Straubinger pads

If you are unhappy with your flute's performance and reliability, then having Straubinger pads installed may be the answer.

Here's a brief description for those who are unfamiliar with these pads.
They were developed by American flute maker David Straubinger as the first really successful alternative to traditional pads. Unlike conventional pads, Straubinger pads are made from mostly synthetic materials and are very stable (i.e. they don't go out of adjustment very much!). Normal pads - being made from wool felt, paper and cow's intestines! - tend to react with water, air humidity and temperature and can swell up or shrink, causing the pad not to seal properly - usually one or two days before that big concert ( all that serious practice takes its toll !).
Straubinger pads are designed for handmade instruments and are not suitable for most student and intermediate flutes. Suitable flutes have to be in excellent mechanical order.
Particular methods and techniques are used to ensure that the pads fit correctly in the flute. Installing the pads requires very thorough preparation work to the mechanism, tone holes and cups and this certainly does add to the cost of an overhaul but this does only need to be done initially and thereafter the pads are fairly easy to change when required.

These pads are not a panacea for all flute related problems and don't do away with the need for routine maintenance but they can certainly go a long way toward having a flute which plays easily and once settled should remain pretty constant in their performance.

If you would like more information about Straubinger pads and whether they might be suitable for you and your flute, call me on
05 65 23 82 19 or email me danny@dpflutes.fr

Follow this link to find further details about
David Straubinger, his flutes and pads.

Flute repair France. I offer - repair, adjustment, service, overhaul, maintenance and advice on all flutes and piccolos.