What is a good brand of recorder to buy?
I bought a 30 peso plastic recorder recently and it has lots of spit and i'm wondering if a better brand, like yamaha, or a wooden recorder would collect less spit and have an better sound?
I bought a 30 peso plastic recorder recently and it has lots of spit and i'm wondering if a better brand, like yamaha, or a wooden recorder would collect less spit and have an better sound?
CoachT
Favorite Answer
The Yamaha 300 series plastics are very good recorders. They are better than many cheap wooden recorders. Hohner makes a good wooden student recorder. Neither will be 30 pesos though and the instrument quality doesn't have a lot to do with condensation in the bore. http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YRS-302B-Soprano-Recorder-Baroque/dp/B0002MS7NS is perhaps the best student level plastic recorder for those who plan to really learn to play.
You're collecting "spit" mostly because your instrument is cooler than your breath. Warm it before playing by keeping it close to your body for a few minutes. You can also get a plastic to shed condensation by rinsing the bore with Dawn and warm (not hot) water. Wooden instruments collect less because 1) they warm faster than plastic 2) the grain absorbs some.
Dolmetsch are particularly common in the UK. If you can find one of their old stock models, they're very good recorders. Mollenhauer and Moeck are also very good makers as is Kung. These are very high quality instruments though that cost accordingly.
Examples of good plastics - https://www.bems.com/instruments.html?q_c=131
Examples of good woods - https://www.bems.com/instruments.html?q_c=132
Eo Player
If you can get it, the Dolmetsch Recorder, made of wood, is and has been for many years the world's finest. There are many plastic recorders out there but for the finest sound, you can't beat wood.