Thinking of getting your flute gold-plated?
Be aware that gold flutes are 14K gold (not 24K). 14K is commonly called "rose gold" and is closer in color to copper than the yellow 24K. If you know of any firm in the USA that does "rose gold" plating, please post the info here. Thanks.
posted by admin at 3:38 PM
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Comments (6)
yeah...except for the 5K (Sankyo) 9K, 10K, 18K, and 24K (Sankyo/Muramatsu) flutes that are being made; and while rose gold is most common, you also quite a lot of yellow gold (particularly from Pearl, Sankyo, and Haynes) and white gold.
See http://www.pearlflutes.com, http://www.muramatsu-america.com, http://www.sankyoflute.com, and http://www.flutes4sale.com for examples of many of the different sorts of gold flutes that are floating around out there.
> Haynes
Only solid gold Haynes flutes I've seen are 14k. While there are several different karats of so-called gold flutes available these days as you mention, I still contend that the 14k is the 'look' to get - if you can.
Is there a particular reasoning for your affinity for 14K gold as opposed to another karat weight? Being aware, of course, that nearly every flute maker has their own proprietary gold alloy recipe anyway, so Haynes' 14K gold is not of the same composition as Powell's 14K gold or Yamaha's 14K gold or Brannen's or Sankyo's or Tom Green's or David Straubinger's or...well, you know what I'm getting at. (And one must also take into account offerings of a choice of white, rose, or yellow gold.)
My current preferred instrument is an 18K rose gold Sankyo, and I find it tremendous. I've also owned a 10K rose gold Pearl that I greatly enjoyed, as well as a sterling silver Altus that has been plated in 18K red gold that I use in pit gigs. (Most major flute makers offer an option to have their silver flutes gold plated at the time of construction).
I also wonder if you *really* meant to say that 14K gold is also known as "rose gold", because that is quite incorrect. Rose gold is known as rose gold, and has nothing to do with the karat weight, and everything to do with the percentage of copper in the alloy.
Haynes currently only lists a 14K gold flute, however they will upon request make one in a different karat weight, and have in the past as well. My friend here in New York who owns a very large flute dealership recently sold an incredible 10K gold Haynes that is one of the best I've ever played. (And I'm not a terrible fan of Haynes flutes)
One final thought...do you actually think that there is a particular "look" to 14K gold, given all the variables possible with gold? What's to say that an Altus flute in 14K yellow gold will look any more or less gold than a Muramatsu in 18K rose gold or a Nagahara in 20K; particularly from the audience perspective when seen on a concert stage?
> Most major flute makers offer an option to have their silver
> flutes gold plated at the time of construction
In the USA?? Only plating I've seen offered here is 24K (such as by Anderson Plating in Indiana - they do excellent work BTW). I don't know of any American plating firms that'll do 14K.
Thanks Josh,
-Bob
I had to get the gold plating because I am allergice to silver, that happened after I had my son. I have had no more problems..
I own a 14K rose gold Brannen with 2 different headjoints that is lovely (and I mean the way it plays and sounds). Have a friend in NYC who has a yellow gold Haynes now (Powell yellow gold before that) which she likes for the sound.
People have asked me whether the flute's brass (!) and some of the sharper ones realize it's a gold/copper alloy. I like the look of yellow gold since it looks like just what it is. But that's a background prejudice. It's the flute's tone and responsiveness that make it quality. The instrument's to be played and listened to. The looks are way secondary.