my flute is about a year old, and twice now the right hand keys have seized up. I`ve had to take it in for repair, where they say they have to clean the rods.

i haven`t had to pay anything, as it`s still under warranty, but the warranty will be expiring this month. i`ve never had a flute that did this before, it`s a muramatsu ex. is there something i could be doing to prevent this?

1. It is possible that the problem is something different and the technician has not yet diagnosed it. There are several other possible causes.

2. It is possible that the technician has just applied some oil loosening agent to the cracks without taking the group of keys apart to do the job properly.

3. It is possible that the problem is caused by use of an oil that leaves a gummy residue when it gradually evaporates. Most oils do; special oils should be used for flutes, preferably synthetic, and not automotive.

Unless it is you applying inappropriate fluids (including liquid silver polish), there is nothing you can do to prevent it. The problem needs to be PROPERLY diagnosed and dealt with, not band-aided. If it were properly dealt with it would not be recurring.

I completely agree with Ed on this. It sounds like either a bad lubricant, or there is a more severe mechanical problem. Perhaps something is coming loose over time due to the repetition of playing. I would talk to the technician who originally repaired the flute. If he has recently worked on it, he might offer a warranty.

However there is a risk. If he worked on it and did not deal with the problem, then there is a fairly good chance that he should not be working on it, not then, nor again!

thanks for the replies and suggestions. i`ve never applied any lubricant myself to the mechanism, nor have i ever used any polish on the flute. I just use an untreated suede cleaning rag.

if it does happen again, i believe i will take it to a different repair person. a second opinion never hurts.