Michael Dürk
For the Love of the Flute

 

  • Professional Flöten und Piccolo Service
  • High quality repairs, general overhauls and modifications at the highest quality level!
  • Your perfect partner for all topics related to the subject of the flute
  • Certified SANKYO-Technician
  • Certified STRAUBINGER-Technician

Your flute in good hands.

Michael Dürk has acquired a high level of experience over decades both as a craftsman and as a performing flutist. This results in a specialist competence that is unparalleled across national borders.

Repair Service

The repair service is intended to fix current problems (minor adjustments, damaged pads, bent mechanisms).

You have an urgent concert or an important rehearsal and your flute is not working properly? Then we help you with a short-term repair to manage this and bridge the time until the next COA service or the next general overhaul.

COA-Service

COA - en. for 'Clean Oil Adjust' - is so to speak the 'small inspection' for your flute. Carried out annually, the COA service always allows you to make music reliably and carefree.

 

General overhaul Flute

The general overhaul or reconditioning is the 'major inspection' for your flute. The instrument is totally cleaned, worn out mechanisms are tightened and all wearing parts are replaced. Finally, your flute will play at least as good as new and will sparkle again in its full brilliance.  Your flute will then play at least as good as new and will shine again in its full glory.

Various types of pads are available for professional flutes.

General overhaul Piccolo

I love to tease the best out of a piccolo flute. It's always amazing how much hidden potential can be uncovered in many of these little beauties if you just stay persistent enough. The first principle here: no compromises!

While the felt pads have been well proven by student and intermediate piccolos, my clear recommendation for all professional piccolos are the Straubinger pads.

Modifications / Conversions / Customizing

You love your instrument, but there is a technical detail missing to satisfy you entirely?

You love the modern flute sound, but as an open G# player you don't find the right instrument?

You have a motoric limitation that makes it difficult to play the flute?

Let's talk about it and find the best solution for you together.

General consulting and purchase of new equipment

Do you need basic advice, would you like to have the condition of your instrument checked or would you like to buy a new flute?

Book a free consulting appointment.

I always have an extensive selection of student and intermediate flutes in stock, ranging from 500€ -3.000€. We would be happy to arrange a non-binding test appointment or a trial shipment.

In the field of professional flutes I am happy to advise you and try to find the right instrument for you together with you.

My deepest passion belongs to the flutes. If our capacities allow it, I will gladly take care of your clarinet as well. Please contact me anytime. For other wind instruments I can refer you confidently to the following competent colleagues:

Do you have a Question regarding the overhaul of your instrument?

If you have further Questions regarding the overhaul of you instrument or any other need for consultation, please send us a message:

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How we work

The satisfaction of the musicians is always our first priority. Michael Dürk knows their little everyday worries and problems from his own experience and can therefore always communicate at eye level.


 

After you have made an appointment, you hand over your instrument to us personally or by parcel service.

I check the condition of the instrument. We will consult about the work we are going to do for you and arrange a date for pickup or shipping.

The COA service needs about 1 week, the general overhaul about 3-4 weeks until completion. During vacations, especially in summer, experience has shown that a slightly longer processing time can be expected.

 

What is a COA service?



COA-Service (Clean-Oil-Adjust) typically includes complete disassembly of the instrument. The body is completely cleaned, the mechanism - as far as possible without damaging the pads and felts- is hand polished and new oil applied. The head joint cork is replaced unless otherwise specified. All key felts/corks are assessed for wear and replaced only as needed.

The existing pads are readjusted as required and the flute is extensively tested for response.

The exchange of individual pads is possible (if reasonable) for an additional charge.

* Instruments that have not had a full COA service for 3 years or more may require increased labor and/or cleaning, which may result in additional costs. Please take this into account when you see the prices listed below.

 

What is a general overhaul?

A General Overhaul includes the complete disassembly and reconditioning of the instrument.

All pads, regulation material and felts etc. are removed. The instrument is completely cleaned*, and lightly hand polished (unless otherwise requested). The mechanism is refit to remove lateral and axial movement, hinge rods/steels are cleaned to remove any scratches or rust. Pins are checked and replaced as needed

All stabilizers (if used), pads, shims, regulation material, kicker material, etc. are competent installed before the instrument is played for several hours and readjusted again and again so that the new materials settle.

* Wooden bodies and head joints are oiled



Michael Dürk - Owner

As the company's founder and owner, Michael is the face and the heart of the company. With his name, he personally stands for the high quality of all services that are provided. Nothing leaves the workshop without meeting his highest standards. This always follows the company maxim: For the love of the flute!

Talitha Glinka - Co-Worker

Talitha has been part of the team since 2019. Besides cleaning the instruments and their components, she helps out in the office and in the shipping department when needed. Furthermore, she is always refreshingly involved in social media work. A first class all-round talent!

FAQ

Is it worthwhile to repair my flute?

For all handcrafted instruments every repair is worthwhile.

