Head Joint :(

rberry · Post by **rberry** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:17 pm

:( I recently bought a flute on ebay for only 30 dollars. The catch was it is missing its head joint. I am a music ed major and am a brass player and I want to make sure that i know my way around the flute before i start teaching. SO i have this very nice emerson flute with very little wear good pads but no head joint. I went to a local music store and they fitted a used head joint and said that they would have to fix up that head joint and the cost would be 50 dollars. Could someone tell me if im being taken to the cleaners here on this head join purchase. It seems like a lot of money for and old head joint. thanks for your help!

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:23 pm

It really depends on what kind of head you're getting. Handmade heads can easily go for $1100 (or up to 5000 or 6000 if you go for gold or platinum), so you're not exactly paying top dollar at $50 for a head, but if it's poorly designed, it's probably not worth even that. A good quality head from a reputable maker can easily be worth $50, though. What material is it, who made it, and how old/what condition is it in? The headjoint is the heart of the flute...Aside from the player, it's most responsible for tone, response, etc.

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:28 pm

For something to play around with, this is probably your best bet. A new one would cost FAR more, and it is very possible that the headjoint will need to be fitted and maybe even have the cork replaced, so $50 seems reasonable if it is a decent head that fits the flute well with no damage to the lip plate. Now, if you want something fantastic, you will most likely pay more and will want to shop around a bit, but if you are just starting on flute, a handmade headjoint would not be very practical at this point. I have a friend who is a brass player and could not believe how much I paid for my Williams head. I thought is was cheap

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:40 am

Yeah.... if it is in decent condition, and the maker is recognizable among members of the flute world, then it is probably a good deal actually.... Flutes are expensive, and headjoints are the worst expense. I honestly would consider myself lucky to have found a good student level headjoint for $50.

brina · Post by **brina** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 3:47 am

what's a music ed major?

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:33 pm

brina wrote:what's a music ed major?

It's short for "Music education major," which is someone who is studying to be a music teacher in the public school system. To teach in the public school system here in the US, you must have at least a BME (Bachelor of Music Education) degree.

brina · Post by **brina** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 5:58 pm

ok. thanks.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:48 pm

Glad to help!