Many of you know that the Straubinger family is responsible for making some of the very best flutes on the planet. David and Joel Straubinger’s flutes represent the very highest in handcrafted quality, attention to detail, and top-of-the-line materials. Many professional flutes, including several brands carried at the Indy Flute Shop, feature Straubinger pads. These pads, rather than the traditional felt pad, are made of many fine layers of material that make for the utmost in quality, tone control, and precision sealing. And they are made right here in Indianapolis!

What many of you may not know, however, is that David and Joel Straubinger’s shop burnt nearly to the ground in November 2008. At the time, they had been working on a prototype pad for an intermediate student flute. Among the ashes, this prototype was found, and the Straubinger Phoenix pad was born, rising from the ashes of the devastating fire. Ideal for use on production step-up flutes, the outer felt covering wraps around the outer rim of the pad instead of stopping at the pad’s edge. The traditional Straubinger design is flipped in a way, making for greater durability in the area where the pad touches the tone hole. This design is ideal for students whose touch may be a bit hard for a traditional Straubinger pad (some students have been known to cause slight tears in the upper layers of material with traditional pads) but who want the quality and control associated with them.

Yamaha semi-professional instruments—the 600 and 700 series—currently utilize Straubinger Phoenix pads. These instruments represent a wonderful value with many high-end features. Call or email Erin to schedule an appointment to check them out!