Recutting piccolo Headjoint

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:29 am

It is done by using special tools to carefully scrape away metal from around the embouchure hole. Yes, it's done by hand, but there are very few people that have the skill to cut headjoints (this is the most difficult part of building a flute, as any small changes can completely alter the way the instrument plays), and most of them probably would not be found doing after market work on a Gemeinhardt headjoint. Gemeinhardts are generally machine made, and are a compromise so that they work for the greatest number of people. Likely you are finding the limitations of your instrument, and that it may not be the best match for you. It would make much more sense simply to buy a new headjoint or even an entirely new piccolo, as the effort involved to find someone with the necessary skills willing to do the work would likely be huge, and comparing the cost of the recut with that of the piccolo it probably doesn't make economical sense either. If it were a $5000 Keefe piccolo, having the head recut might make more sense, but in your case, I'm not even sure it's possible. The head on your picc is plated, and recutting would go through the plating. That would leave the area around the embouchure hole uneven, and to replate it with an even coat would require far more work than is reasonable. I guess what I'm getting at is that I don't believe that recutting is a good way to go in this instance. If you want a slightly better response, try (under the supervision of your teacher or a tech) moving the headjoint cork ever so slightly to the right (towards the body).

Zevang · Post by **Zevang** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 5:15 pm

Agreed flutepicc06, this sort of headjoint working must be done by an expert alone. We are so worried and busy studying our parts that the time to study all the theory and practice around cutting headjoints is completely beyond our daytime possibilities.

Zevang

ick27 · Post by **ick27** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:40 pm

I don't think re-cutting your head joint is a good idea here; there are really very few situations where re-cutting is appropriate. It's unfair to expect your Gemeinhardt to play like a Burkart. Probably, a large part of the difference in "response" that you observe is because the Burkart actually seals the tone holes when you press the keys down. The head joint is quite different too, and does have a significant effect.

The best thing to do is just to get the leaks fixed as well as possible.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:24 pm

ick27 wrote:I don't think re-cutting your head joint is a good idea here; there are really very few situations where re-cutting is appropriate. It's unfair to expect your Gemeinhardt to play like a Burkart. Probably, a large part of the difference in "response" that you observe is because the Burkart actually seals the tone holes when you press the keys down. The head joint is quite different too, and does have a significant effect.

The best thing to do is just to get the leaks fixed as well as possible.

The Gemeinhardt must seal the toneholes when the keys are depressed or it would be impossible to play. I would think it's less a matter of leaks, and more a matter of headjoint cut, and the interaction of the head with the body. True, there may be leaks, and those should be addressed, but they most likely are not the determining factor in the difference between the Gemmie and the Burkart.