Hey! This is my first post on this forum, although I've been reading this forum for a while now. For my friend's birthday, I want to "steal" her flute, send it to a pro flute shop and get it tarnish free and working better. Her flute is a "pro" Gemeinhardt model, and she loves that thing more than anything lol... she doesn't really want to pursue a career, but I thought it would be nice to clean up her instrument right. It's covered in tarnish! Has anyone every sent off their flute for adjustments and cleaning? I was thinking either Flute World or Carolyn Nussbaum. We live closer to Carolyn Nussbaum, so I'm guessing that shipping will be cheaper. How much do these deals usually run? Flute World says about $135... Thanks in advance for any replys.

May I suggest checking into giving her a gift certtifcate of sorts for this from the company rather than stealing her beloved instrument and mailing it off. When (not if) she notices it's gone how will you comfort her horrific screaming?

BTW: Carolyn Nussbaum does offer gift certs.

As for the price of a visit to a repair tech., sometimes this can be on a sliding scale because the repair tech may see a need for some other work and they may want to do it.

eh... I don't know about that. I think I'm going to work something out with her parents... we are in this consant battle between who has given the most awesome gift ever. I'm trying to trump her birthday present from last year. But you're right, we don't want her to panic... like on those car shows where they "steal" the car and pretend to be police while they fix the car lol... this is going to be fun! Step 1: involve parents so the police aren't involved lol

You could really get the best present and top the one she gave you by just getting her a real top dog professional flute. lol!

In an ideal world, people could give gold powells and muras away lol...

as for the "say you want to get into music" I'm already into flute and such lol. I've been playing flute for about 6 years, french horn for 1 and bass flute for... a month?

But yeah- Perfect world= "Hey mom! Look at the box of brand new muramatsus I found lying by the cave of powell flutes!"

haha... flutes as stalagmites and stalagtites funny mental picture...

Didn't you know? I got my Powell by wishing for it from my fairy god mother. lol! Now, if only she would reappear and give me a Brannen too..

Just out of curiosity, what model of Gemeinhardt is she playing on? Does it just need to have a COA or are do the pads need replacing also? If it is a simple COA you could ship it overnight to me and I would be happy to do it for you for very cheap since it is a present and all. I don't do pad work usually unless it is just shimming them as I don't have the proper equipment.

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I could have it done the same day as I get it and ship it overnight right back. That way mabye she would never know it was missing. Just a thought.

Her Gemeinhardt is one of those "KG Special" models... we call her Special K sometimes lol... although I've noticed it isn't listed on the Gemeinhardt site anymore. Her flute plays well, it just has a nasty, nasty case of tarnish. Her headjoint has got this black blotch on it... it's like a flute leper...

Oh, sorry-- It plays great as far as I know, it wouldn't hurt to get it adjusted/looked over... she's had it for 4ish years and it hasn't been worked on before, as far as I know. The crazy tarnish is the only thing that seems to be the problem.

i'd say that it would be a nice present if she loves the thing, make sure to get the parents involved though so she doesn't notice its gone (you could be realy cheeky and get a spare flute that plays ok and put it in her case then sent of hers in the case for the spare flute then she may never notice its gone, or if she has the case in a gigbag thing put a flute size card board box in it). but if it has been never looked over it could probally do with a good COA at least. all you have to do is make sure she either doesn't notice its missing or her perents know so that they can calm her down when she starts to cry.

That's an awesome idea! I'll make her play my old Gemmie until the flute "shows back up again"

This is fun! :D

Wow... btw, I have about 3 months, so I'm not in a rush...