Hi!

I recently bought my first wooden recorder off eBay, which is a new old stock Moeck Rottenburgh 129 maple soprano recorder.

I'm completely in the dark about how to properly care for it, and because there seem to be conflicting reports on the net, I was hoping someone could help me.

First up, I read that if my particular recorder is one that's been infused with paraffin wax I don't have to worry about oiling it. Does anyone know if the recorder model I've bought is treated with paraffin wax?

Also, my recorder came with what I assume to be a factory-supplied 'furry' mop style cleaner. However, I was reading online and it seems that a lot of people don't recommend using these as they can leave bits in the windway. I'd love to hear the opinions of some people here. Should I worry about this too much, or will the mop style cleaner be okay?

Finally, I read online that you should never touch the labium under any circumstances. Does this mean that if I want to dry my recorder after playing, it's not okay to put the cleaning mop up into the head of the recorder, touching the labium? If not, how would I go about drying the head of the recorder?

Anyway, sorry if these are stupid questions, or not appropriate here. I really am a newbie when it comes to wooden recorders! I tried emailing Moeck with these questions but so far no response, so I thought I'd try here. I'd just love to have peace of mind before I start playing the recorder.

Thanks in advance!
Mark.

Bill Lazar's Internet site (http://www.bill-lazar.com/)lists the Moeck #129 as maple. This is a fairly soft wood so was most likely wax impregnated. He lists them for $115, so hope you got a bargin.

A bit of oil won't hurt the bore. Try a light coating to see how fast it is absorbed. If within a an hour or so, do a little bit more.

The brush is probably their oiling brush. I got one with my Moeck alto, along with a small bottle of oil and Duprenol(Sp?) anti-condensation liquid and a small paint-type brush for oiling the labium area. They also provided a wooden rod with a slot in one end. Use this for swabing moisture with a piece of cloth attached through the slot. If you didn't get the rod, you can get one at most any musical instrument store.

You can use the rod/cloth in the head joint. Just keep an eye out down through the windway at the labium so the rod doesn't go as far as the block.

Additional care and feeding advice is available from Bill Lazar's site. Click on the FAQ/Information box on the left side of his home page.
--Jerry Walker/Pacifica CA