PROBIRT Forums: LOST MOTION

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Flute/Piccolo
PROBIRT Forums » Flute/Piccolo

Topic: LOST MOTION

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DavidWright
Newbie
Newbie

Joined: July.31.07
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7

Posted: February.13.08 at 11:48am \| IP Logged

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?

bobbaier
Technician

Joined: February.07.05
Location: USA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 28

Posted: February.13.08 at 6:08pm \| IP Logged

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

admin
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Joined: March.10.05
Location: USA
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Posts: 303

Posted: February.14.08 at 3:17pm \| IP Logged

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

DavidWright
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Joined: July.31.07
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 7

Posted: February.16.08 at 9:52am \| IP Logged

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

HansMartini
Technician

Joined: January.11.05
Location: Canada
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Posts: 3

Posted: March.10.08 at 9:24am \| IP Logged

Never assume that flutists do anything consistently.

bobbaier
Technician

Joined: February.07.05
Location: USA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 28

Posted: March.10.08 at 9:27am \| IP Logged

I don't know, Hans. They complain consistently...

bob

IanWhite
Technician

Joined: January.11.05
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 10

Posted: March.10.08 at 12:00pm \| IP Logged

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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