Special Care for Your Bamboo Instruments

Your bamboo wind instrument prefers special care. The nature of bamboo requires the care of a fine wooden musical instrument. Your instrument has been lacquer coated, and requires no additional care to its finish. However, you may wish to oil the bore of the flute. We recommend almond or walnut oil (available at natural food stores,) but untreated linseed oil or mineral oil are good inexpensive alternatives. For instruments open on both ends, oil can be applied by simply tying a small rag to the end of a string, with a pebble, bead or button on the other end. For closed end flutes, tie the string to a rod or dowel. (Note: We use shotgun cleaning brushes. Flute or clarinet cleaning brushes will work on smaller instruments.) Make sure the string or rod is longer than the instrument. Saturate the rag with oil and draw it through until you are sure the interior is coated. After at least a half hour, draw a dry rag through to soak up any additional oil. Be sure the rags will not be so large as to get stuck inside the instrument, (especially on a rod, where you must draw the rag back over itself.). This treatment may be done two to four times a year, and may add to the longevity of your instrument. The best care of your instrument is given with simple common sense. Bamboo expands and contracts in hot and cold weather. It does not like RAPID changes in temperature and humidity, or to be played in cold environments (outdoors, esp.) Nor does it like to dry out over prolonged exposure to the atmosphere. The best thing you can do for your instrument is to wrap it in any heavy cloth when it is not in use. It is especially important to insulate it when going from extreme hot to cold or cold to hot environments, as it might experience in summer or winter months. It is also important to insulate it in extreme heat, such as sitting in a parked car in the summer, or laying on a hot beach for extended times. You can call us, or the store you purchased your instrument in, for one of our instrument bags, though any fabric will do, such as an unused sheet, blanket, towel, curtain or scarf. (The heavier the better.) Knee sock often work well. If you should experience any problem with your instrument, it is fully warrantied for 3 months from the time of purchase. Simply return it for another similar instrument. (International orders may be liable for any shipping or duties both ways.) If the instrument was mistreated, or in an accident, we ask you to take responsibility. If the wax (on a didgeridoo) should chip or break, you can simply dip the end in melted wax, or drip wax on the end and mold it while warm. (Beeswax is best, but the wax of any candle will suffice.) If the instrument should crack, it can be repaired by pushing wax, wood glue or filler, or epoxe (our favorite) into the crack. No matter how large or small the crack, this technique will work as long as the crack is fully sealed. You can also bind the instrument with a common sailor’s, fisherman’s, or Boy Scout knot called “whipping”. This is a traditional way to help keep a crack from spreading. By following these simple suggestions, you should expect years of use out of your instrument. We wish you the best on your Magical Musical Journey!!!!