HIGHEST QUALITY "DIGITAL" GOLD PADS ARE YOUR BEST CHOICE

Choose between Black Gold pads (left) or Gold Plated pads (right)

The thin film that covers the pads affects the tone of your flute and the tonal qualities of Gold are well known to be beneficial. Now you can enhance the tone of your flute by replacing tone deadening animal skin with Gold which is more acoustically reflective and resonant. Bladderskin hurts your tone and absorbs some of your precious sound and energy. Gold reflects all of that beautiful sound to the listening audience. What you get is a focused, well-centered tone that is rich, resonant and warm. Recover your lost tone by installing reliable JS Gold pads - it's the best thing you can do for your flute.

BLACK GOLD
Gold pads increase the tone and beauty of your flute because Gold particles are embedded directly into the film. This high tech achievement gives you an incredibly durable pad. JS pads do not tear or cut through like bladderskin does. Their reliability and stability gives you peace of mind because they offer a superior and dependable seal without absorbing moisture and warping like conventional pads do. These special pads have a significant portion of black dry lubricant (MOS2) embedded into the surface along with the gold to prevent sticking. This dry lubricant darkens the color of the "Black Gold" pads.

GOLD PLATING
The Gold plated pad is the same as the black gold pad except that it has an extremely thin layer of gold added. It shines with wonderful tone and is a new option. Note that since the dry lubricant is covered over with Gold - the stiction characteristics of the Gold plated fad are unknown at this time.
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THE PAD TONE TESTER
In order to test the tone of different pads, a special instrument was created. The image at left shows a long piece of flute tubing that is full of toneholes. A special quick change pad rack was designed to fit the tube. Each cup is spring loaded and self aligning, making it possible to switch from one rack of 19 large pads to another in just a few seconds. This makes it very easy to compare the tone of various pads and pad materials. I have tested many experimental pad materials and have compared their differing tonality as well as their ability to hold air.

The ultra-thin film I use has a non-permeable, waterproof surface. It is not affected by moisture or humidity and does not swell or shrink like bladderskin pads. JS pads are very stable and do not need as much "later on" adjustment as bladderskin pads.

TONALITY
The feedback I get from professional musicians is that the tone of Gold pads is more musical and beautiful than bladderskin, that it is richer, rounder and clearly focused. Bladderskin has a dry, buzzy sound. Gold adds depth and color to the tone. Switching to Gold pads can give you as much tone improvement as you would get from switching to a higher quality headjoint.
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PLAYERS
Alexa Still, Jim Walker, Hubert Laws and Robert Dick are top players who have switched to Gold pads. Hundreds of other players are also enjoying the benefits of Gold pads. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.

TESTIMONIALS
"I've had the flute back from Brannen for a week. They did a great job with the installation. The pads are fantastic. What more can I say? The flute is more colorful and even, the pads feel great, and when I wish to play with no mechanism sound they really silent and when I wish to do key percussion, they made a very classy, loud and clear sound." Robert Dick.

"It is my pleasure to tell you that your Gold pad is like a dream. One word comes to mind when I try to describe what they sound like in my Tom Green flute, and that word is - burnished. The tone is resonant and rich and has a finer finish to the sound than I've noticed with any other pad." Dave Johnston (orchestral player in Manila).

"I got my flute back last week, now sporting JS gold pads… The response in the instrument feels somehow more instant and positive. Transitions over larger intervals are extremely smooth, almost effortless. Usually I can feel the instrument vibrating through my right thumb but now it seems to be resonating more. I can feel vibrations through all points of contact including the keys. Even the G# key! … the response is so instantaneous I find that my finger technique is more delicate and light." Dean Stallard (Pro flutist & teacher in Olso Norway).

"I am so amazed at the difference in my tone, and how easy it is to pop out those low register notes. I have received wonderful compliments on my tone by my colleagues since I've had the gold pads installed. Thank you for your great invention!" Zoe Shepherd

"I love your new pad. They don't wrinkle. They do seal, "no doubt about it"! and somehow, they sound even better. Congrats!" John Lagerquist

"The results far exceeded my expectations (which were irrationally high to begin with). The flute now actually vibrates whilst playing in the lower register! I can't say enough about the pads. Many, many thanks!" Jeff Menz

"David Williams just sent me up an 014 silver flute with your latest gold pads in it. These are really great! I immediately called Phil Unger in New York to tell him that these are a winner. He has been asking about them. In fact, I am going to have Eric at the [Williams] shop repad my gold flute with your new gold pads. Cheers," Marcus Hutchins

"I finally got a chance to install the gold pads that I ordered from you a few weeks ago. I think they are just wonderful, on all accounts. The resonance is wonderful, projection, response, the tone quality is enhanced throughout the entire range. I just finished up shimming and adjusting and I can't put my flute down because it sounds so much better. It also feels great, I feel like I don't have to force for a deep sound and I can use such a light touch because the pads cover so well and are so responsive. Wow, congratulations on this fine acheivement!!! (Plus I really love the bushings, they are so easy to use and the pads in general are so great to install because they don't wrinkle!!)" Jessica Johnson

