Need More Help

wines60 · Post by **wines60** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:13 pm

I hate to be a bother, but I need more help regarding the flute my grandson was given. ( Please see my earlier post "Need Help" for details).

Today while he was playing a solo in band class, the flute suddenly quite making any sound! The band director took a look and told my grandson the the flute was missing an adjusting screw mechanism, or something like that. They managed to get it adjusted enough for him to continue playing for the day, but my grandson was told that he would continue to have trouble.

What does this mean? Is it fixable? As mentioned in the earlier post, the flute was just reconditioned just a month or so ago. Sould we give up on it and just buy him another? I hate it that his aunt spent so much trouble not to mention expense to provide this instrument and help out the boy.

The flute is a new instrument to him, and I do not want him to give up on it before he gives it a good try. any suggestions?

Thanks to all who reaponded to my earlier posts. You were a great help.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:15 pm

chances are, is that it is merely missing the adjusting screw. Not the mechanism. All that this screw does, is adjust the amount that corresponding keys go down when said key is pushed down (moves multiple keys at once). If the screw is too loose, the corresponding keys wont close all of the way. If it is too tight, the other keys will close, but the key you are pushing on wont close. On student models and quite a few intermediate model instruments, these screws come out of adjustment frequently, and require maintenance. So, what probably happened, is that it loosed up, and fell out.

I beleive these can be replaced. If they are replaceable (I have never had this happen to me before, but I am pretty sure you can replace them) I dont beleive they will be very expensive (a dollar or two at the most). Have a tech look at it, and have the screw replaced. Have all of the screws looked at. Then, to prevent this in the future, I will give you a tip that a tech. gave to me.

Go to all of the adjusting screws (not the screws in the posts that are attached to the tube of the instrument). With the screws properly adjusted, take a toothpick, and put one small drop of clear nailpolish on the screw. It will dry, and prevent the screw from moving. These Screws are normally found between the right hand keys, and two of the left hand keys. (three on the right hand side I think, and one on the left side).

DO NOT put the nailpolish on the screws in the posts attached to the tubing. Do NOT get nailpolish on any other part of the mechanism. This will cause serious problems, so be very careful. I know this tip works because a tech did it to one of my flutes, then I did it to the rest, and have never had to have them adjusted ever again.

I hope you get this problem fixed. I know it seems alarming, but from what you have said, the problem seems relatively simple, and very fixable.

Another solution is that because it is an older instrument, it might have been designed without adjusting screws. Many professional and vintage instruments have/had adjusting tabs that were adjusted by amounts of cork, and slight alterations in the levers. This isnt an alarming situation either. All this means, is that if this is the case, then, a shim might have fallen out, or the mechanism has been bent ever so slightly.

Dont worry. I think this can be easily solved by a competant tech. And, if all else fails, a newer student model flute isnt that much of an investment. I know it would be agravating to go through all of this trouble, only to have to buy another one. If it turns out that the flute needs replaced, keep in mind that renting is always an option. Any dealer worth their salt normally has a rental program for students/ student line instruments.

I hope this helps.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:18 pm

Assuming the director diagnosed the problem correctly (which my experience with directors shows is dubious), it should be possible to fix. However, without seeing the flute, it's very difficult to tell. I would suggest taking it to the local tech, explaining that you just paid to have it reconditioned, and that it has already broken down. A reputable tech will want to do the work necessary (often free of charge if it's a little thing) to put things right, as flutes that stop working shortly after being serviced will put him in a bad light. And should your nephew have trouble with the flute in the future, my suggestion would be not to let the director work on it. They love it when they can make an instrument play with nothing other than a wad of gum and a paper clip, but sometimes makeshift repairs cause more problems down the line. Instead, take it directly to a competent tech.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:24 pm

yes. Absolutely flutepicc. you give great advice as usual. Dont let the director create makeshift repairs. I once had an incedent where a large heavy object fell on my flute, and bent the mechanism. The rods were dented flat against the tubing. I almost died. I took it to my director ( scared to pieces because it was my only flute at the time), and she took out her keys, and rebent the rods to their original position.

I was appalled. I took it to a tech, and it took over a month to fix when it should have only taken a week. Her "repair" cause a lot of damage, and the flute never played the same again.

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:37 am

This sounds minor, just get it checked out. Anecdotally, our tech occasionally applies an unofficial "stupidity charge", when a band director or parent has ridiculously complicated his job but trying to fix an instrument themselves. You know, SuperGlue really does react rather poorly to the heat of a soldering gun! Once I witnessed an alleged woodwind-playing band director attempting to insert a new flute head cork through the crown-end of the headjoint. He couldn't figure out why the cork didn't fit! Another favorite story featured a trumpet with a stuck mouthpiece. The parent was a proficient woodworker who NAILED the bell to the woodshop floor, and tried to pull the mouthpiece with a variety of tools. He scraped and bent the mouthpiece shank, and, oh, yeah, there were some holes in the bell, too.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 11:12 am

Absolutely ridiculous. I cant believe that. NAILED??!! What were they thinking?

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 12:23 pm

I don't even care to try and figure out what he was thinking!?!