Aurumite Headjoints

Aurumite 14k Custom

If you've attended a convention like the NFA, you'll know that the Powell booth is filled with many flutes, piccolos, and headjoints to try.  The selection is vast, and we certainly want visitors to try different things.  But have you ever found yourself selecting a flute and headjoint combination to try, only to discover that the headjoint would not fit into the flute?  If so, you may have had a combination of an Aurumite 14k Custom flute and a silver headjoint.

Why would the silver headjoint not fit into the Aurumite 14k Custom flute?  Well, in a previous post (available through this link), we discovered that the .018" silver Custom does not have a .018" headjoint -- it has a .016" headjoint (and .016" barrel).  With an Aurumite 14k Custom, the flute has a thickness of .016," but its headjoint has a thickness of .014" -- and a barrel thickness of .014" to fit the headjoint.  The headjoint and barrel are made from the exact same Aurumite material as the flute (silver on the outside and 14k rose gold on the inside) -- they just have a different thickness.  Since the Aurumite 14k Custom has a .014"  barrel to fit the .014" headjoint, a silver headjoint of .016" thickness would be too big. 

As for the other Aurumite flutes, the headjoint and body thicknesses are the same, so the barrel is as well.  The Ruby Aurumite Custom has a .016" headjoint, barrel, and body.  The Aurumite 9k Conservatory also has a  .016" headjoint, barrel, and body.  In these cases, a silver headjoint of .016" thickness would fit. 

What is the reasoning behind the Aurumite 14k Custom flute having a .016" body and .014" headjoint?  It is actually the same as the case with the .018" silver Custom.  It's all about sound and response.  When the Aurumite 14k Custom was developed, different headjoint thicknesses were tested, and the best sound, resonance, and response came from choosing a .014" headjoint for the .016" body!

Aurumite 9k Conservatory

Ruby Aurumite Custom

Silver Headjoint

.016" silver headjoints (Aurumite 14K on far right)

We recently had an inquiry from a customer about silver flutes with .018" tubing thickness.  He asked why there is not an option of a silver .018" thickness headjoint to go with the flute.  He said, "Wouldn't it fit in a .018" body?"

The answer to the question involves barrel thickness and headjoint thickness.  For a .018" silver flute, the barrel is .016" thick.  Therefore, the headjoint is .016" to fit the barrel.  Also, Powell designs and tests headjoints to have the best possible sound qualities, resonance, and response.  Different thicknesses are tested, and when the .018" thick headjoint was tested, it was found to be too heavy -- it did not have the response and resonant properties that were optimal for a headjoint.  It is possible that some people could get a .018" thick headjoint to respond favorably, but for the majority of flute players, it is simply too dense and heavy.  So, there you have it!  The .018" thick silver Custom flutes have a .016" thick silver headjoint to fit the barrel and to produce the best possible sound.