Wooden Recorder Care Guide

A fine wooden recorder should be a lifelong investment. However, wood is a natural material and needs regular care to maintain. Follow our best practice recommendations to ensure that you continue to get the best performance from your instrument.

Before You Start: Before assembling your instrument for the first time, apply cork grease to the cork on the tenons. When assembling, turn the joints slightly in one direction – cork has a grain so turn in the direction of least resistance. Continue to grease the cork only occasionally, as too frequent greasing will saturate the cork and loosen the glue holding the cork to the tenon. If you need to use grease every time you put your instrument together, the cork is too tight and should be sanded down. You can find sanding instructions here.

Breaking In: Breaking in a wooden recorder is the process of gradually allowing the instrument to adjust to the new conditions of moisture as it is played. The breaking in process is important for new instruments or for instruments that have not been played for an extended period of time, as playing too much too quickly can put the instrument under strain and cause damage. Don't over-do things in this phase. Concentrate on playing calm phrases without forcing the high register. Use the high register sparingly at first, extending the range gradually.

The break-in schedule we recommend here is conservative, but if you are using the instrument in a humid environment or if you are a wet player who saturates the windway easily, you may want to start even more slowly at 5-10 minutes per day. Always listen to your instrument. If your instrument is sounding especially hoarse, that is a sign to close the practice early or back off of the high register. (Note: In the schedule we provide, playing time is defined as the total time from beginning of playing until the instrument has thoroughly dried. So, for example, playing for 15 minutes, stopping for 30 minutes, and playing again for 15 more minutes constitutes one hour of playing time because the instrument did not have a chance to dry between sessions.)

We recommend limiting playing to 60 minutes total even after the break in process has been completed. Wooden recorders can only sustain a certain amount of moisture at a time without suffering damage. For players who plan to use their instruments for lengthy practices, we recommend buying several instruments or using a plastic instrument as backup.

Oiling: Oiling needs depend on the instrument’s wood and finish. Most maple and pearwood instruments will never need oiling, but even these woods can benefit from oil once in a while. If your instrument does need oiling, more information can be found here.

Storing the Instrument: After each playing session, take the instrument apart by twisting the joints apart. Wipe the bore (the inner surface of the instrument) using a rod and cloth or a microfiber mop. Always use caution when wiping out the head joint as the labium (2) is especially vulnerable to damage. Never touch the labium of a wooden instrument with your fingers. When it is damp it can easily warp, ruining the instrument. After wiping your instrument out, allow it to dry thoroughly. If possible, store it in an open case. Once the instrument is dry, store it in a secure case to protect it from damage. When storing, be careful that no pressure is being put on the labium or keys. Always store the instrument disassembled, rather than whole to avoid cracks in the joints.

Temperature and Humidity: Wood is sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. To prevent cracking, protect your recorder from extremes of temperature and humidity and from sudden changes in temperature and humidity. Never leave your instrument in direct sunlight, in a car, or near a source of heat.

Clogging: Beads of condensation in the windway (1) of the recorder frequently cause clogging. To minimize clogging, warm the head joint up to body temperature before playing. You can do this by holding the head joint in your hands, under your arm, or in your pocket for a few minutes. If moisture has accumulated in the windway, you can simply suck it out. Or you can take off the head joint, put your hand over the bore (5) and blow into the window (3).

Duponol: To further prevent clogging, you can optionally 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.

Hoarseness: Hoarseness that disappears after 5-10 minutes of playing is not a cause for concern. Hoarseness that persists with extended playing and is accompanied by a small, rolling sound is a result of the cedar block (4) swelling. The most common cause of this problem is excessive playing. Should this occur, the instrument must be sent in for revoicing.

Revoicing: Wooden instruments can benefit from a professional revoicing every few years, but it’s only necessary when there is a decline in sound quality or it is clogging especially frequently. Though it is uncommon, it is possible for instruments to need revoicing after the breaking in process, as the block can swell and change shape. Following our recommended schedule should limit this possibility. However, if you notice problems during the breaking in period that are not resolving, we recommend that you contact us or another professional.