service

My female owner has been playing her flute more often these days (thank God she’s out of range of the Balcony!). She only plays the flute during the day and when no one is at home. That’s a small window of opportunity isn’t it?

Anyway, she was just surfing the internet when she chanced upon an Australian website for Flutes and Flutists. How apt, coz she has been wondering whether it is time to service her $3000 (?!?!) flute (like cars, instruments also need to be serviced regularly) and if yes, where she could do it. The company claims to be “Australasia's leading specialist flute supplier, offering a large range of student, intermediate and professional flutes. It also offers a leading edge flute repair service, all under the direction of David Leviston.”

For her flute, which is a Yamaha 500-series and classified as a”handfinished flute”, a general service will cost $340, repeat service, $280 and overhaul, $995. Quite exhorbitant prices, considering that she once sent in an intermediate model for servicing (or was it an overhaul?) in Singapore and the bill came up to $200+.

Whats in a service?
Replace missing corks and felts,replace up to 4 pads, general pad work& shimming,clean polish oil adjust, remove minor dents, 3 month warranty

Whats in an Overhaul?
Replace all corks & felts, remove scratches & dents, complete polish of body & keys, clean oil adjust, remove wear from mechanism 6 month warranty

Hmmm.. like it or not, the flute is assessed to be still in good condition..