Manufacture
The most important part of the flute is the headjoint. A good handcrafted headjoint will turn your flute into a super flute. Nowadays many manufacturers no longer make their flutes and headjoint 100% handmade, even among famous flute brands. The Mascolo headjoint rescues the old and artisanal way of making headjoint, as did the ingenious Louis Lot flutes and other great historical manufacturers.
Each Mascolo headjoint is a unique piece with a charming personality and sound. Result of careful work and great passion for the sound of this wonderful instrument. A brief description of how Mascolo headjoint are handcrafted follows.
I. Soldered tube
The tube is one of the most important parts for the headjoint to be excellent, so our tubes are handcrafted as the tubes of the brilliant Louis Lot flutes were manufactured. Today, a large part of the headjoint and flute manufacturers use industrial tubes, manufactured by companies specializing in the manufacture of seamless extrusion tubes. But I believe that with industrial tubes, you lose much of the charm that exists in the sound of a handmade tube, made by hand. The Tube made and welded by hand gives a rich sound and with a lot of projection that fills the whole environment in a natural way. The tube of my Mascolo headjoint are handcrafted from silver plate. The sheet is folded and welded by hand with strong silver solder. You cannot see the weld line from the outside, but when you look inside the tube you will find the weld line.
Jean-Pierre Rampal wrote in a letter to artisanal flute maker Yoshiteru Akiyama that:
"I was inspired to begin making seamed tubes after receiving a certain letter. It arrived on the 24th of June, a month after Rampal san (Mr. J.P. Rampal) had passed away, and had been sent with the wish to convey the feelings of French maker Louis Lotfs final craftsman. The most important thing is to make them with eseamed tubes’. I think of this as Rampal san’s (Mr. J.P. Rampal) last will.
II. The Lip plate
I use two processes to manufacture the lip plate. When I intend to make a thin lip plate to meet any customer requirement, I make my lip plate by forging which consists of molding a silver plate into a steel mold with the shape of the lip plate that I designed. The second process is a mixture of casting and forging. I designed the lip plate in Cad 3D and through this project I made the wax mold in which the silver is injected thus forming the lip plate. Then the lip plate is forged in a mold to adhere to a perfect curvature and finally it is all sanded and polished. This process allows for a strong lip plate, always in the same shape.
III. The Riser
The riser is one of the most important parts of the headjoint and its proper angles must be accurate. I designed the riser in Cad 3D, and through this project I made the wax mold in which the silver or gold is injected thus forming the riser. Then the riser is sanded and polished. This process allows for a perfect riser.
IV. Union of all parties and final cuts.
After the tube, lip plate and riser manufacturing process, each part is welded together, adjusted and cut by hand. The riser is attached to the lip plate and the lip plate hole close to the riser is cut by hand, this process is one of the most delicate parts. The next process is to weld the lip plate and riser onto the tube in place to ensure perfect tuning. The opening of the tube next to the riser and lip plate is done by hand, and is one of the most delicate and difficult processes. Finally, the crown is made with solid silver stopper wall and the logo is engraved on the headjoint. After the headjoint is ready, I test the headjoint for a week in my daily flute studies, checking each result and making adjustments if necessary.
Welding the lip plate and riser to the tube in place to ensure perfect tuning.
Testing and approval for sale
Each headjoint Mascolo I test for a week in my daily flute studies, checking each result and making adjustments if necessary.