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lundi 13 mai 2019

Info Post
By Charles Turner


It is not uncommon for most beginning players to look at buying a second hand instrument. If you are looking at buying a used single or double reed instrument you need to know what to look for. If you have a little knowledge when you start your search it can increase your chances of getting a great deal instead of a dud that you will never end up playing.

You need to look closely at the mouthpiece of any unit you are thinking about purchasing. Single reeded variants will usually have a plastic piece with a metal clamp that holds down a single piece of reed. Is it cracked or is the metal clamp missing? These can be inexpensive to replace but it can be an indication that there are other problems with a particular unit. Double reeded instruments will have a hole at the top where you plug the reed in. You clamp it with your lips and blow in order to make music.

Single reeded instruments include the saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet. Double reeded woodwinds include the oboe, bassoon and English horn. Some instrument, such as the saxophone, are often made of metal while instruments such as the clarinet, bassoon and oboe are usually made of wood.

Taking care of your instrument is not hard. One of the biggest issues that you will face is making sure that all of the moisture is wiped out once you are done playing. Quite a bit of moisture can accumulate especially over the course of a performance or long practice session. You can use a soft, absorbent cloth to wipe out the inside of the instrument to get rid of any moisture.

While some instruments come in a single piece many woodwinds are actually designed to be disassembled and stored in a case. If this is the case with yours it is important to pay attention to the cork that is located at the joints. If it is dry, condition it with wax so the sections can be joined and taken apart easily.

It can be a good idea to physically inspect a potential purchase rather than simply looking at pictures. If you do, look at the keys that connect to metal pads. Make sure that any felt that is under the pads is in good shape and that the pads will move when the keys are pressed. If they don't, it may mean that you will need to repair the instrument before using it and this can be quite expensive.

You should look at the outside of the instrument to make sure that it is in good condition. If it has been neglected you may find that the finish shows permanent marks that cannot be cleaned off or polished away. If the wood looks cracked or the metal looks pitted it may mean that you should avoid buying it altogether. Repairing it to make it playable may be quite expensive.

If you are very nervous about whether a second hand instrument is worth buying you may want to have it inspected by someone at a local instrument shop. They may also have second hand or refurbished woodwinds that you may be able to purchase and supplies that you can use to care for an instrument that you do buy.




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