I just bought a used flute today from a local pawn shop. It's a Yamaha 225SII, which I know is basically an older version of their current 221 model. We got it for a very low price, but when I tried it out, I noticed one issue with it. When I put down my first finger of my right hand to play an F, the key beside it didn't close, so I couldn't play anything below a G. I'm guessing there's a problem with a spring or something? Does this sound like something relatively inexpensive and simple to have repaired? We got such a good deal on it that we figured we wouldn't mind spending a little extra on repairs.

I also had a bit of a hard time putting it together. Any recommendation on what to do when the joints are tight? (I'm a clarinet player, so of course for that we just use cork grease!)

It sounds like it generally needs a little bit of a service, I'd take it to a friendly repairer for the pads/keys/difficulty in putting it together to be checked out.

If the joints are just dirty/sticky then wipe them with the cleaning cloth/clean hankerchief/similar

And DO NOT use grease! It doesn't make the problem go away, and it attracts grit etc. to the joints!

My flute was supplied with cork grease when I first started and the band method book had it as one of the 'tools' you needed to play the flute.

I know the book in question, Nicki... Many years ago, I inherited a pupil who had said book, I took one look at it, then with my pencil, I crossed out the offending item...

I spent about 2 years learning from that book, I never did any pieces aside from my exam pieces It was a sad start. Also, my teacher was a first study clarinettist and she didn't know you weren't supposed to grease flutes.

I'm a first study clarinettist, and I knew from the word 'go' that greasing flutes was bad...

Has to be said, you've recovered from that start to become a highly accomplished musician, Nicki.

I wasn't implementing that all clarinettists don't know about that by the way! Hope you didn't take it that way.

And, thanks

Didn't even think of that, Nicki