Collectibles -> Cultures, Ethnicities -> Musical Instruments
Collecting woodwind instruments is a great way to collect not only some of the finest art ever created but to infuse music into your collection as well. Instruments are fascinating and beautiful bits of artwork in themselves, but they represent our history of music which is so important to the development of us as a culture and a people. Woodwind instruments date back farther than most people realize, with one type of instruments believed to date back 30,000 years and a recent find in Slovenia of a hollowed out bear-bone “flute” believed to date back 45,000 years.
Woodwind instruments are unique collectibles in that they’re not just there to look at, but they make sound, and they make a different quality of sound for each person. While the notes vary, of course, a personality can easily come through in the sound of the music played.
Whether you choose new, used or vintage instruments is a matter of personal choice. New woodwind instruments are direct from the manufacturer, are covered by a warranty and are in perfect condition. Used instruments are currently in production and not really considered collectibles, with much less value than a new or vintage items. New and used instruments are generally purchased by those who wish to learn to play or as a replacement instrument. Vintage woodwinds are no longer manufactured and are sought after by collectors.
Woodwind instruments differ from brass instruments because they use one or two reeds. A reed is a small piece of wood that vibrates to produce the instrument’s sound. Saxophones and clarinets use one reed, for instance, while an oboe and a bassoon use two reeds. In each of these instruments the reed is attached to the mouthpiece which goes in the player’s mouth. Flutes are also woodwind instruments, even though there’s no reed or mouthpiece similar to the other woodwinds. Original woodwinds were actually made of wood, but are now typically made of metal or plastics.
Woodwind instruments do require more care than many other types of collectibles. The outside should be cleaned carefully with a soft cloth, and depending on the material of the instrument, polishing may be necessary. If you play the instrument, the inside should be cleaned after each session by pulling a soft cloth through the barrel or by using a special cleaning brush designed for woodwinds.
When purchasing vintage woodwind instruments, it’s best if you can examine the instrument in person or you have a guarantee about the instruments condition, in the case of an online auction, and can examine it after arrival and return it if it doesn’t meet the terms of the agreement or your expectations. Besides age of the instrument, find out if the instrument has ever been damaged and repaired. Also, woodwinds use cork and padding in various spots that do deteriorate rapidly with age and use (and lack of use). When were those replaced, if ever? Also, don’t forget to ask who owned it before you, you might be surprised.
Photo Credits: unforth
Originally posted 2008-10-12 05:00:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Coca Cola Collectibles Collectibles -> Advertising -> Soda-> Coca-Cola By far, one of the most endearing collectibles that has become popular over the past few decades are Coca Cola collectibles. This company has done a great job of coming up with many ways to create valuable and memorable products that are highly sought...... -
Vintage Punk Clothes Collectables -> Vintage, Retro, Mid-Century -> 1970s While vintage punk clothes are a popular item today, they didn't even exist until the 1970s. The punk movement began in the 1970s in London with a small group of about 200 youth who wanted to go against the current trend. The movements...... -
Collectible Pipes Collectables -> Tobacciana -> Pipes If you think all pipes look basically the same, then you should take some time to browse through the variety of collectible pipes available in places like eBay or collectible pipe shops online. With today's campaigns against smoking of all types, and the media...... -
Bakelite Collectibles -> Vintage-Retro-Mid-Century -> Bakelite Most of us have heard the term Bakelite, even if we’re not entirely sure what it means. When we think of Bakelite we often think of plastic, as they seem to go hand in hand. But Bakelite is a type of plastic, most often used...... -
Antique Vintage Plastic Collectibles There seems to be a market these days for every type of vintage collectibles under the sun, and Bakelite and antique plastic jewelry vintage collectibles are certainly no exception. These vintage jewelry collectibles include antique and vintage jewelry made from Bakelite as well as from vintage types of plastic include......
Related Websites -
Fender Guitar Dealers -> Musical Instruments -> String A Fender guitar is one of the best guitars you can purchase in the world today, whether it's a new instrument or a vintage one. Fender began with Leo Fender releasing the Esquire model guitar in 1950, but production only lasted for about...... -
Collecting Vintage Sports Cards Collecting vintage sports cards is something that has been a part of the culture in America ever since the 1800s. During these times, collecting boxing cards was especially popular. Then when the late 1800s as well as the early 1900s rolled around, baseball ended up emerging as the popular type...... -
Wind Instruments Guide 101 pt 1 Wind instruments are actually known more technically as being aero phones. Wind instruments are capable of producing a sound when the column of air within them is set into motion or vibration by way of either a reed or the lips of the player. The tuning of these instruments is...... -
Musical Instruments Bass When some people hear the word bass, they immediately think about the bass guitar, a popular instrument in many types of music today. However, there is actually a large number of different instruments that fall under the base category, and the bass guitar is only one of them. Bass instruments...... -
Introduction to the Cittern Instrument There are a lot of really interesting instruments out there, in addition to the common ones that you hear about regularly. One example of a not so well known instrument is the cittern. The cittern is a musical instrument possessing strings, and it originally came from Europe. It is said......
