R&R patent head and Wilkes head joint thoughts

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Steampacket
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R&R patent head and Wilkes head joint thoughts

Post by Steampacket »

I have one R&R patent head joint from I believe 1842 that has lain in it's case for some months. I took it up a couple of weeks ago only to find that it had seized up in an open position of about 10 mm. It was stuck, rock solid, and couldn't be opened more, or closed. I tried to turn the crown in both directions but didn't want to use too much force it case something inside broke. Then yesterday I realised it wasn't the slide itself that was stuck but probably the internal mechanism that had, perhaps due to my habit of keeping a damp sponge in the case, become corroded as the parts were made of steel or perhaps brass. So I bought a WD40 type of spray and took off the silver crown cap. I noticed there was some green bold inside the cap. There are two holes in the brass adjuster under the cap (Terry calls it a disc) so I sprayed some WD40 into the holes and also up into the head joint as I could see the bottom of a screw, in the middle of what Terry calls the stopper. I guess there should be some kind of plate there? I waited an hour or so, then attemped to turn the adjuster. It turned smoothly in both directions. I shall try and make some kind of thin cork or leather washer to cover the screw that is in the middle of the stopper. This would be to try and prevent moisture going up into into the mechanism. Although this might influence the tuning? Terry's PH maintenance info http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/patent.html

I have a Wilkes flute that I have always had issues with regarding playing the notes of the second octave in tune. They were always sharper than the first octave. My better half, a fiddler, has near enough perfect pitch, which is both a boon and a bane. Anyway the other day I put a R&R patent head joint on the Wilkes and the second octave became just fine. So I spent some time adjusting the cork position and the slide opening on the Wilkes head joint and finally got it right. Instead of the usual 18-21 mm from cork to the center of embouchure hole which favoured the sound of the low D. I found that for me, 14-15 mm, from cork to the center of embouchure hole, worked best on this flute and brings the second octave into tune and still retains a good low D. I wonder why? This shortens the flute surely, so the flute ought to be even sharper in the second octave? I don't have the slide open more than before, 9.5 mm, so I haven't lengthened the scale? One thing I've done now is to move my electronic tuner further away from the flute when tuning.
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Holmes
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Re: R&R patent head and Wilkes head joint thoughts

Post by Holmes »

Steampacket wrote: I have a Wilkes flute that I have always had issues with regarding playing the notes of the second octave in tune. So I spent some time adjusting the cork position and the slide opening on the Wilkes head joint and finally got it right. Instead of the usual 18-21 mm from cork to the center of embouchure hole which favoured the sound of the low D. I found that for me, 14-15 mm, from cork to the center of embouchure hole, worked best on this flute and brings the second octave into tune and still retains a good low D. I wonder why?.
That's odd about the Wilkes. I had a D eight key from him many years ago and the cork/button configuration made it impossible to reduce the embouchure centre to head cork to less than 27mm. I'd guess that this wasn't intended. I prefer the distance to be around 20mm but I think individuals find their own sweet spot.

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Steampacket
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Re: R&R patent head and Wilkes head joint thoughts

Post by Steampacket »

That's odd about the Wilkes. I had a D eight key from him many years ago and the cork/button configuration made it impossible to reduce the embouchure centre to head cork to less than 27mm. I'd guess that this wasn't intended. I prefer the distance to be around 20mm but I think individuals find their own sweet spot.
Holmes.

Yes, I suppose. With the cork screwed back as far as it will go the distance from the cork face to the centre of the embouchure on mine is only 23mm. As said at the moment the best tuning for me is with the cork face 14mm from the center of the embouchure and the slide out 10mm.
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Re: R&R patent head and Wilkes head joint thoughts

Post by Holmes »

I think that I was attempting to say that maybe Wilkes had made the cork stopper/button so that it couldn't have been pushed in too far but I guess my particular flute that might have been a mistake, having the stopper end its run at 27mm (minimum distance from the middle of the nozzle (my irreverent term for the embouchure)).

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Re: R&R patent head and Wilkes head joint thoughts

Post by rama »

my wilkes cannot be played properly with 14mm cork distance, are you sure your measurements are right??? my initial guess is that you are off by 5mm and what you believe to be 14-15mm is actually 19-20?
I have mine set at 18-19mm (which is about the same distance as measuring from middle of embouchure hole to the face of the cork).
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Re: R&R patent head and Wilkes head joint thoughts

Post by Steampacket »

my wilkes cannot be played properly with 14mm cork distance, are you sure your measurements are right??? my initial guess is that you are off by 5mm and what you believe to be 14-15mm is actually 19-20?
I have mine set at 18-19mm (which is about the same distance as measuring from middle of embouchure hole to the face of the cork).
No, 14-15mm is right. Before I had 19-20mm but the second octave was always sharp. My girlfriend a fiddler has perfect pitch and was always complaining, so as my main flute I use a Rudall Carte & Co. and the tuning is spot on. I thought it must be me that can't get to grips with the Wilkes. It's a lovely flute, very responsive, great sound, but I couldn't understand why I couldn't play the second octave in tune. As said I put a R&R patent head joint from 1842 on the Wilkes body and the flute was suddenly in tune with it self in both octaves. So then I adjusted the cork on the Wilkes head joint and found that at 14-15mm from cork face to the middle of the embouchure and with the slide out 10mm the second octave comes into tune. Weird I know. Perhaps it is me, the way I blow. I have a Olwell Pratten model keyless and no problem there with the second octave.
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