Flute Maintenance/Repair Tips
- Anytime you're done playing, ALWAYS wipe out the inside of the flute with a soft cloth.
- Never leave anything moist sitting inside the flute (IE. those long fuzzy things), they can rot the coating on the flute.
- Make sure never to press on the rods and keys when assembling/disassembling the flute.
- When it comes to minor adjustments of screws on the flute, only use the proper tools, and make sure you know what you're doing. I really messed up my first flute because I was unsure.
- Don't overtighten screws; they'll slow down the action
- NEVER NEVER NEVER bend the keys to make them cover the holes better. I've seen many good instruments turned to trash because of this.
- Major repairs must only be done by a professional. Speak to your local instrument dealer for a list of names
- If you have a professional instrument, make sure it's repaired by a repairman who specializes in professional instruments. It's a little more, but worth the money
- Don't use any kind of silver or metal polish on the flute, no matter what material your flute is made of (I've even seen turtle wax used!).
- Never soak any part of your flute in water or any other fluid... it will wreck the pads, screws, action, finish; basically everything.
- Get a good silver polishing cloth, it's really worth it.
- Get a small tube of cork grease for a piccolo, but use it sparingly and only on the cork on the body joint
- Cork grease can be used on the cork in the head joint, but use very little, and only use if the cork is REALLY dry.
- If the joints on the flute get sticky, clean them very well with your silver cloth. Or if you don't have that, use dry, soft gauze or cheesecloth.
- Dents and dings in the flute, if minor, do not necessarily need to be repaired. If they're big, ONLY a professional can fix them.
- Check out my Flute Links page for websites of flute makers and repair people.
- Even after 10 years of playing the flute, and being able to play on everything from silver plated to solid gold, I still don't trust myself to do anything other than minor adjustments (tighten/loosen screws, cleaning, and basic maintenance). My flute is worth too much to me to screw it up.