This week’s burning question: What are French pointed key arms, and how do they differ from “regular” keys?
French pointed key arms have traditionally been a feature on semi-professional and professional-grade instruments, due to their handmade features and greater time associated with creating them. Unlike the traditional “Y-cup” arms that are found on student and some step-up instruments, French key arms consist of a pointed tone arm that extends to the center on the pad cup and is soldered to the top of the cup. This type of construction is stronger than the standard “Y” cup mounting where the tonearm is soldered to the edge of the pad cup. The key is pressed in the center of the key with this design rather then the edge with a “Y” cup, allowing for more even pad wear and less maintenance. There is a definite visual difference between the two types of keys, as can be seen below:
The Indy Flute Shop offers many flutes with French arms, the majority of which are in the $3,000+, semi-professional range. However, there is one step-up flute brand, the Azumi series, that comes standard with these key arms. Over the next couple of months, I will be highlighting key brands that are sold in the shop, so be sure to watch for more information on these wonderful instruments!