Now that I look back at what I wrote, that doesn't make much sense. I meant to say that they don't have good tuning.

Aaah. I see. Not a problem I've ever seen in a Yamaha (and I've played around on a few) Perhaps it was just that particlar instrument? I don't know...

TOday is J.L. Smith Exhibit day! Wish me luck in finding a good headjoint in the 1200-1500 dollar price range! No looking back...ROFL!

gold is the best material that your flute can be made out of...i plan on getting a solid gold flute. the flute that i had just ordered has a gold lip plate. but it is the softest metal, so be careful...

Not quite right, I'm afraid, waves_of_praise. There is no "best" material. Every flutist is different and wants something different out of a flute, so even assuming materials play into the way the flute plays (which there is no proof of, but there's also no solid proof that it does), there could be no best. Also, what makes gold better than platinum, or wood, or silver, or plate? Most of the gold alloys used for flutes are in the 10K to 18K range, which means that in a 14K gold flute, only 14/24 of the metal is actually gold. The rest are metals like copper and silver, or others which harden the alloy, meaning that softness is not really an issue. Even in 24K flutes like one of the instruments Sir James Galway plays, there is a touch of titanium that hardens it. This particular alloy does require special treatment, but most gold flutes are just as hard as a comparable silver one.

I never thought of it that way. I considered gold to be the best material because I have heard recordings of gold flutes played. I heard a wonderful tone and pitch difference, but it could have also been that a professional was playing (I think...). So, it is more of an opinion. I also enjoy wooden piccolos, and I understand now it's more of a preference of the player, but I do think that wood is also a very good material for the flute/piccolo. I personaly wouldn't get a solid wooden flute, just head joint. Each material does have a different effect on the player, but it didn't occur to me...sry

those flute players sound good because they are good flute players, not because they have gold flutes, they know how to color the tone a certain way with the material, not because of it..

see what happens when you put an expensive gold Brannen, Powell, Haynes or Muramatsu in the hands of a bad flute player

Or even an inexpensive Artley head in the hands of a great player...

Oh, and btw, Good luck Dennis! You'll have to let us know what you tried and what you thought of them all!

I know which head he got, but I'm not tellin. lol!

Okay, let me be extremely trivial in my response. But, everytime I open up this forum and see gold "plaiting" it drives me crazy because I immediately think gold "braids".

plaiting means braiding (braided hair)
PLATING is the method of bonding metals together

Sorry, not really important, but I kept imaging little gold braids on someone's flute!

Okay, let me be extremely trivial in my response. But, everytime I open up this forum and see gold "plaiting" it drives me crazy because I immediately think gold "braids".

plaiting means braiding (braided hair)
PLATING is the method of bonding metals together

Sorry, not really important, but I kept imaging little gold braids on someone's flute!

<Added>

How did I double post? I've never done that before!!

Aww...C'mon Kara!

Sorry, I am going to have to leave you in suspense as I am sure Dennis would like to tell you the good news himself. If I know him, he will be on here shortly to tell you.

Almost Shortly! I had to stop and eat dinner because I was STARVING after the Chris Norman concert. By the way (with more suspense building to the headjoint that I got) Chris Norman is the most fabulous flute/irish flute/scottish small pipes player EVER! I want to be just like him when I grow up! If you think I am kidding, talk to Kara...LOL It's really the truth! Irish/Celtic flute music is what I am mainly interested in, and I can't believe what a musician that man is!!! Ok, so now that I have rambled on about him, on to my new baby!

I am the proud papa of a new Rodger Young headjoint. It is Sterling Silver. I tried 35 headjoints today. I went in with the assumption that I was probably walking out with a Goosman, or somethingwith a 14kt or Plat. riser. I also went in thinking about Brannen, Goosman, Burkart, Williams or Sheridan heads. Of course, I ended up with something that fit NONE of the prereq's! I tried solid gold this and platinum riser that, and solid lip and riser those...and nothing..I repeat NOTHING...worked for me - That is until I got to the Young. I also had played some wooden Young headjoints which were fabulous, but a little thin in the middle register (which is most commonly used). I played everything up and down with each headjoint. Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto (for clarity and attack quality), Bach Sonata 4 mvt 2 (for double tonguing responsiveness), Boehm's Grand Polonaise (for jumps and transitions), and a few scales for tonal balance. Not a single headjoint that I tried made it past the Mozart except my Young. When I hit the Bach, and started pushing on the headjoint to see how far it would go, and what the response what in each tonal quality, I could see this headjoint was superior to the others for me (please note that...I said, "for me"). Then I started double tonguingon low C and low B. I have never been able to double tongue these without splitting the note. I mostly get double-stops when I do it. This time, however, it was clear as a bell. Changing the colors and starting as softly as a personal ppp and gradually crescendo-ing to fffff and then decrescendo-ing back down to ppp were a breeze. I am so happy that I made this purchase it is unbelieveable. I am certain this is right also, because I walked out with a headjoint that I have never heard of the maker (due to my own incompetence I am sure), with a setup entirely unlike what was perceived to be better (my teacher was thinking platinum riser). At only $1150...I made out better than I was thinking!

My runner up...this is going to sound wierd, but there isa story also. The runner-up was a Williams Solid Stainless Steel. The middle register was thin sounding. Didn't have the umph that the Young did. The story: A friend and I were helping a friend go through about 5 headjoints. He plays on a 14K Aurumite Powell flute. He had 3 Rodger Young Wood Heads that we liked (we were going for a tonal color for Baroque music for a reference to you), his own head and then a Young Solid Silver w/Stainless Steel Lip. He had narrowed his selection down to this it wasn't that he was only trying Rodger Young out. The worst headjoint - his own Powell! Then the three wooden ones...the best was the stainless steel lip plate! Very clear attack for him (this headjoint wasn't my favorite at all...goes to show you about player preferences huh!). What I liked about the headjoint for him was that no matter how Baroque-airy he made the flute sound...the attack was clear. It never muddled the sound whatsoever. His problem: Howcan I look someone in the faceand say I play on a 14K Aurumite gold Powell flute...and then say I play on a stainless steel headjoint! I was like...you can tell them you just kicked their @$$ with a stainless steel lip plate! There was no contest. Hands down that headjoint was the winner.

I hope this was a little more informative to the newcomers of the forum. I hope it gave some insight on what to do when you DO test flutes or headjoints. Don't test one and say that that's the one! Test everything you can. The best flute for me at this exhibit was a Miyazawa Boston Classic. Anyone have 13,000 dollars for me? Have a good night...I have work anda wonderfulday of practice ahead of me tomorrow! Night!

-Dennis