Is bore oil needed for clarinets?

Properly applying bore oil can increase the life of your clarinet. And, if you are doing everything correctly, technique/embouchure wise, then it can also help your clarinet have a consistently pure tone.

Remember to keep the tenons well greased with good, clean cork grease, but do not allow too much of it to build up on the cork. Instead, wipe excess grease off before applying more so that it does not get sticky. Use only the amount of cork grease you need in order to get a smooth, easy connection, and do this only when it becomes difficult to slide the tenons together. Clean each joint thoroughly with a cotton handkerchief or silk swab. The swab should be pulled through the clarinet from bottom to top — or from the bell to the barrel — but should not be pulled through the mouthpiece. Make sure that all water is thoroughly removed from the tenons by wiping these areas with the swab. Remember to shake out the swab so that it is as long and flat as possible. Do not put it through the clarinet when it is in a knot. If the swab gets stuck in a joint, it is important to take it to a good repair shop to have it removed. Never poke sharp objects into the clarinet (screwdrivers, flute rods, pencils or pens, batons), as they can scar the tone holes and inner surface of the instrument. Dry the mouthpiece by gently wiping the surface with the swab, but do not pull it through the mouthpiece frequently, as repeated swabbing can actually change the mouthpiece's delicate inner dimensions. Run tepid water through the mouthpiece about once a week, protecting the cork as much as possible. To remove white deposits, soak the tip of the mouthpiece in lemon juice. Remove all water from tone holes by using pad paper. (Long ago we used cigarette paper. The same paper is now available as pad-drying paper so that young students may get it easily from music stores.) Drying the clarinet effectively will keep it clean and also help prevent cracks from developing in a wood-bodied instrument. The clarinet should be kept free of dirt and grime by dusting under the keys with a soft brush on a regular basis. To keep keys moving efficiently and noiselessly, apply a small drop of specially formulated key oil where the key rods meet the posts. Do this on a monthly basis, and be sure all dirt is removed before applying the oil. Use a needle oiler, and take care that no oil comes into contact with the plastic body of a student instrument. >>>>>One of the most frequent questions concerning maintenance is whether or not the bores of wood-bodied instruments should be oiled. There is no simple answer. I have never oiled my clarinet bores, and I have never had a crack. However, some people have a body chemistry that causes the clarinet bore to dry out considerably. If your instrument has a very dry bore, it is a good idea to oil it. Do this only during cold months (when your heating system dries the air) or if you live in a very dry climate. To oil the bore, place a few drops of bore oil on an old swab and pull the swab through the instrument. The important thing is that if you do it once, you must then do it regularly — once every two weeks or so during the winter months in cold climates, or more often in very dry climates. Do not use anything other than the bore oil you find in music stores, which is formulated from light mineral oils that will not turn rancid. Oiling the bore will not affect your clarinet's tone or response.

I always advised bore oiling a clarinet for the first year . There is one maintenance thing that 99 percent do not do .

Get key oil and a toothpick , use only the small drop of oil that hangs on it's tip. Apply to each rod where it enters a knob ......like look at your octave key--see where bar enters socket left and right ? one drop each socket

do it every 2 months and save money down the road replacing rods and springs.