I bought a flute a while ago with the intention of repairing it, but I got a bit intimidated by the process and it’s been sitting around for a while. I’m toying with the idea of sending it off to have someone properly fix it, depending on whether it seems like it’s worth it to do so. Mainly, I’ve realized that I don’t have the equipment or skills to properly fix the barrel and headjoint cracks that I think are the main culprits in the issues with the flute. I might also try to have some of the more difficult and pressing repairs done and then do things like re-padding myself, to get some experience.
I know Jon Cornia is often recommended, are there any well-regarded repairers in the New England area? I live in Massachusetts and, given recent postal delays and difficulties, would feel a bit better with someone closer rather than shipping cross-country.
You might check with the Von Huene Workshop in Brookline to see if they might do the work you are interested in. Good folks and internationally known for their recorders and flutes. They have recorked tenons for me in the past.
Having worked at Von Huene, I’d say they are a good option for certain types of repairs/services and not for others.
Good for: Replacing tenon corks, minor key action adjustments including: sticking keys, poorly sealing pads, and key spring tension. Also good for the occasional pad replacement. If you lost or busted you endcap, or headjoint stopper they could make a nice replacement. Certainly they can do a good general cleaning and servicing.
Not so good for: Major crack repairs on instruments with metal linings. VH don’t see many of these types of repairs and frankly, I don’t think the head of the shop is particularly interested, or experienced with these sorts of repair. I also wouldn’t recommend them for the replacement, addition, or extensive modification of keywork, as forging and soldering of keys is rarely, if ever, done there these days. Also not the place for extensive keyblock repairs or modifications.
Keep in mind it’s been a number of years now since I worked at VH, and things may have changed, but I’ve not heard anything that would lead me to believe significant changes to what I have mentioned above has taken place.
For the headjoint and barrel repairs you’ve mentioned, I’d suggest looking elsewhere. Wish I had someone here in N.E. I could recommend, years ago it would have been Skip Healy or Bryan Byrne, but Skip is long gone to Switzerland and Bryan is not readily available for flute repair work last I heard.
Wish I had better news for you bigsciota, but that’s all I’ve got on the New England scene.
Thanks for the advice, I’ll poke around some more, and consider sending it further afield if that’s my only option.
What I’m mainly looking for is fixing the headjoint and barrel crack, long with a hairline crack in one of the tenons. The flute also needs re-corking and likely a repadding, but those are easier to find from more general woodwind techs in my experience. I may also try to do some of that myself, but as I mentioned the crack repairs are beyond my experience/equipment level.
I’ve all but covered the entire flute with electrical tape and blu-tak, and besides a weak low E and D it’s got a decent enough sound. It can also play in A440 with the slide out a bit. All of that makes me more inclined to try to have more lasting repairs than the usual “fill everything with superglue and see if it stays,” although I’ve yet to figure out just how much I’d like to spend on professional repairs.
If the wood is as red as that one pic shows, not likely German Made. They got most of their wood from East Africa, usually Blackwood or Ebony of some sort. Most likely American Made or Made for export to America. Could be Cocus or Kingwood.
A very quick and dirty way to improve the pad sealing is to wrap the key end with teflon tape in a sort of ‘‘Flute Diaper’’. Ugly but effective. For some odd acoustic reason, the padding on the Bb or C key can weaken the bottom notes.
If you’re really stuck, Windward Flutes up in Nova Scotia (Can) do excellent repairs. You might be able to work some cross-border shipping, although I have no experience in that for repairs. Forbes Christie does excellent work, and is most agreeable to work with. Lovely folks.