Anybody here have any experience with the Precision pads sold by Musicmedic.com?

How do they compare to other pads?

These are the only pads I have ever used up to now because of ease of ordering (I am in Canada) and I have some issues and was wondering if it's the pads or me.

I always use paper shims when padding (never the squish'n heat method) and find myself taking hours to deal with some pads that are not perfectly flat.

Any input or pad recommendation welcome! (please note that I only work on student flutes, sometimes open holes upgrades)

Dominique

Can you explain what you mean by or how you come to the conclusion that the pads are not perferctly flat? For example, are the new pads wrinkled & do you iron the pads, or not uniform thickness around circumference, or is it, as stated by Micron, due to tone holes not being flat?

Thicknest around the circumferance of the pad doesn't "look" regular. I say "look" because this is what it seems like by visual inspection after pad is inserted in cup. Actual thickness might be regular but compression or flufflyness of material is not. Testing with feeler comfirms that.

Looking sideways you see some indentation, bumbs, or outer sides thicker in the middle, etc. It takes a ridiculous amount of partial shimming to correct the un-eveniss.

But as I said, I am not necessarily blaming the pads; it could be me or perhaps this amounmt of work is normal for a both a perfectionist and amateur. These pads are excellent once in place and iron nicely to a perfectly fiting smooth pad. I love the feel of them too.

Uneven tone holes of student flutes surely don't help either. Also, I found a lot of those flutes have heavily bent key cups. I don't have a tool to unbend key cups (this is on my shopping list...)

Thicknest around the circumferance of the pad doesn't "look" regular. I say "look" because this is what it seems like by visual inspection after pad is inserted in cup. Actual thickness might be regular but compression or flufflyness of material is not. Testing with feeler comfirms that.

May not be the pad and is more likely the condition of the cup itself..How much compression are you talking about? Over compression causes a whole bunch of problems..

Looking sideways you see some indentation, bumbs, or outer sides thicker in the middle, etc. It takes a ridiculous amount of partial shimming to correct the un-eveniss.

What does the pad surface itself look like when you have it installed?

But as I said, I am not necessarily blaming the pads; it could be me or perhaps this amounmt of work is normal for a both a perfectionist and amateur. These pads are excellent once in place and iron nicely to a perfectly fiting smooth pad. I love the feel of them too.

I'm not a fan of ironing. You can wet and blot them for the same result. But if ironing works for you that's fine. It's just two different ways of achieving the same thing.

Uneven tone holes of student flutes surely don't help either. Also, I found a lot of those flutes have heavily bent key cups. I don't have a tool to unbend key cups (this is on my shopping list...)

There are all sorts of things that cause this uneveness, crooked pad nuts, bent washers and key cup backs that are uneven. (the biggest cause.) You can install stabilizer but that is overkill for a student flute. But a stabilizer will give you a better idea of you pad's surface when installed.

Bent key cup require a pad cup die. My E100 tool that ferree's makes and sells will straighten curved or bent key cups if you need an easy way to fix those.

Joe B

Thanks to the techs who replied and are willing to help. But I didn't want to go here into the 'art' of padding and all its ups and downs.

I am pushing this thread up because all I want to know is if anybody has used these pads and how they compare to others?

Dominique

Thanks to the techs who replied and are willing to help. But I didn't want to go here into the 'art' of padding and all its ups and downs. I am pushing this thread up because all I want to know is if anybody has used these pads and how they compare to others?

Well, you can't really separate the two. The pad doesn't matter all that much as long as it is good quality and felt makeup can deal with a tolerance than you need to work within.

If pads are good quality (and Precision should be) then the rest is knowing what you are doing..You can't isolate the materials without considering the "art".

Joe B

Joe is right.

EGADS MICRON..don't tell me you're turning into Patrick???

(that would create a cosmic rift of epic proportions...)

Joe B

I agree with Joe cause I respect him as both a player and techinician, and that he is usually correct and backs up his comments with logic and facts...

plus there is the fact that if I disagree with him he might sit on me...

plus there is the fact that if I disagree with him he might sit on me...

I don't think Micron fully realizes the intimidation factor.

Joe B

well, even though I currently resemble a pear, I don't want to incur your wrath and become a pancake..