The Bachand Flute is made by the New England Wooden Flute Company. It is a high-quality musical instrument and should be handled accordingly. The flute consists of three parts; the head joint, body and cork and cap assembly. The unique design of this instrument eliminates the need for a barrel joint, which are found on many flutes of similar design. The tuning slide, which is attached to the body, has a tapered bore that matches the tapered bore of the body. Avoid leaving the flute assembled for long periods of time, it may seize up and become difficult to take apart.
When assembling the head joint and body, always use a turning or twisting motion. Do not push straight on or force it. Keep the tuning slide and receiving tenon clean by wiping it with a clean cloth or paper towel. A Q tip will fit between the tuning slide and upper band on the body to clean that area.
The wood is treated with solvent free boiled linseed oil and should not need any additional oil. Linseed oil is absorbed into the wood and hardens.
The metal fittings are made of brass and are silver plated. A polishing cloth should be all that is needed to clean the silver. Use silver polish sparingly as it can remove small amounts of silver over time.
Your flute comes with a cleaning rod. It serves two purposes; a cloth can be put through the eye hole to swab out the bore after playing and the end is a measuring device for the positioning of the cork. The cork and cap assembly are two pieces that are threaded together. The end of the cap should be ¾ of an inch from the center of the embouchure hole. There is a line on the cleaning rod that is ¾ of an inch from the end. Insert the end of the cleaning rod into the tenon end of the head joint until that line is in the center of the embouchure hole. It should be touching the face of the cork. If it doesn’t, adjust the cork and cap assembly by screwing it in or out. Use the cleaning rod to push out the cork and cap assembly and apply cork grease any time the cork appears dry. This is important especially when the flute is new. If the cork gets too dry it will leak air affecting the playing ability. This flute is extremely sensitive to moisture buildup. If you feel it isn’t playing well, swab it out, removing the cap to do so.
If you have any questions regarding your flute, feel free to contact me.