Metal lip plates
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2018 4:36 am
We often come across period flutes with metal lip plates let into the wood around the embouchure hole. Some are cylindrical and go right round; some are oval and partial, and set into an excavation of the wood. Some of these are only on the lip side, but some go round to also cover the "edge" side.
We know that, back in the day, many people (about 10% of the population?) proved allergic to cocus wood, and this is the probable historic reason these lip plates exist. (I don't think it's such an issue with the timbers we mostly use now.) But I recently came across a newly made flute with an all-round lip plate, which prompts me to ask this question.
Is anyone of the view that these lip plates are anything other than a total disaster? I say that after dealing with dozens of period flutes over the years, and this recently-made flute at the moment.
My experience is that I've never met such a flute that I liked. I've always found the tone thin and wirey.
Now the physics doesn't seem to offer any support to that theory. It doesn't seem to care what the edge is made of, as long as the edge is made well. We might need to come back to that.
And I should draw a distinction between those lip plates that go round to the edge, and those lip plates that simply keep your mustache (sorry Ladies!) from contacting the wood. I have no problem with those one-sided affairs. It's the ones that go round to the "edge" that bug me.
So, now I've enjoyed my rant, let me pose my question. Has anyone found a flute, new or old, with a metal lip plate extending around to the "edge" that they have full confidence in?
Big tone. Great sound. Gratifying performance. Reliable responsiveness. Details?
After we've established agreement that they are an unmitigated disaster (and assuming we do!), I'd like to see if anyone has any theories why these lip-plated flutes are so?
But let's proceed to Stage 1 first....
Ooh, I feel better now....
We know that, back in the day, many people (about 10% of the population?) proved allergic to cocus wood, and this is the probable historic reason these lip plates exist. (I don't think it's such an issue with the timbers we mostly use now.) But I recently came across a newly made flute with an all-round lip plate, which prompts me to ask this question.
Is anyone of the view that these lip plates are anything other than a total disaster? I say that after dealing with dozens of period flutes over the years, and this recently-made flute at the moment.
My experience is that I've never met such a flute that I liked. I've always found the tone thin and wirey.
Now the physics doesn't seem to offer any support to that theory. It doesn't seem to care what the edge is made of, as long as the edge is made well. We might need to come back to that.
And I should draw a distinction between those lip plates that go round to the edge, and those lip plates that simply keep your mustache (sorry Ladies!) from contacting the wood. I have no problem with those one-sided affairs. It's the ones that go round to the "edge" that bug me.
So, now I've enjoyed my rant, let me pose my question. Has anyone found a flute, new or old, with a metal lip plate extending around to the "edge" that they have full confidence in?
Big tone. Great sound. Gratifying performance. Reliable responsiveness. Details?
After we've established agreement that they are an unmitigated disaster (and assuming we do!), I'd like to see if anyone has any theories why these lip-plated flutes are so?
But let's proceed to Stage 1 first....
Ooh, I feel better now....