Klarinet Archive - Posting 000412.txt from 2003/06

From: "James Hobby" <jhobby@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Needle Springs
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2003 11:40:14 -0400

First, Nancy, your cite to Matit Flutes is almost a non sequitur. These
are, in no sense, a standard flute. (I'd love to have one!) I admit that
I'm unable to access the pages under the two main pages. It wouldn't load.
(Which is likely because the storms are mucking with the telephone lines
around here.) But their quote at the bottom of their pages seems to be
"Modern technology has come a long way."

This doesn't, I'm sorry to say, apply to the flutes played by most high
school students. It certainly doesn't apply to a 30-year-old Armstrong
student line flute. (Which is in excellent condition, BTW. Had an
"everything it needs" overhaul less than six months ago.) I looked at six
of the flutes and two pics -- one metal; one wood -- in the band, and they
ALL have needle springs. They may be of a different tensil strength than
what is used for clarinets. That, I don't know, but they can still stick
through your finger.

Undoubtedly, there are some flutes, somewhere, that use magnetics instead of
springs, but they don't appear to have made it into southern Middle
Tennessee yet.

Jim Hobby

Nancy Buckman wrote:

>On the subject of needle springs, I was taught to spring all flutes with
>softer metal than needle springs are made of. As I thought about my
>statement of flutes not having needle springs (like the ones on clarinets
>and saxes), I wanted to know exactly why that was so. In looking on the
>net, I came across this site, www.matitflutes.com/06reach.html, which uses
>magnets for key movement instead of springs. While I haven't answered my
>own question of why needle springs aren't commonly used, I thought someone
>might be interested in reading about this flute.

Quote from Matit site: "There are three models of MATIT professional flutes
available. The body is made of carbon fibre and the keywork of titanium,
silver or silver plated brass. Flutes are available with open or closed
keyholes and with C or B foot."

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