Plastic Recorder Care Guide

Plastic recorders may seem indestructible, but they do require some basic care to keep them in good playing condition. Follow our best practice recommendations to ensure that you continue to get the best performance from your instrument.

Assembling your instrument: The first time you assemble your instrument, you should apply a small amount of recorder cream to the tenons. Twist your joints together until the instrument is fully assembled. You can continue to use recorder cream as needed when assembling your instrument. If you are still having a hard time assembling your instrument after applying recorder cream you can contact us for help.

Keeping your recorder clean: To keep your recorder clean, avoid eating right before playing. Always wipe the bore (the inner surface of the instrument) directly after playing using a rod and cloth or a microfiber mop. Plastic instruments can also be cleaned using warm soapy water.

Storing your instrument: If your instrument came with protective plastic tenon (joint) caps, use them when storing it in its case. This will prevent the greased joints from picking up grit that could abrade and eventually loosen the joints.


Maintaining keys: If your instrument has keys, do not grip the instrument over the keys when assembling and disassembling, as they can be damaged. If you are using a snap-on thumb rest, make sure the thumb rest is not interfering with the function of the keys. If your keys begin to sound noisy, you can apply a small amount of lubricating oil to the mechanism. 

Preventing clogging: Plastic recorders tend to clog more easily than
wooden instruments. This is because condensation is created when your warm breath hits the cold plastic of the head joint. To minimize clogging, warm up the head joint to body temperature before playing. This can be done by holding the head joint in your hand, under your arm, or in your pocket for a few minutes.

Duponol: To further prevent clogging, you can treat the windway with Duponol. First allow your instrument to dry thoroughly overnight. Then, hold your head joint pointing down over a sink and cover the opening of the windway (1) with your finger. Put a few drops of Duponol into the window (3), allowing it to cover the surface of the cedar block. Let the liquid sit for a minute or so, then remove your finger and let the excess liquid drain. Blow out as described above and let it dry before playing. Duponol can be used as often as once per week or on an as-needed basis.