I know nothing about pads.

I know that I have a clicking sound on the G pad (not the fingered pad but the pad that also closes below it). I suppose which pad it is is irrelevant.
I can see from the side that apparently there is a tiny disruption to the surface of the pad sticking up slightly. It's only like one or two tiny protrusions of less size than the dot in the 8notes.com logo above.

1) can it be repaired in some simple minimal way or must the pad be replaced?

2) what is the price range of the repair?

3) I'm good with my hands how hard is it to repair or replace the pad myself, have you done it and are there instructions of the web?


Thank You

Hi, If you do not know anything about pads, I suggest that you leave it to a professional.

You will have to disassemble your flute. Remove the old pad and shim the new pad. Then you will have to put the flute back together and check the flute for leaks. The pads have to completely cover the tone holes. Any gaps and the flute will not play. It can be harder than it sounds.

You will need special tools.

The cost of the tools and the replacement pad could cost more than having a tech do the work for you. You should be able to get an estimate for repairs at a local shop for free.

If you decided to buy the tools and try to do the work yourself, you should also invest in an old flute in need of repair to practice before you repad your flute. It can take a half hour or many hours for a novice to replace a flute pad. As I said before, if your pads are leaking, the flute will not play or not play well.

It took me about 20 flutes to get a tried and true system down for repadding a flute. Occasionally I will come across a flute with keys that are not level or not aligned well to the tone holes then it can take me a while to get the flute set up.

Sometimes it's easy if you know what you are doing and sometimes you still have to work to make a good repair.

I would suggest you have someone do it for you.

A clicking sound is not usually pad related. It is more likely something like bumping into the G# lever or a sloppy hinge tube or poorly fit hinge steel.

The only well to know is to have a tech look at it and see what is actually happening.

Joe B

I juts looked at the pad with a flash light it's a tiny fray in the surface of the pad with a bit of hair like strands sticking out of it

but very small

-not a foreign material

If the pad is significantly damaged then you will have much more difficulty playing low notes than before it was damaged. Even a miniscule leak will mean you can't play bottom C and tone/volume will be affected if a pad doesn't quite sit properly and seal all the way round. Checking that a pad seals all the way round with only slight pressure and adjusting it if this is not the case is the difficult bit when changing a pad. It used to be the case that every competent student would know how to change a pad and carry a suitable screwdriver to make various adjustments (and know how to do so).

In your case, given the symptoms you report, I agree with Joe B that the click is caused by the G# key being bent to hit the G key or a bit of cork/felt missing resulting in part of the mechanism for example hitting the body of the flute. The G# key is probably the most common key to break on a flute and it may be impossible even for a professional to bend it back without it breaking. (For most models its easy to get replacement keys but this obviously makes repairs more expensive).

In any case, I would ask your teacher (assuming you have one) to tell you what (s)he think the problem is and to recommend a repair shop if it's important to fix the problem. I would not encourage any-one to take apart a flute to replace a pad, felt or cork unless they know what they are doing and the flute isn't worth taking to a professional workshop.

Unless you have the proper training on flute repairing, I'd advise you not to try anything. Take your flute to an experienced technician.

I have no problem with the G# key we are talking the key under the G# that is the 2nd key that rods move when you press the key above the G# G natural.
I have no bent problem or leaks. I have seen the pad from the side with a flash light. It has one or to small pinprick type frays on it's surface.
This is causing a slight sticking sound, a click type sound that is not causing any other problems
such as a leak. Still I don't like it.

If it is just a sticky pad, then try the cigarette paper remedy. Sticky pads happen.

If the pad is frayed, then take it in to get the pad changed and the tone hole rim cleaned. Don't try it yourself since this is the lower G key.

Joe B

thanks Jbutky

but what do you mean "since it's the lower G key? "

Is the fact that it's that key and not another make a difference?

-also if not you I would also like to hear from somebody who has changed a pad themselves (unless people previously have)

thanks again

I have changed pads myself. Like I said. It is a lot of work and if it is not almost perfect, your flute is not going to play at all or not well. I overhaul flutes as a hobby.

If you choose to try it yourself, note where the springs are on all the keys before you take it apart. Be careful not to bend anything. Make sure you have all of the right tools before you begin or it can turn into weeks. Some of the newer flutes have tiny bolts that are odd sizes holding the pads in place. I have had to special order the drivers to take the bolts out. They don't sell them at Harbor Freight, Northern Tools, Home Depot or Lowes. You might be able to get them at Snap On. I got them at Ferees. If your flute is open hole and you have to replace one of the open hole pads be careful you don't bend the grommet. You might want to invest in a spring hook. It would be a lot easier to put the springs back on the flute. You will need a pad slick. Paper shims. Pads of the correct thickness. The list goes on and on.

If the screws are frozen and you have to soak the flute in penetrating oil, you will have to replace all of the pads.

Make sure you clean all of the screws and the insides of the rods before you put the flute back together. Don't forget to oil the parts before you put them back together.

If you need to take the keys off of the rods, you will need some kind of punch. Ferees makes a punch just for this purpose that costs about $150.00. If you do it with a pin vise, be careful that you don't slip and make sure that everything is lined up straight. This can cost you a couple of hundred dollars if you mess up the keys. You may not be able to get replacement keys and you will have to pay a really good repair person to fix the keys for you.

These are just some of the problems that you can run into. I ran into quite a few of them on my adventures.

If it is only one pad that needs replacement, I really would suggest that you have it repaired before you invest a lot of money in the proper tools to replace just one pad.

I second Joe and vampav8trix. In addition, you need feelers and a holder to check for leaks. After replacing the pad and reinstall the key, you use the feeler to find any spots that are leaking, remove the key again, add a shim or two as needed, reinstall the key and keep repeating until there are no leaks on the pad. Then since it's the G key, you'll need to check the first G pad for leaks because the new pad may affect seating of the other one.

Hopefully, you now have an idea of what is involved. There's a lot more to changing a pad than just taking the old one out and slapping a new one in.

You could save even more money buying a tire and putting it on your car yourself, but I wouldn't recommend doing that either. :-)

but what do you mean "since it's the lower G key? " Is the fact that it's that key and not another make a difference? -also if not you I would also like to hear from somebody who has changed a pad themselves (unless people previously have)

Yes, it is because it is that key. The G keys have one fingered and one un-fingered. The Unfingered one is the Lower G. G keys are often a pain for people learning to pad flutes because these two keys operate together. (split E is a different story to deal with) If it were the Thumb key or a trill key pad or the D# key on the footjoint I would say, go ahead and give it a try. But the G key as a first attempt without experience..No..

Joe B

Not so! Technicians do not soak entire flutes in penetrating fluid!!! (We apply it to the appropriate places, and use time and often heat as well.

I only did that once. After two weeks of trying to get the frozen screws to budge, I just screamed and tossed it in an ice tray and sprayed the dickens out of it. It was a junk flute. I bought it on a whim. (My $10 experiment) I still can't get the foot joint apart. It's been 12 months. It is trash.

Just trying to let the person know that it is much better to take to flute to a tech and let the tech do the work. It will save time and money in the long run.

You could save even more money buying a tire and putting it on your car yourself, but I wouldn't recommend doing that either. :-)

How would you get it on the rim and balance it? Talk about equipment costs! LOL