Flute Worries.......

scrappster · Post by **scrappster** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 5:55 pm

Alright, I don''t know if I''m just not
properly caring for my flute, or what. I''m a sophmore, and I''ve been
playing since the fifth grade. I got an open-hole flute, that I thought was used
because that''s what my mom said then but now she''s saying it was new.
Anyway, it wasn''t in perfect shape like a brand new flute should have been,
but that''s beyond the point. Now my flute looks terrible. There''s tarnish
or something scattered everywhere. I''m not sure how it got there or how to
get rid of it. It looks really bad, and I hate that. X.x If it''s not tarnish,
I don''t know what it is. It''s dark, and kinda smudgy, as though I smeared
in some dark paint a long time ago and it just blended in with the metal. I I
really wanna know what it is and how to get rid of it and prevent it! Please
help! X.x I feel stupid...

embum79 · Post by **embum79** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 6:01 pm

Well, it won't affect your sound, which is a good
thing. To prevent it, you should wipe down your flute after each time you play.
I think it is caused by the oils in our skin.. it reacts with the metal. I'm
not sure how you get rid of it.. I think you would have to send it to a repair
shop or back to the company in order for it to be "cleaned."

scrappster · Post by **scrappster** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 6:10 pm

*nod* I knew it wouldn't mess with my sound, and
thanks for your response. X.x I hope I don't have to take it to a shop to get
rid of it. X.x it's just terrible, and I hate it to death. It's been there for
like...a year plus, and just keeps getting worse. X.x my mom's unemployed, so I
can't just go to the shop. My dad is the only person with money, and all he
does is play gigs at clubs and stuff every weekend or so, so you can guess how
much money that gets us. X.x so, if there's any other way besides having to
take it into the shop, then I will worship the ground the bringer of such news
walks upon and give them lotsa presents!! XDD thanks for your info
though...I'll try wipin it off more often..X.x *beats crappy rag thingy* what
about cheap cleaning cloths? is there something you could use that's cheaper
then the fancy one's they sell at the music stores?

krzymunkey · Post by **krzymunkey** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 6:30 pm

whatever you do, don't use felt.. i tried, it
scratched up my flute so badly, and i didn't even notice until a week later..
just use a soft hankerchief

flutietootie4lyfe · Post by **flutietootie4lyfe** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 7:06 pm

im not sure what it is but ive heard muslin is the
best for it

jensal · Post by **jensal** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:32 pm

From what I understand the tarnish is from the
acid in your skin, it seems you have a silver flute, even if you do clean it it
will come back. My daughters teacher says not to use silver polish, but
recommends a polishing cloth or an old white t-shirt. There isn't a lot you can
do to stop it, unfortunately. I will ask her if there is a way to clean it your
self and let you know.

AG950Flute · Post by **AG950Flute** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 2:21 pm

I don't know if you do this, but if you leave
your flute out of it's case, so you can just go back and pick it up when you
want, your flute will tarnish and turn kinda funky colors, (and I'm not talking
about leaving it out just overnight and then putting it away, but for extended
amounts of time) and it is VERY difficult to get rid of even with a tarnish
cloth. however, if that is not the case, some people have different acids in
their skin that will tarnish the flute. I remember my mom telling me that when
she played flute it turned black because of that. In that case, it's a good
idea to wipe down the flute everytime you're done with it. If you're looking
for a cheaper solution than a tarnish cloth, 1 to 1 part of water and rubbing
alcohol works well. Just put it in a spray bottle, spray it onto a soft cloth
and then wipe down your flute. Good luck!

fluteluversmom · Post by **fluteluversmom** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 2:28 pm

>>If you're looking for a cheaper solution than a
tarnish cloth, 1 to 1 part of water and rubbing alcohol works well. Just put it
in a spray bottle, spray it onto a soft cloth and then wipe down your flute.>>
Hey Courtney~ Do you think this would work on the inside of a flute ? The
student Yamaha that I bought for myself this past summer is REALLY dirty on the
inside. I have no idea whether it is tarnish or just grime because the girl I
bought it from never cleaned it. Kim