Are there different models of these headjoints? I was looking the the website and it didn't really say. Also, do know about how much they go for and do any of you guys know of any Lafin headjoint dealers in the US? Thanks in advance!

Hi there, this file contains the different models for the Lafin headjoints.

http://www.lafinheadjoints.com/jrl_05_nonEU.pdf

Hope it helps

ooh.. Lafin heads are amazing! I was lucky enough to try Galways Lafin head. I beleive it was platinum. It was only for less then a minute, but dang!! The sounds was amazing. I have heard that they are VERY expensive.

Yes, they are absolutely amazing heads. Even just adding his specially made crown to an already pretty good head can do wonderful things. And some of them are VERY expensive. For the price of some of the more expensive heads, you good buy a very nice used flute from almost any maker, or a new one from some of them. If I ever get the money, my next purchase will be a 14K head with the Adler wings.

Yes, I have heard they are AMAZING too! I want to try one out (sterling silver with a platinum riser, if I can afford it, or just a plain sterling silver one) to see if it is worth saving up for. Would I have to contact him directly to try one out, or is there any dealers who could arrange a trial for me here in the US?

If I am not able to afford a Lafin head, what other brands would u reccomend for heads? I was thinking Burkart and Powell. I would like to get some input so I know which ones I want to try out (not going to any flute "place" to try out ALL of the heads available because there is none where i live, so I have to get a few brands together to just try out those heads from a place like flute world)

I don't begin to claim that it is the weight that makes the difference in the crown. It may be, but I have no way to show it. I always do blind tests when trying out new equipment, and I definitely noticed a difference in the way the headjoint played when the Lafin crown (or at least I'm told it was the Lafin crown) was in, so in my opinion, yes it does make a difference, whether it be because of weight or some other factor. My gold flute has a silver crown that came with it, and the other head I tested it on was a solid silver Yamaha, so perhaps the metal matters? Who really knows? I've also tried the jeweled crowns sold by McKenna, and while I certainly couldn't claim to tell you which stone is in a crown just by playing it (I personally don't believe that certain stones have donate certain attributes to the sound), there are certainly some stones that seem to improve control or resonance, and others that do just the opposite. I honestly have no idea what might be the cause of the differences, be it weight, material, shape, etc... (I can't claim to be all-knowledgeable, unfortunately), but I certainly believe that crowns can potentially alter the way a flute sounds/plays. I couldn't find a huge difference in the gold head when adding the Lafin, but the silver had a major improvement, at least for me, though I just couldn't justify the cost since I rarely play my silver anymore. It's an interesting topic...Does anyone else have any experience with changing out crowns, and what were your thoughts on the whole idea?

Okay, I'll bite. I think this is an interesting subject.

I sell crowns in which I put gemstones in the top of them, but only do it for pure looks as I think they are gorgeous. I have been asked by many customers if these crowns in which I sell make a difference in sound. To be fair to my customers in all honesty, I always tell them no, they do not they are simply for looks. I myself own a gold McKenna gemstone crown but do not hear a difference. I can take a crown off and not play with one and I still hear no difference in the sound or response.

When trying out several headjoints at the Powell company the rep there kept changing the head crowns on the headjoints and swore she heard a difference while my friend that was with me did not, nor did I.

While I have been playing the flute long enough to hear the most subtle changes, I simply can not hear any when changing crowns.

Kara and Micron, being rather new to this forum, I'm afraid I'm not particularly familiar with your ideas on material....Do you believe there is a difference between the sound of a gold flute, and say, a platinum one? I ask because if not, perhaps the crown thing could run in the same vein, where some people hear a definite difference and others hear none at all. I believe material is secondary to other factors in the way a flute plays/sounds, but still seem to be able to pick a platinum flute from, say, a silver one in blind tests, and perhaps the same phenomenon is occurring here. Perhaps the interaction between the crown and the rest of the head varies depending on each indivual head, and for some heads the crown plays less of a role than in others? I honestly don't know...Any thoughts? Oh, and when you were trying heads and the sales rep kept changing the crowns, did you notice that the rep seemed to prefer a crown of a more expensive material? I don't mean to imply that Powell would take part in unsavoury practices, but merely wish to rule out (or establish) the possibility that the rep was trying to make a more expensive sale, and perhaps earn a larger commission, allowing us to ponder the possible differences in crowns with the most valid data possible.

Flutist06, as much as I would love to give my input on difference metals of flutes, I really want to avoid getting into anything with Micron. So I will decline, sorry. You are more then welcome to email me privately. Sometimes these sort of subjects can get messy around here especially when certain people are involved.

When the Powell rep was changing the crowns, they were all silver and all the same. Sorry, I should have mentioned that. I only tried all silver heads but with different types of risers as I am not fond of all gold heads nor could I justify getting one. Same goes for platinum.

Out of curiosity, is your flute a solid 14 karat gold or is it gold plated? I know you have mentioned that you play on a gold flute. You must be very talented and an amazing player to be able to have such a nice flute! It sure would have beat the Gemeinhardt that I had to play on when I was in HS. Your lucky!

Alright, I will message you, assuming I can figure out how. And yes, my flute is solid 14K rose gold, with a sterling mechanism. I don't believe Tom Green offers a plated flute, though he makes custom instruments, so if you really wanted a plated one, I'm sure he would do his best to satisfy your desires. I am very fortunate to have it, especially since I really wasn't looking seriously at gold flutes (every other gold flute I tried really disappointed me), but after picking it up and playing it, I knew it was the perfect flute for me. I simply love it, and it gives me such great joy to be able to own and play a thing of such beauty and craftsmanship.

If I ever got a gold flute, I would definetly want it to be solid gold, not plated. I would love to try out some of his flutes sometime. I am very happy with mine, so I think I would be afraid to try one out just incase I actually liked it better. So far I haven't played any others that I like better then my flute, which is a good thing. I can't justify gettting anything more really as I don't play as much as I used to and other things have taken priority for me.

Well I know there's a thread specifically about his flutes, but I'll post here anyway. If you ever do decide to try one of his flutes, I believe Fluteworld carries them now, though I'm not sure what kind of a selection they might have since he makes very few (mine was purchased in August, and it's serial number 230). Could I ask how old your Powell is? I particularly liked a couple out of the '60s, (in fact, before I had found the gold flute, I was just in the process of choosing between a new Muramatsu DS, a Miyazawa, and an older Powell) but they just couldn't stand up to the Tom Green.

My Powell is a newer model. The older ones are spectacular, but I actually preferred the newer models out now. Plus, I wanted one with a new mechanism and not used. I tried one that was from the 70's which was a thin wall and it was terrible! I used to own a Muramatsu DS but could never quite get fully used to it and my roots just seemed to go back to the Powell every time. It was a pretty good toss up between the Miyazawa and the Powell for me, but in the end I chose Powell because I just don't prefer the scale used on Japanese flutes.