"The fabulous Schmidt pads. I have them on two of my flutes and have been very pleased with them." Francesca Arnone

"I have just had my flute repadded with JS gold pads, and it's amazing. Hard to know whether some of this is simply having the instrument properly adjusted overall, but it seems to me that it's now playing WAY better than ever before." Jane Weber

"These pads have been stabile and sealing perfectly though an immense amount of playing, under the most extreme conditions (from central Maine in January to southern Florida to Phoenix to the West Coast) in contexts from jazz orchestra to solo recitals. Phenomenal! Thanks, and keep up the great work." Peter H Bloom

"The week after I replaced the pads I noticed people were staring at me after I tuned the flute at practice. They wanted to know what I had done to make the tone so clear. These people didn't know that I had changed anything. Your pads work noticeably well. Thank you very much." Patricia L

"I Just changed your pads in my client's old flute and she called to say that the sound is exellent and grandiose, everything works perfect." Pekka

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LINK TO PAUL HARRINGTON'S WEBPAGE ABOUT JS GOLD PADS

LINK TO JOHN LAGERQUIST'S WEBPAGE ABOUT JS GOLD PADS

CHECK OUT NINA PERLOV PLAYING WITH GOLD PADS.

DURABILITY
The gold particles are embeded in the film so they will not wear away. These pads will stand the test of time and provide excellent service long after bladderskin pads have split and fallen apart.

CLEANING
To clean a gold pad, insert an alcohol swab over the tonehole, close the cup and drag out the swab (or use rubbing alcohol on cloth). For any pad that has a tendency to stick - order "JS Magic Dust" . This dry lubricant works great. It is non-toxic and being a lubricant - it can only help the keywork. JS Gold pads have a portion of magic dust embeded into the skin along with the gold. The dry lubricant releases slowly throughout the lifetime of the pad to prevent sticking.

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FOR PHONE ORDERS & DETAILS CALL OR FAX TO 559 875 0659

GO TO SHOPS THAT INSTALL JS FLUTE PADS

JS PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH JL SMITH COMPANY - ph. 800 659 6073

JS PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.MUSICMEDIC.COM

BRANNEN BROTHERS WILL INSTALL GOLD PADS ON REQUEST (TALK TO DENNIS)

POWELL FLUTES WILL INSTALL GOLD PADS ON REQUEST (TALK TO DAVID HOUSTON)

ARISTA FLUTES WILL INSTALL GOLD PADS ON REQUEST (TALK TO JUAN)

JS pads come in 1.7mm thickness with .040" (1mm) thickness stabilizers. Delrin stabilizers ($1 each) are available in various diameters and come in .024" (.6mm), .032" (.8mm), .040" (1mm), .048" (1.2mm) and .056" (1.4mm) thicknesses. Special high strength aluminum stabilizers are also available in .020" (.5mm) or .028" (.7mm) or .040" (1.0mm) thickness at $2 each. Stabilizers must be superglued into the cups so they will not move or flex (you can remove superglue with toluene). Rough up the back sides of the delrin stabilizers with sandpaper first so the glue will stick. Aluminum stabilizers are stiff, flat and glue much better than Delrin (don't use sandpaper on aluminum stabilizers).

RETAINER LEAKS
Be sure to install JS soft plastic retainer screw seals between the retaining washer and the screw head ($1 per 10 or $10 per 100 etc). These retainer seals go between the washer and the screw - not under the washer. They prevent air leaks and keep the screws from loosening. Avoid slippery teflon or paper seals. Never place spacers between the washer and the spud because the centers of my pads do not crush – using spacers can cause leaks. In some cases you may need to replace the original retainer screws with longer ones (I can supply these). I also stock and recommend recessed washers in case your flute has flat washers (ten washers for $10).

SHIMMING
For stability, avoid more than .012" (.3mm) shim thickness). Use plastic rather than paper shims because paper can swell/shrink up to 20% with moisture/humidity changes and cause leaks. Bending/tilting the key side to side so its level the tonehole is fine but never bend it from front to back or you will distort the cup. Never place anything between the pad and the tonehole in order to bend a cup because it will crush and damage my pads - use your bare fingers only. Pads must be shimmed within .001" (or less) of perfection. Keep partial shims to a minimum (one or two). Beware that the pad is not so tight that it must be forced into the cups or the outer ring can be damaged or dislodged. Regular pads should measure .1mm (.004”) smaller than the cups. Trill pads should measure .2mm (.008”) smaller so they can be floated in. Cups should be well centered with the toneholes or a leak will result when the tonehole is too close to a retaining washer or bushing. Use a feeler gauge. If you use a leaklight the pads will be too light on the hinge side. You can use a leak light to determine side to side shimming but it will mislead you with front to back shimming.

