I am sort of embarrased to ask this, as I am primarily a double reed player and should know this. However, I recently purchased 2 new wooden piccolos (a Boston Legacy and a Yamaha 62). SInce it is starting to get cold I was wondering if I need to oil the bore. If I do, what kind of oil should I use and how do I apply it?

Thanks for your help Micron. I never oiled the bore on my oboe or english horn and neither has cracked, though both were bought used and were already "broken in". Guess I will just make sure I warm the instrument up before I play it.

Oiling the bore is not a terrible idea, but should probably be left to a tech if you decide you want to do that. Oiling the bore is intended to prevent the absorption of moisture into the wood in such a way that would make it crack. It will do nothing against changes in temperature, so if the fact that it's getting colder is the only reason you're considering oiling it, you can probably discard that idea. If it's just a general maintainance thing that happens to coincide with it getting colder, you might consider doing it. As long as you take the proper steps to break the instruments in when they're new, you shouldn't have to worry too much about cracking, which indirectly means that oiling isn't of the highest importance.

Would I break the piccolo like any wooden instrument? Play on it a few min a day and gradually build up the playing time in a 2 week period?

Yup. That's the general idea. I've also heard it argued by piano enthusiasts that you should play a wide variety of music (energetic and loud, slow and soft, etc.) employing as many nuances throughout the range as possible so that the instrument becomes accustomed to all of this. Apparently within the piano world, when breaking in an instrument they follow this procedure (the Steinway factory in particular from what I'm told), and thoroughly believe that it has a positive effect on the instrument in the long run.

I only oil the piccolo head on mine with the oil that Omar makes as Micron suggested once every 6 months. I also use it on the embourchure area where my lips sit very lightly maybe once or twice a year because that area tends to get dried out. I have the bore of it oiled only when it is being serviced and all the key work is off of it.

<Added>

Sorry that is "embouchure." You think I would know that!

I just throw mine in the deep fryer with a jug of Crisco

Patrick,
You better be carefull what you say, or you might get a lecture from Micron. lol!

Crisco... mm... the staple of my family reunion.

what can i say? were from the south.