Hi!

I had an accident with my Yamaha YFL674. The foot joint slipped from the body and fell from my shoulder height on a wooden floor. I believe it landed keys down.

Now the C# cup (let me call so the part that closes the hole and holds the pad)is about 1/16" higher than the C cup and B cup.(it is more open).

I can still play the C# and C, but no way with B, because pressing the second and middle roller does not closes the C# cup any longer, which remains wide open.

I cannot press the plate and two rollers with my pinky, so I cannot play a low B at all.

I believe that the mechanism is out of adjustment after the crash.

Low B is not a note I play often, no Bs in the music I am practising now, but still, I am worried by the problem.

Now we are beginning the Easter holidays here, no classes for two weeks and perfect time for practising a lot, but the flute has this problem. I cannot send it to any technician because of the holidays and in practise they last for two weeks, though my next class is on the 25th.

Anybody could help? I do not see any screw adjustments on this foot joint. (Yamaha YFL 674) I have tools to demount the foot key bridge but I need some suggestions and help.

Thanks!!!

It sounds like the C# key just got bent out of adjustment. It is a very easy and quick fix: it should take less than a couple of minutes to fix.

Thanks. I could try some repairs myself. Could you provide more details?

Ouch, what a bad luck, Jose. Hope you can get it fixed soon. Can't you borrow/rent a flute while you wait for your own to be repaired? Either from the repair shop, or a spare flute from your teacher, or so?

I have no idea how difficult it might be to fix, but note that five minutes for a technician, does not neccessarily mean five mintues (or playable flute!) if you try it yourself.

Hi Cessi!

Yes, I had a bad luck -repeated.

My flute slipped from a table in the classroom and got caught between the wall and the table legs. Apparently it was not damaged. But the day after the foot joint got loose while practising and fell on the floor. Probably as a consequence of the previous mishap.

I can still play because C# and C work, but no low B. I have another flute (my spare Yamaha 211) but I do not want to change heads as I am working on improving my tone.

So I will leave as is until... I do not know. Sending it to a trusted technician here takes a couple of weeks in total. I have not that time available now. It's a problem, really.

oh, that's an ouch......

also I think 674 scale and 211 scale are different, I am not too sure.

Hm, would it be possible to keep the YFL674 head, and just send the body for repair? Even if the scales are different, that should be a good idea. I am lucky to still play my Yamahaa 211, so I don't have to worry about finding "trustworthy" technicians yet, but a flute professor I have conficence in said in a workshop that there really are only two technicians that can be trusted in Sweden...

It's great that the flute is playable, though. It will be ok. Good luck with the repair!

Cheers

You can try to push the C# key lever (where you place your pinky) up with a flat object like a popsicle stick. Though you would need to be VERY CAREFUL. Sometimes keys will bend very easily. I would apply minimal pressure and see what happens. Use the rib of the footjoint as leverage for the popsicle stick. You want to push up the part that attached to the rod tube rather than the part where your pinky rests-- otherwise you will have a bent key AND it will be out of adjustment.

BUT BUT BUT. If you can wait to have it repaired and are not playing a lot of lower notes, please don't do it yourself. You are taking a risk if you have never done something like this before.

Thanks.

Kshel, no, I could not wait. Before reading your message I had already bent down the cup, putting my nail below the pinky plate and pushing down on the key cup with my other hand. I repeated this a couple of times and now the three foot keys it work again.

So there are good news after all!

Thank you all for your support.

That's good news.

**phew**

I admit: I was nervous! But I'm glad your flute is okay.

Let a good technician do the job. It's not for amateurs, unless you are willing the try and error approach... Could not predict the results...
It happened to me exactly the same way. Nothing I did could repair the damage, and at some point I just broke a solder of the rib and got it far worse...

Hi Zevang,

I feel rather helpless when considering jobs made by local technicians. It is the correct solution and I know it, but in my case it would take too long and sometimes (like this one) I simply could not wait. It is now done and it works fine.

And it is the second time I have to correct the height of a key after too much pressing or after and accident like this one I had. Both times I was successful. Probably this YFL674 has key levers that are too soft, was it the case, the solution is easy and free.

I have a pragmatic approach to this instrument; I appreciate my YFL, but it is an standard, intermediate flute and not an instrument I must cherish and protect so much. I do not expect it to outlive me and it is not so bad if it gets worn with use. Some time in the future this wearing out could became a convincing argument to buy a new, better one...

If it already worked for you, I'm happy anyway ;-)

Dear Jose_Luis,
It is my opinion that you are fortunate that you were able to fix your own situation in this instance. I'm sure that a certain level of mechanical knowledge came into play but from your description it could have been one or more of a few possibilities, So please forgive me bot for others, a warning.... Many players of more experience could do more damage if they attempt such a repair.

"Probably this YFL674 has key levers that are too soft,"
I think that traditionally, the Yamaha line of instruments has fairly sturdy metal regarding this aspect. More so than most of the other intermediate level of flutes currently on the market. IMHO, this is one of it's actual strong suits.