Question: Do different thickness of pads affect tone quality

[flutego12]

Pads appear to be purchased in various thicknesses.
Just wondering, does using a thin pad (2.5mm) versus a thicker pad (2.9mm) impact the tone quality or character at all?

Does anyone know what pad thickness these flutes use?
Yamaha student flutes 100, 200, 300



Music medic sells precision usa pads for $55 per 100 pcs which is great. Yamaha sets cost $50-80 per set.(!)
Thank you kindly.

[JButky]

Pads appear to be purchased in various thicknesses.
Just wondering, does using a thin pad (2.5mm) versus a thicker pad (2.9mm) impact the tone quality or character at all?

Does anyone know what pad thickness these flutes use?
Yamaha student flutes 100, 200, 300



Music medic sells precision usa pads for $55 per 100 pcs which is great. Yamaha sets cost $50-80 per set.(!)
Thank you kindly.

Answer: NO

What can have an effect that Benade measured in terms of response is whether or not there is a solid backer behind the pad. Use of a backer does require a thinner pad outside of experiments where that can be accounted for. It's not the thickness of the pad itself but the presence of the backer itself.

[mirwa]

Different manufacturers use different thickness pads, thinner pads can be shimmed up to achieve a thicker overall height.

Ideally a good pad when fitted will have the pad project from the rim of the pad cup of about 0.015", basically you should just see the edge of the pad project past the rim, this usually I have found gives the best fit.

Some manufacturers use pads as thin as 1.8mm.

Pad prices vary between quality and brand name, new yamaha pads from yamaha are actually rather nice pads, I think even though they are stamped yamaha they are actually prestinis.

Regards

[flutego12]

Pads appear to be purchased in various thicknesses.
Just wondering, does using a thin pad (2.5mm) versus a thicker pad (2.9mm) impact the tone quality or character at all?

Does anyone know what pad thickness these flutes use?
Yamaha student flutes 100, 200, 300



Music medic sells precision usa pads for $55 per 100 pcs which is great. Yamaha sets cost $50-80 per set.(!)
Thank you kindly.

Answer: NO

What can have an effect that Benade measured in terms of response is whether or not there is a solid backer behind the pad. Use of a backer does require a thinner pad outside of experiments where that can be accounted for. It's not the thickness of the pad itself but the presence of the backer itself.

Was that a thesis or research paper you were referring to when you quoted Benade? What material makes a good solid backer? The new pads from precision usa look like cardboard paper. I've noticed the older Yamaha's have some really nice sturdy waterproof coated "shims" thick inside the cups - don't know if standard issue of just building up the pads as they flatten.

[flutego12]

Different manufacturers use different thickness pads, thinner pads can be shimmed up to achieve a thicker overall height.

Ideally a good pad when fitted will have the pad project from the rim of the pad cup of about 0.015", basically you should just see the edge of the pad project past the rim, this usually I have found gives the best fit.

Some manufacturers use pads as thin as 1.8mm.

Pad prices vary between quality and brand name, new yamaha pads from yamaha are actually rather nice pads, I think even though they are stamped yamaha they are actually prestinis.

Regards

Hi Steve. It's nice to know you think the new yamaha pads are nice. I may need to bite the bullet and try a set. I've noticed the holes of the older closed hole flutes are much smaller 2mm in diameter whereas Precision USA ones are bigger holdes almost paper punch hole size. Does it affect response or tone?

What do you think of the latest Indo assembled Yamaha flutes?

[mirwa]

The spud size does not matter, so long as it clears the spud and does not fowl up

I like yamaha, but in there adventures to compete on the global market, I think there product is starting to falter.

[flutego12]

The spud size does not matter, so long as it clears the spud and does not fowl uphm not sure what you meant there. Will give it a thought .

I like yamaha, but in there adventures to compete on the global market, I think there product is starting to falter.

That is a most interesting statement and I had a gut feeling this is the case. I haven't personally touched or played their very latest issues of student models 211/221 (fr Indo) but I am very interested in which area or in what way are they faltering? Yamaha says that parts are still made in Japan though assembled in Surabaya Indonesia. Q is how important is assembly in all this. I've also found in the newer flutes, the plating wear appears more frequently - the older ones still shine up good. Is there concurrence on this?

[JButky]

Was that a thesis or research paper you were referring to when you quoted Benade? What material makes a good solid backer? The new pads from precision usa look like cardboard paper. I've noticed the older Yamaha's have some really nice sturdy waterproof coated "shims" thick inside the cups - don't know if standard issue of just building up the pads as they flatten.

Yes, I'll see if I can dig it up. ABS backers are pretty standard

[flutego12]

Was that a thesis or research paper you were referring to when you quoted Benade? What material makes a good solid backer? The new pads from precision usa look like cardboard paper. I've noticed the older Yamaha's have some really nice sturdy waterproof coated "shims" thick inside the cups - don't know if standard issue of just building up the pads as they flatten.

Yes, I'll see if I can dig it up. ABS backers are pretty standard

Thanks Joe.

[mirwa]

hm not sure what you meant there. Will give it a thought .[/color]

It means, not all spuds are an exact cylindrical shape, quite a few are stepped on the bottom and then chimney shape upwards, so long as the recess that is cut into the centre of the pad does not jam on either the chimney section or the base then the size of the centre hole is irrelevant.

[flutego12]

hm not sure what you meant there. Will give it a thought .[/color]

It means, not all spuds are an exact cylindrical shape, quite a few are stepped on the bottom and then chimney shape upwards, so long as the recess that is cut into the centre of the pad does not jam on either the chimney section or the base then the size of the centre hole is irrelevant.

I see.

Am interested to hear more about what you were mentioning about "faltering"/