Does a tuning slide make any tonal differences in the flute?
Many players prefer flutes with an adjustable slide in the head joint, although this adds to the cost of the flute. I prefer to partially line the head joint with the slide, so that the critical voicing details are not hampered by the metal. Partially lined head joints also tend to crack less (this is a common problem with lining the inside of a wooden tube with metal!). My tuning slides consist of a brass inner slide, and a nickel silver outer slide. To minimize barrel joint cracking, the metal is thinned between points of contact, so that the metal bears against the wood in two places rather than the entire length. This results in a much stronger joint with some wiggle room that is less likely to crack. Should your head joint experience cracking, I would be happy to replace the offending piece.
