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DavidWright Newbie
Joined: July.31.07 Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline Posts: 7
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Posted: February.13.08 at 11:48am | IP Logged
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I hadn't serviced a flute for a year or two (specialising in saxes) and I recently got a Pearl flute in for a service. I stripped it down, cleaned it, re-assembled, checked seating, regulated it, and noticed there was a lot of lost motion. I beefed up the foot corks to cure this but in doing so, the key openings were reduced and the instrument now sounds woolly/stuffy. How can I cure the lost motion without reducing the key openings?
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bobbaier Technician
Joined: February.07.05 Location: USA
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Posted: February.13.08 at 6:08pm | IP Logged
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David,
Generally, after setting the height of the right hand F key to the proper height and adjusting the combinations, lost motion can be eliminated by adjusting the corks or felts and/or bending the key feet. Pretty much like a sax.
However, on a Pearl, there is the possibility that the socket head screws that hold the right hand adjusting lugs and the F# key in place are not in the correct position. As I recall, the F# key locks into a flat spot milled into the steel. The adjusting lug would then be secured so the keys are level and within the range of the adjusting screws. It's not hard to do, but it may take more than one try and some fiddling if you haven't done it before. You'll need a .035" Allen wrench.
Good luck,
bob
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admin Admin Group
Joined: March.10.05 Location: USA
Online Status: Offline Posts: 304
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Posted: February.14.08 at 3:17pm | IP Logged
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Hi David,
Not sure if the problem is Pearl specific or just a general flute thing. In case it's a general flute adjusting question, here's an overview of regulating and adjusting process on flutes.
Let me know if this helps.
Thanks, Michelle
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DavidWright Newbie
Joined: July.31.07 Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline Posts: 7
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Posted: February.16.08 at 9:52am | IP Logged
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Hi - Thanks Bob and Michelle. It turned out to be human error (I'm very human!).
I had omitted to regulate the Bb thumb key with the Bb trill key (you call it the regular Bb key). So all is now well with the world. What is the point of the 'spatula' Bb key? Surely most flautists use either the B thumb key plus the B key plus the F key or they use Bb thumb key plus the B key.
David
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HansMartini Technician
Joined: January.11.05 Location: Canada
Online Status: Offline Posts: 3
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Posted: March.10.08 at 9:24am | IP Logged
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Never assume that flutists do anything consistently.
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bobbaier Technician
Joined: February.07.05 Location: USA
Online Status: Offline Posts: 30
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Posted: March.10.08 at 9:27am | IP Logged
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I don't know, Hans. They complain consistently...
bob
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IanWhite Technician
Joined: January.11.05 Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline Posts: 10
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Posted: March.10.08 at 12:00pm | IP Logged
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Don't they just - 'I'm having to use too much finger pressure' .....OK .... 'but the keys don't move quick enough now' ....... Maybe the poor darlings ought to be forced to have a few sessions with a bari sax or bigger.
Ian
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