TECHNICIANS GO HERE FOR DETAILS ABOUT FLUTE TONE VS. PAD LEAKAGE

OPEN HOLE CUPS
Metal bushings must be replaced with JS leakproof Delrin bushings ($1.00 each). Original Brannen or Burkart delrin bushings must also be replaced because they do not match/seal with Digital Gold pads. These bushings slide on and off smoothly and make shimming an easy job while reducing the likelihood of damaging a pad. The delrin bushings, gaskets for bushings and plastic retainer screws are essential for making JS pads work because they are flexible and provide a seal against the inner collar (metal bushings will leak). Order bushings that are .1mm (.004")smaller than the outside diameter of the cup chimney.

WARNING
There is an aluminum collar hidden near the center beneath the skin. Avoid using a metal tool when prying up a bushing or you may pinch the skin against the hidden collar and cut it – use your fingernail. If you must use a tool, only catch the outside edge of the bushing (do not insert the tool too far).

DELRIN BUSHING KIT
Delrin bushing kits come in a 6 compartment container with 6 sizes (5 per size) from 7.6 to 8.1mm Sizes 7.5 to 8.3mm available.
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click to enlarge






Delrin bushing upgrade kits are required for Yamaha 500 series & up and for some older flutes with tapered cup chimneys (Haynes etc). Stainless steel sleeves slip over the old chimneys and provide a new straight surface for the delrin bushings.

GO TO MORE INFO ON DELRIN BUSHING UPGRADE KITS.

BUSHING GASKETS
click to enlarge
Thin gaskets for bushings - to provide a tight seal for imperfect chimney/cup alignments (solves leaks in otherwise perfect pad jobs). Thin rubber gaskets are trapped between the bushing lip and the pad surface to prevent air leakage.

TRILLS
The plastic rims are very thin so take care not to overheat them or poke through them with a needle when installing. Do not use shellac for the small C# & trills because it is very brittle and can easily lose its grip on the slippery plastic. Use hot glue and check with a leak light.

NO HEAVY CLAMPING
Remember that these are not felt pads and should not be treated so. Do not use clamps on them. Do not overtighten the retaining screws or you will wrinkle/distort the pads and create leaks. If a gold pad suffers a dent or fingernail mark etc. Heat up a piece of thick flat metal in boiling water (thick so it won’t cool too fast). Then hold it against the face of the pad for a few seconds.

DIAMOND TONEHOLE FILES
Make sure that the toneholes rims are flat before installing these pads. I supply a set of excellent rotary tone hole files/pilots for this purpose. GO TO PRICES & ORDERING

JS flute tonehole files come supplied with your choice of #300, 600 or 1200 grit diamond abrasive which cuts fast and smooth. These high quality finishing discs are made of precision surface ground steel with diamonds embeded directly into the metal. These are the only files that give you a perfectly flat tonehole quickly and easily every time. Other files are a slow struggle in comparison. For a fine finish I recommend the standard 600 and then the 1200 grit finishing discs. The 300 grit discs are better for student quality flutes or general roughing in. Do not use on nickel plated flutes or they will clog up. The back side of each steel disc doubles as a surface guage to check for perfect flatness of the tonehole. Basic size pilots are supplied with the files. Inbetween size pilots in .5mm increments are also available.
Click to enlarge

ROTARY CHAMFER FILES

After the toneholes are flat you will need to smooth off the rough edges on the corners so the pad skin doesn't get cut. The easiest way to do this is with the rotary abrasive bits as shown below. A protective template is provided so you don't accidentally damage the surface of the body. These tools save time and effort and are very affordable. You can use a low (multispeed) Dremel if you have one or I can provide a small, easy to handle, 16,000 RPM rotary file at a very low cost (see below).

Click to enlarge image and view instructions for my rotary tonehole file set.


Click to enlarge image of low cost rotary tool.
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LEAK ISOLATOR FOR MAGNEHELIC
Here is the tool you need to achieve a perfect pad job. The hand held wand has two Orings that isolate each tonehole/pad one at a time as you slide it down the flute tube so you can check and compare the seal of each pad. Simply slide the wand into the flute, close the tonehole you are checking and look at the meter on the Magnehelic. Its the only tool of its kind and it is the best, fastest and easiest way to check for leaks. If you have shimmed a pad properly and a leak persists - then you may have a retainer leak (many good repairmen miss this). Adjustments can be balanced with precision. The leak isolator uses 1/2" inside diameter silicone O-rings with 3/32 wall thickness (lube with magic dust).

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The Magnehelic takes out the guess work and is a huge time saver. It uses a sensitive air guage that measures the quantiny of air leaking through your flute. You can test the entire flute body at once or you can use the leak isolator to measure each pad individually. Remember that a flute will only play as good as its worst leak allows it to play. This tool help you find that leak quickly so you can eliminate it. Now you can be certain that your customers will be satisfied.