Another incredible Yamaha 877 handmade flute has just left the shop for its new home in San Francisco. The flute was auditioned by an exceptional flutist/conductor during our west coast road show and like so many of the musicians we’ve introduced it to, she was completely amazed by the warmth, clarity and color that this very special instrument produces.
This particular 877 is a solid silver, offset, open-hole, b-foot model with a split E mechanism, D# and C# rollers… and wow, what a gorgeous flute! Like each one we’ve seen so far, every single detail speaks to the astounding level of quality and craftsmanship that Yamaha has devoted to this line of instruments. After the road show and before we delivered the flute we brought it back for a final inspection and fine adjustment and had to pry it from the hands of a half-dozen J.L. Smith employees who were vying for another chance to “quality test” it for themselves. Thankfully we keep a wooden chair and a bullwhip on hand just for these sorts of occasions and we were able to deliver the flute as promised.
May 11th, 2012 in
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solid silver,
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After nearly seven years of extensive research and development (an investment of time and resources that is virtually unheard of in modern flutemaking) under the leadership of master flute designer, Keisuke Tanaka, and Yamaha Artist Services and R&D Prototype Specialist, Toru Nomura, the Yamaha team has announced the introduction of its very first line of handmade flutes in both solid silver and gold.
We saw the first examples of these instruments at this year’s NFA Conference in Charlotte and we were quite impressed by the results. In the best tradition of true innovation, the design of these spectacular sounding instruments seems to counter much of what is considered common logic for building handmade flutes. In particular, the design includes thicker-walled, undercut tone holes. The newly designed and highly articulate “Type-A” headjoint is also made with a slightly heavier gauge wall.
The flutes come standard with pinless left-hand key systems and Straubinger pads, and they are available with a full array of optional features such as split E mechanisms, C# trill, footjoint key rollers and with a variety metal combinations for the gold flutes including 18k.
As pleased as we are with the sheer beauty, and innovative design of these unusual flutes, it all gets down to the way they sound and way they feel in the hands of the musician: we are delighted to report that they sound and feel phenomenal! As an exclusive dealer selected to represent Yamaha Handmade flutes in the United States we are thrilled to be able to offer them to our customers. For more information about Yamaha handmade flutes, or to arrange a personal trial, call us at: 800-659-6073.
Word from the shop is that this is the best time of year (in between academic and holiday seasons) to have your instrument properly serviced. Every woodwind should receive a complete C.O.A. (Clean, Oil and Adjust) once a year. Has your instrument had its yearly visit? Contact Emily in the shop at: ecox@jlsmithco.com to arrange an appointment for service today.
Sometimes the "right tool for the job" hasn't been invented yet.
It really is the smallest details that make the biggest differences with piccolos, and it’s little things like this custom made tone hole facing tool for a Pearl Piccolo that make us really, really grateful for having a full in-house tool-making shop. We got this nice little Pearl piccolo in the other day that had been performing badly after being “repaired” by another shop. Techs there had no way of actually solving the problem of an uneven tone hole and opted for the common approach of just trying to use a soft pad with a deep impression to compensate. Of course then the pad was sticking and the feel of the mechanism was never really right. When the owner brought it in to us we knew it would need a new tone hole surface and we built this one-off tool for that specific tone hole. After building up the tone hole rim with a cyanoacrylate (CA) glue, (http://www.jlsmithco.com/CRACK-REPAIR/INSTA-CURE-THIN-CYANOACRYLATE) we used the tool with an abrasive insert to face the surface. The end effect? The instrument sounds better than ever and the client is ecstatic. Anyone else have examples of custom tools you’ve created for special repairs? We’d love to see what you’ve invented.
January 23rd, 2012 in
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Quality lapping powder is absolutely essential to getting the ideal surface finish in the process of polishing valves and slides. We’ve experimented with many different brands and formulas over the years before finding the best. J.L. Smith lapping powder is a non-imbedding, micro-abrasive compound that ships dry and allows you to choose between oil or liquid soap and water mixtures depending on your specific application.
January 12th, 2012 in
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Pearl powder is a fast and effective way to replace lost or broken pearl insets and inlays on saxophone keys, finger buttons, fret boards or any areas where pearl has been used before and needs replacement. The mix is simple and easy to work with and has a rich luminescence that you’ll love.
January 12th, 2012 in
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If you’re looking for a super effective dry lubricant with dozens of practical applications on the bench be sure to check out our new Teflon® brand PTFE powder. Teflon® brand produces an extremely high-grade, 100% pure PTFE powder with a silky texture that’s unmatched by other manufacturers. It goes on easy with a soft natural brush and works beautifully on corks, leather and most other materials wherever you want to minimize friction. Of course, as with all fine industrial powders we always suggest that you read the manufacturer’s MSDS and follow their suggestions for safe handling.
January 12th, 2012 in
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We are deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of our dear friend, Pete Valentino. Pete was the legendary inventor of the original Valentino pads that spawned a revolution in the woodwind repair and manufacture trades and the original founder of the Valentino company that was acquired by J.L. Smith in 2003. Pete was a visionary in every sense of the word and we are deeply grateful to have known him, and proud to carry on his legacy of invention and innovation. He will be greatly missed by all of us here at J.L. Smith. Our hearts go out to his family and many, many friends. Read the rest of this entry »
In an effort to keep you appraised of the latest news and updates in the flute and wind instrument world, J.L. Smith & Co. will be producing this blog (http://blog.flutesmith.com) on a regular basis. The articles you will find here may be educational, informative and occasionally editorial. Fro time to time, we may post specials and featured products to keep you appraised of ways to save money.
J.L. Smith & Co. is owned and managed by Jeff Smith but helps musicians and technicians all over the world find the right instrument, tool, or part through our main web site (http://www.JLSmithco.com) and at our main location in Charlotte, NC.
