Jessie please read the bottom half of the page of this link, about gold plated lip plates & engraving.

http://www.jbwflutes.com/parentsGuide.asp

I did read the bottom part of the link, but it reads just like any other thing I have read of...it is about whatever feels comfortable to the flutist. I was not saying for people to run out and buy a golden flute, nor did I say that the etching did anything for tone. I know that etching is for reduced condensation and to hold the lip plate steady for some people.
I thank you for the link and still stick next to my knowledge of metals. Gold does increase sound quality and it is a preferable metal...but it is not right for just anyone.

Jessie,
The most important line of the whole link is: "Gold Lip Plates
On student flutes, the lip plate can be gold-plated for $100. This is a purely cosmetic and aesthetic option since the plating itself does not affect the tone of the flute."

The first question was:
"Does a gold lip plate make much of a difference at all?"

Did you look at the answer from Ashley on page 2 and the link about gold?
If we are talking about a solid gold lip plate and riser then I must agree with Ashley the term should be different sound not better.
I love the sound of wooden headjoints but even these can have silver lip plates & risers. Just because I like it, this does not make it better.
My headjoint is made of solid silver and I was looking for an improvement, so I had a new hand made silver lip plate & riser fitted by Ian McLauchlan a well known British Head joint maker. I tried many of Ian’s head joints, gold, silver and platinum, they were all different from each other, but to say one was better than the other would just be subjective. So I went for silver because I liked it.
My playing and sound improved because of the good design of Ian’s lip plate & riser not because it was gold or silver.

I suggest you go and try some handmade headjoint in different metals or even wood and who knows it may turn out you prefer platinum.

how about this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10183&item=7320758290&rd=1

but is a white gold riser better than yellow.
beats the hell out of me!

What on earth is a "very French sound"?

la cannelure

Thank you very much for the correction on the link...and thank you for the bit on different headjoints; but I am on a budget and cannot afford something like that...the golden headjoint was a gift from a relative. I still maintain that my own tone is different and my music mentor and I both agree that the gold changed my tone. My mentor is a respectable teacher and has been in the buisness of music for a very long time. I was talking about a solid gold lip plate and do agree that a plated gold plate does not do very much. I do believe that different elements do affect tone and quality and I would very much like to hear more of a wooden headjoint....I have not heard much about them...

wood flutes don`t respond will in a big hall. they work better in, say, the Boston Symphony Hall vs. bigger halls. They produce a smaller sound but sound great. i dunno how much that helps...

Actually it probably depends on then cut of the embouchure hole, not the timber.

If you are looking at wood headjoint that are good for solo playing
Try:
http://www.bigio.com/headjoints.html

Also go back to the main page, http://www.bigio.com/ and then look at his stoppers & crowns, I have one and they really do make a difference.

Thank you very much for the links, and the info was great...I am looking into wooden headjoints on a serious level now...it would be great to have one before my next concert...Thanks.

If you`re looking for gold lip plates, specially for solo-performances
Maybe this will help...

http://www.musicproducts.com/product.lasso?pr=21010

Thanks Thomas, those flutes are amazing...I just need a headjoint, but the solid gold flutes are attractive-it`s like a kid looking through a candy shop window! When it is in my budget, I am going to order one-I have not picked a dealer, though...When time permits...

my friend has a gold lip plate and her flute sounds just like mine when i play it.