For student and intermediate flutes, excellent results can often be achieved with a COA service.  If a general overhaul is necessary, we discuss in detail what is technically feasible and what is economically reasonable. For this purpose, I have to inspect the instrument in order to be able to seriously assess which options are possible from the current condition of the instrument. This assessment is always free of charge and without obligation.

Can I send my flute by parcel service?

You are not from the Rhein/Main area? No problem ! We receive repairs from all over Germany and the surrounding countries! If you consider a few points, you can easily send your flute as a parcel. See the corresponding information.

How much is a new Flute?

In the sector of student and intermediate flutes there are instruments made of nickel silver from about 500€ to 1.000€.  Flutes with a silver headjoint are between 1.000 and 1.800€. For flutes with a silver tube the prices are about 2.000-3.000€.

Professional handcrafted flutes vary greatly in price depending on the material and features.  As a silver head version starting at about 2.500€, the price and sound quality can be increased by using different silver and gold alloys. The most expensive flute I have ever had in my hands was a 24K full gold flute for 125.000€. at that time.

 

Why do you only work on flutes?
Although I studied the professional repair of all woodwind instruments in my years of education and professional experience and have been doing this for a long time, I have decided, due to high workloads, to now concentrate fully on the instrument that is closest to my heart as a flutist and in which I put my heart and soul. For the love of the flute ...

Do you have another Question?

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Testimonials

“I recommend Michael for any repair of professional flutes. He works very precisely and after the service my flute always sounds like a new one.

Plus very good contact before and during the repair. Vielen Dank Michael!!

” –

Aleksandra Pechytiak (Facebook-Post)

Positiv: Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis, Professionalität, Qualität, Reaktionsschnelligkeit bei Anfragen

Bin schon lange Kundin und freue mich immer besonders auch sehr kurzfristig meine 3 Querflöten checken lassen zu können. ich bin sehr zufrieden!“ – Isabelle Bodenseh (Google Rezension)

Regarding to my flute, I kindly sending you my thanks with all gratitude and appreciation, not only for doing an outstanding job for repairing the flute, but also for taking care of all the details to fix other problems. I was completely satisfied and will recommend your excellent service.” – Dr. Ines Abdelldayem, Egyptian Minister of Culture (Letter of Recommendation)

Our Mission

"I provide and preserve the joy of playing you need to be fully focused on the music. To achieve this target, we always treat your instrument as lovingly and highly professional as if it were my own."

Michael Dürk

Why you should choose us

Customer satisfaction guarantee

The satisfaction of the musicians is always our first priority.

I treat each instrument as if it were my own and I am not satisfied until you are. Your COA service comes with a 6 month warranty and your general overhaul with a 12 month warranty. If, against expectation, readjustments are necessary within this period, they will of course be handled free of charge.

Professional maintenance

We not only demand the highest standards of our own work, but also of the quality of the materials we use. We use exclusively high-quality pads, felts, corks and various synthetic materials, etc. We also work with about half a dozen different lubricants and greases. Here we decide individually which special material and which lubricant is best for which instrument and at which spot of the mechanism.

Transparent pricing

We mainly work with all-inclusive prices, which you can check when you book your appointment. If we have to deviate from this for valid reasons, we will discuss this with you before we start work, so that you always know what the costs will be. You will also receive a binding price information in advance for services that are charged by the hour. Please note that all listed prices are net prices, which do not include VAT and possible shipping costs. vor Beginn der Arbeiten, sodass du jederzeit weißt, welche Kosten auf dich zukommen. Auch für Leistungen, welche nach Stundensatz berechnet werden, erhältst du vorab eine verbindliche Preisauskunft. Bitte beachte, dass alle aufgeführten Preise Nettopreise sind, welche sich zzgl. MwSt. und etwaiger Versandkosten verstehen.

Termine nach Vereinbarung

Mon-Fri 09:00 - 12:00 and 14:00 - 18:00

Our workshop is located in the beautiful town of Bingen am Rhein, the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Upper Middle Rhine Valley'. World-famous for the holy 'Hildegard von Bingen' it is located directly at the Autobahn interchange A60/A61 and with its 2 Train Stations (Haupt and Stadt) it is best approachable from all directions.

In the Birkengässchen...

... one is definitely not just random.

It is located somewhat hidden at the edge of the pedestrian zone in Bingen.

If you use a GPS please enter Schmittstraße 11.

Public Parking in Schmittstraße or

at Carl-Puricelli-Platz (Zehnthofstraße). Walking distance from here is about 250m.

Turn right...

Viewing towards Klopp Castle, standing on the Mayor's Neff Square (Bürgermeister Neff Platz), you will find the Klingler coffee roasting plant on the left (with the best coffee in town).

Right next to it you reach Birkengässchen through the entrance between Schmittstraße 11 and 13 (optician and tailor shop). erreichst du das Birkengässchen durch die Einfahrt zwischen Schmittstraße 11 und 13 (Optiker und Schneiderei).

And there you are...

Once in Birkengässchen, you have really little chance of missing us.
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