Does a gold lip plate affect the sound of a flute? I`m getting one put on my flute and I`ve heard that they make it sound better.

I`ve never played with Gold, but I hear that the riser makes a difference and the lip make no difference at all. Gold lip doesn`t tarnish.

However some say the material doesn`t matter at all and the different sound you get from Gold is all in your head.

I have heard it does make it sound better.

No, gold plating on a lip plate will not change the sound.

I totally agree
"No, gold plating on a lip plate will not change the sound."
A profound and worthy statement, Kara.

A salesman told me the gold lip plate prevents marks forming as the silver flute does under your lip where you place your flute.

The only time that happened on my silver flute is if I wore any foundation or any chemical product over my face. A nasty silver mark like when you use a polishing rage and the gray/black residue left on the cloth would be on my face. The salesman says it`s due to the silver of the flute comming intact with the chemical on your face and the gold lip plate would prevent this. I just don`t wear foundation or anything under my lip when I play. But I know of other girls who would at a concert and have gray all on their chin! I would wear foundation but just not on my chin.

I wasn`t interested before but now that I am using other products on my face at times it would be nice. It`s not allways foundation. I had moisturizer and it did it slightly. In fact I spoke to girl after band and she kept looking at me funny. Then I saw in a mirror a light gray beard on my face :O(

some stores will tell you it will affect the sound, as Kara said, it won`t, it might feel nice though, gold has a nice warm feel to it

What would make extremely thin gold plating FEEL warm, other than some confusion between the visual and tactile senses? :-)

When playing on a gold or gold plated lip plate, I like the feel, it feels less slippery to me. I am allergic to silver, so I never had much of a choice. I had to spend a lot more for a solid 14 K lip plate on my headjoint, but my chin thanks me!

rated g, I meant a real gold lip plate

I guess the gold alloy has a lower thermal conductivity that the sterling silver does. Plastic or timber would feel even warmer :-) Better avoid pure silver!

I don`t know whether a gold lip plate makes much difference (I have one on my flute) but gold plating on the inside of the head does

It give a warmer tone

Sigh...
That flies in the face of both science theory and rigorous research.

Yes, I Agree rated G!

Some people will believe anything a sales person tell them. It is scientifically impossible for such a THIN layer of gold plating to give it a warmer sound. That is how the music industry make the bucks, by sucking gullible people in. It is funny how gullible some inexperienced flutist can be. (Pleas note, I said SOME, not all.) It is not there fault totally though, we have marketing hype to thank for that. Me sighs....