<p>D has problems with her head joint getting slippery in hot concert situations or nervous audition situations. Another flutist recommended putting a piece of regular masking tape on the head joint so it will not slip under the bottom lip as easily. My question is whether any of you know if the adhesive on the regular tan masking tape will hurt the flute finish over time? Her head joint is solid silver, so there should be no plating to worry about, but will it hurt the silver? Another solution would be to get the head joint engraved, but that seems like overkill unless she’s really going to keep this particular flute and head joint for quite some time.</p>
<p>There’s an answer here, revealed via googling. [Flute:</a> Flute Fix, teflon tape, stop gap](<a href=“http://en.allexperts.com/q/Flute-2059/Flute-Fix.htm]Flute:”>http://en.allexperts.com/q/Flute-2059/Flute-Fix.htm) Scroll down and the answer appears below the question.</p>
<p>Teflon tape makes sense, as it is non-adhesive, unlike masking tape. A roll is available at hardware stores, home centers for about a buck.</p>
<p>She may have to play around a bit to see how many wraps she’ll need to make it tight, yet not force it or distort the wrap getting the joint seated.</p>
<p>You may want to cross reference this on a flute forum or with the flute experts, but knowing what I know of teflon tape and its uses/applications, it would appear a viable (and harmless) short term solution.</p>
<p>Teflon tape would work, it basically is designed for what you wish to do with it. Paper tape would not ruin the finish of the flute, though the glue residue can be a pain to get off and may not last long, I think the teflon tape (sold in the plumbing section of any hardware store) is probably a better way to go.</p>
<p>If you do use masking tape (I think the teflon tape is a better idea), then go to the painting section and get Painter’s tape. The glue is designed to release if removed within a few days.</p>
<p>Definitely not a job for the ubiquitous Duct Tape.</p>
<p>Even the blue painter’s tape can be an issue. While designed as a “release” type of tape, it can and does wreak havoc under the right conditions and on the right surfaces. Cleaning any residue with the standard WD-40 would only exacerbated slippage. If you go this route, WD-40 can be cleaned off after with denatured alcohol, which will have no adverse effect on silver. There are green and white painter’s tapes as well, and they are much less tenacious, and need to be adhered to a super clean surface.</p>
<p>I’m adding my vote for the teflon tape. Flutes are tougher than they look - When my kids were young they were playing with the case, I picked it up, and yep, flute all over the floor. I actually straightened the bend in the headjoint with a fork. Pitch wasn’t great, but I could still play. However, even tough things benefit from careful treatment - plumbers tape sounds absolutely perfect.<br>
On the other hand, isn’t there a way to fix it permanently? I know I was experimenting with mismatched headjoints/bodies at one point (Altus headjoint, Pearl body - aaaaaahhh), but after my fork adventure, I wonder if a true technician couldn’t widen the headjoint just a bit to make it fit tighter…</p>
<p>It is certainly possible to have a professional re-size the barrel just a bit to make the fit tighter. If it is always too loose, this would be the way to go. The OP mentioned that it was loose when warm or when the player is nervous (although I’m not sure what changes in the instrument itself in that case). If the fit is snug at other times, then a permanent adjustment may not be what you want to do lest it be hard to put together when cold. If you are going to use tape, teflon is the way to go. </p>
<p>Note that high-end solid silver flutes can be a lot more fragile than the student instruments that are generally nickel plated and designed to take a reasonable amount of abuse. It is better to treat a professional grade flute as if it were even more fragile than it looks.</p>
<p>If you are talking about the headjoint slipping on the flute body you need to have the body refitted by a pro. Really not expensive at all and should take like 10 minutes. This is not something you want to do by yourself.</p>
<p>If you are talking about your daughters lip slipping on the head joint or lip plate and you feel a piece of tape at that spot will help you probably will not hurt a sterling headjoint, plated would be a different story. Also, if it’s the later it could be an embouchure problem</p>
<p>I’m talking about when a person is playing and the space under their bottom lip slips on the lip plate because of hot/sweaty (or nervous) conditions. That little spot under your lip makes contact with the smooth lip plate and it can get slippery when sweating. The tan “regular” masking tape has a little bit of a rough finish on it (crinkly) so when you are sweating a little the tape won’t slip as easily as the head joint will. I think any smooth tape probably wouldn’t work that will because there’s no texture on the surface like there is with the regular masking tape.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the advice.</p>
<p>Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you meant the headjoint was slipping out of the body of the instrument. In this case where it is the player’s lip slipping off the lip plate, you are probably correct that teflon tape is not going to be the answer. As sagiter points out, it could be an embouchure problem. It could also be a problem in the way she holds the flute. It can be exacerbated if she tends to move her body a lot while playing. Has she spoken with her teacher about these things?</p>
<p>Meanwhile, there are products called lip plate patches that are designed for exactly this problem. If you google that term, I believe you will find you can buy a bag of fifteen of them for under $10.</p>
<p>In the words of the Late Gilda Radner…“Oh…never mind”</p>
<p>And by the way Bass Dad - The flute I “fixed” was indeed my old high school one marching band one that often doubled as a baton! I treat my current silver one much more delicately! I waited too long for it, and paid too much to treat it with less than the respect it deserves ;)</p>