in, and a difficult decision to make.

Thank you for your great suggestions.
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[ErikJon]

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Yes, I already have a leak light and almost everything depicted in the repair kit. I also have a lot of free time available where we live.
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[pied_piper]

A leak light is perfect for finding leaks on a sax, but they are not so great for finding leaks on the flute. Unlike leather sax pads, the skin covering on flute pads is translucent and will allow light to show thru even when there is no leak. For this reason, most repair techs rely on using feelers to find leaks on flute and clarinets.

http://www.jlsmithco.com/TOOLS-AND-SUPP ... RIP-HOLDER
http://musicmedic.com/feeler-gauge-handle.html

[ErikJon]

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Very discouraging news!

I had seen that translucent material before, but never suspected that it would relate to the leak light technique.

Thank you for the warning and for the links. I think I may order one of those tools.

[fluteguy18]

You can also just make one without necessarily buying one of those things. I just take a cotton swab, clip off the swabs and then glue the feeler material with a very small dot of hot melt glue to the remaining wooden stick. Feeler stock, I use varying thicknesses of plastic shim stock cut into thin strips. I sometimes also use a piece of cassette tape from a 90 minute cassette. It's roughly the same as my 0.0005" shim stock, but not quite (Depending on where you check it's roughly 0.0004" but I've also seen where it's roughly 0.0006" as well). I do cut the tape in half length-ways when I do this because I feel that the cassette tape is too wide. Some people use cigarette paper or even bladderskin/fishskin.

As for leak light technique, PP is on the money. Bladderskin is translucent and light will always come through. I really only use a leak light on flute when I can't seem to get it right with a feeler alone. In that circumstance I'm looking for variation in the color of the light that is coming through. Different shades of white/yellow tell me different things. The only problem is, is that if it is a fluorescent bulb instead of an LED strip, you have to watch out for the bulb getting warm. The warmth will make the pads fluctuate and it will subsequently sabotage your attempts at leak elimination.

[ErikJon]

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Wow. My leak light is not of the LED type.

J.L.Smith has a nice video online about using feelers, that I just discovered.

All of you have been very kind to share these tips with me.