I was very lucky last week in being able to get a stock clearance new wooden flute for about $600! It had a couple of very minor cracks (less than the width of a hair) that were superficial, on the barrel. I've filled these using epoxy resin - this was largely the reason why this Chinese wooden flute was going so cheap. As I'm not used to playing open hole flutes I asked for some plugs. I tried the flute out in the shop with plastic plugs but wanted metal ones as they sound better. The shop put one metal plug in to show me how and when I got home I put the rest in myself. They are Powell plugs and ironically cost 10% of the price I paid for the entire flute.
I'm not all that bothered about removing the plugs but as an experiment I did try and remove one with the device supplied by Powell. However, it didn't work. I think it's really for use with metal flutes. It's basically a small stud on a slip of plastic that fits between the key and the key cup, you press the key down on the stud and the plug is supposed to pop out. This would work on a metal flute with level key cups but doesn't seem to work on a wood flute witih depressed key cups set in the round bore. The device doesn't fit properly and just bends into the key cup when you press the key. Even building the stud up with tiny bits of masking tape as the instructions suggest, didn't work. Anyone got any ideas as to how I could remove them when I feel the time is right? Of course, I could take it to a repairer or the shop where I bought the flute but why bother if there's an easy way I could do it at home?
The flute plays wonderfully well. The only note that's really difficult is top C (no surprise there). The low register is rich and powerful, no problems with low C sharp and low C, very sweet toned - the best flute I've owned - better even the one that I used to own before I stopped playing (I'm a returning flautist, as previously mentioned) and then sold it, which was a silver Pearl with a Cooper headjoint! Kind regars, T.
Removing plugs from wooden flute open hole keys. Help!
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fluteguy18
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- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:11 pm
It sounds like a bargain! I had a friend once who had a chance to buy a quality Eb flute because the store wanted to get rid of it (had been in storage for ages). They wanted $60 USD. What a steal. But, she didn't know what she was looking at, and passed on it.
UGH! I would have snapped it right up!
UGH! I would have snapped it right up!
That's certainly an amazing price - $60; and I thought I was doing well enough with my purchase! I'm still thrilled with the new wooden flute - what a wonderful tone, and it's so easy to play after several months on my vintage wooden one, which really is hard work. It's got a split E, too. And of course, it's in modern pitch (A 440; I thought it might be 442 but I tested it against a tuner this evening). Somehow I seem to have become the proud owner of three excellent flutes - a silver one and two wooden ones, for a total of about $1000! I don't know if there's a moral there: possibly that it pays to shop around, be vigilant for deals and be open minded about trying models that aren't in the mainstream. Kind regards, T.fluteguy18 wrote:It sounds like a bargain! I had a friend once who had a chance to buy a quality Eb flute because the store wanted to get rid of it (had been in storage for ages). They wanted $60 USD. What a steal. But, she didn't know what she was looking at, and passed on it.
UGH! I would have snapped it right up!