To line or not to line?

[Pfreddee]

I'm saving up to get a Casey Burns Standard flute in boxwood. What advantages, if any, are there in having the head joint lined? I'm very careful with my instruments, if that would make any difference.

Thanks to all who reply.

With best regards.

Pfreddee(Stephen)

[Steve Bliven]

Martin Doyle, in my opinion a very fine flute maker, has the following on his web site:
"The headjoints of the flutes that I make which include tuning slides are not fully lined with metal. The reason for this is that the more metal you put inside a flute, the more of the warm organic wooden sound you loose [sic]. Personally I prefer a completely unlined headjoint without any tuning slide for the sake of tone. If the customer does require a tuning slide, or in the case of my wooden headjoints for concert flutes, as a compromise I will use a short tuning slide made from thin-walled tubing which doesn't fill the headjoint completely. This assures that the warm tones of the wood are retained as much as possible. Flutes with headjoints that are fully lined with metal generally offer a very metallic sound – which defies the point of a wooden headjoint."

I tend to agree with him and like the sound of an unlined head. I find it to be softer, rounder, and generally more mellow (it's hard to use words to describe sounds since there are no standards) tone than metal. This is merely my preference. No doubt others will have their own, very different thoughts.

Them's my (and Mr. Doyle's) thoughts.

Best wishes.

Steve

[jim stone]

I think the unlined head joints do tend to have a more woody sound. On the other hand, I think the fully lined joint projects sound somewhat better,
and so better 'cuts through' other sound. Often the unlined flute has as much volume but the difference in projection can remain.
NB: there certainly are flutes with unlined head joints that project better than flutes with lined headjoints. The claim is only
that an unlined flute might well project better if it were lined. As to which one prefers, that's a matter of personal taste
and also the purpose to which you will use the instrument.

[Caspermilktoast]

Having both I prefer lined.

I would not call a fully lined head joint metallic sounding, but maybe more clear.

I think a huge advantage is that it keeps moisture away from the wood. I know some will say its more prone to crack... I have also had older flutes that were unlined and the bore in the head joint had very noticeable damage from saliva.

My 2 cents.

[Steve Bliven]

And from Geert LeJeune's web site...
"A head joint that is lined with metal will produce a tone with more harmonics. It will also be a bit louder than a head joint that has no lining. The unlined head joint will produce a sound that is more ″woody″. Neither is better than the other, the choice is a matter of personal preference."

Best wishes.

Steve

[JJW]

I have a half-lined blackwood Rudall model by Casey Burns that I am quite happy with. Lovely dark tone, with tuning slide. Whichever you choose, you can't go wrong!

[Casey Burns]

I only line head joints on flutes with tuning slides and bands - and then these are only half-lined, stopping before the embouchure. I never fully line the head joint as that leads to cracking and other problems at the embouchure, such as moisture working its way between the liner and the wood and eventually causing misalignment. Plus I have more control in my voicing cuts if I don't have to voice through metal.

Casey

[sligofluter]

Not line.

My two cents.


David