Hello everyone. Yesterday I picked up my new Haynes Amadeus. I just love it. When they handed it to me they asked me if I wanted the silicone hole plugs or the new "Plug-O" type that are silver tops with rubber gaskets underneath. I opted for the silver vs. the silicone, but when I got them home all of them fit very loose except one and it's so tight I can't get it back out. Anyone else have experience with these types of plugs?

That's a good idea, I never thought of that. They are all loose though except for the one that's super tight and I can't get it out to try anything like cork grease. I swear, it's so tight I'd bend the key trying to get it out. I called the place where I bought the flute and they said "that's why we don't recommend those" and I could bring it in and they'd get it out with a spring hook.

Hi Amy,
Glad to hear that you like your new flute!
I have these type of plugs and they come with a plastic tool that also hold the plugs with an end on it that is used to remove them. Did the store already put the plugs in for you? They should have supplied the tool that came with it, otherwise they are a pain to get out. I also prefer the silicone plugs as you can't feel them. Good luck!

Yes, the black plastic holder that the plug-o's are stored in has a little plastic bump on the end to stick under the key and pop the plug up. However, the plug that will not come out is the left hand ring finger key. Because the flute is offset the tool does not work right, I guess it's the angle? It does work to get the others out though. Thanks for letting me know about this. I'm amazed that these plugs came with the flute along with the silicone ones. The plugs are $40 and usually come with Powell flutes. I'm thinking the music store gave me them by accident.

i use the silicone ones in mine usually bu if you have a thin screw driver you can poke it out from the back of the key

I also like the silicone plugs. They are inexpensive so you can carry lots of spares if you need to.

I have recently switched to an open-hole flute after many many years playing a closed-hole flute. I am currently playing with all the plugs out to work out which plugs I really can't live without.

While flute shopping, I heard the statement "most players with open holes play with some or all of the holes plugged" several times. I don't know whether this is true, but I am assuming from some of the posts on this and other threads that at least some forum members with open-holes use plugs.

It would be intereseting to hear from especially the more experienced players on this forum - how many are using plugs, how many plugs, which holes cause problems and so on.

Reason I have changed to an open-hole flute? In my little far-off corner of the world it seems impossible to locate and trial a closed-hole flute of half reasonable quality.

I think the use of plugs is a very interesing topic. When I was in high school I got my first open hole flute and when I went to honors band I remember everyone had open hole flutes with no plugs. As I got older I started seeing people use plugs in just a few keys, usually just third fingers. Now, almost 20 years later I play in a group with 12 flutists and only two of the twelve don't use plugs. Over the years I realized that darn it, it's just easier to play with the plugs in and I can't hear a difference with them in. I'm sure people will argue that there is a difference, but at my level, I notice none. I think when we were younger being able to play without plugs meant we were somehow "better." Now that I've matured I can see that is definitely not the case. My teacher plays on a Haynes plateau and it sounds amazing! Other friends of mine just have hands that are too darn small to reach to cover the holes, especially if they are inline.

There are advanced technique uses for the open holes, but so many of us simply don't use them.
You can have a half-open hole for micro-tone trills, and there is a way to use the open holes for a glissando.
A lot of this is 'Extended Technique', and schools that want to teach this, and jazz flute, may require an open hole, low-B flute just for that part of the curriculum.

There are also some alternate fingerings, using a half-hole, that might improve pitch in some high notes.

You can substitute god embouchure technique to fine tune pitch, though.

I just don't see many upper level flutists that don't have one or more holes plugged. I do see some of the really good high school kids with all holes open, it may be a 'you're really good if you can' kind of thing.

I've noticed most teenagers prefer plugs out.

in high school, I remember going to various honors bands. I was usually the only one who had any sort of plugs in their flute (the F# key and the G key) and let me tell you, I always was made fun of for not being able to play my flute without plugs. Then they heard me play and made fun of me even more.

I notice that much of the cattyness that happens is only because of jealousy.

Stupid teenage girls...

Yes, I would be interested in hearing some blindfolded tests where the same person played with and without plugs behind a screen.

I'm sure at some point there was a reason for creating these open holes besides vanity LOL.

I am always amazed at the small number of plateau upper-level flutes available to us. If you want options it seems as if you have to go open hole. I mean, of course one of these large companies would custom make one, but I'm talking just for your "Average Joe" flutist.

The stories of honors band "snotty flutists" brought back memories for me. I live in a really small town and I'd had no exposure to the flute community. I was sent to honors band and I played a student Bundy that looked like crap. I'd never even heard of open holes or B foots. These girls laughed at me and poked fun while we were in the hall waiting to be evaluated. Guess what, I got first chair!

Most flute makers offer a plateau option on their flutes (eg Yamaha 614 which is the plateau version of the 674 and many other makers also have similar plateau), and this includes very top end flutes as well.

The problem is that almost all retailers outside of Europe do not stock upper level plateau models - some don't even return e-mails if you enquire after a plateau model higher than a student flute. This lack of availability could be driven by the retailers themselves - if plateau models were more popular, the retailers would have to carry twice as much stock or offer fewer lines of stock.

The other driver seems to be the brand-snobbery unfortunately present in the flute world: "You can't be any good if you're not playing an open hole flute..." (lol).

In 35 years of playing the flute I have never even seen a piece of music which requires an open-hole flute, and I own just one piece of music which would require a B-foot (one note added by an editor rather than the composer himself). Therefore I am quite happy playing a closed hole c-foot flute, but find my flute choices being driven by the mechanical requirements of 0.1% of the total flute repertoire!

My problem is that despite having the money to spend on a reasonable quality plateau model flute I cannot find one locally to trial let alone buy and my only option is to purchase one sight unseen from the other side of the world! So, I buy an open-hole flute and put progressively more and more plugs in because it's easier to play and makes no difference to the sound.

Perhaps us plateau afficionados are the authors of our own misfortune. Perhaps we are too passive when dealing with flute sellers who won't stock quality plateau flutes and just accept that we have to compromise and buy an open-hole model if we want a quality flute. Perhaps we should be demanding that sellers show us some quality plateau flutes or we'll be taking our money elsewhere. If enough of us did that, perhaps we would see some action. However, I'm guilty as charged on this count!

Here endeth my rant!