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.
Originally posted 2008-10-12 05:00:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Grand Piano Dealers -> Musical Instruments -> Keyboard The first pianos to be called “grand” were manufactured in 1777, and soon became status symbols that the wealthy and affluent all wanted to own. A grand piano can command a room. Usually, it's the largest piece of “furniture” in a room, and...... -
Explore the World of Collectible Teddy Bears There are a number of famous collectible teddy bears that you can buy or sell and build a collection out of. Here are some of the collectible teddy bears that you may want to consider looking for and perhaps adding to your collection of unique bears from all eras. -...... -
Silver Tea Sets Collectibles -> Housewares-and-Kitchenware -> Tableware The first silver tea set was created in 1790, almost 100 years after the first known silver tea pot was created. That first silver tea pot is now in a London museum and is much smaller than what we think of as a tea pot...... -
Perfume Bottles Collectibles -> Vanity-Perfume-and-Shaving -> Perfumes Perfume bottles are a highly collectible item, not just because of their uniqueness and beauty, but because they’re easy to store and display. They’re small, smaller than many other types of collectible items, so even those with limited space can enjoy collecting at least a...... -
Vintage Car Collectibles Ever since the beginning of the automotive industry, there have been miniature toy style versions of many popular cars, and these have been popular not only among children but also collectors as well. Vintage car collectibles are toys that make excellent collectibles because they are small and easily capable of......
Related Websites -
The Right Message For Your Kids - Christian Music Music has always been a big influence in the lives of young people. Elvis, the Beatles, U2 and others have left a mark on their generations. Unfortunately that influence has not always been positive. As parents we need to constantly monitor what is going into our children's minds and souls....... -
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...... -
Acoustic vs Electric Music Gear There are different categories of musical instrument gear, and a wide range of different musical instruments and supplies, but they can easily be supported into two broad categories, which are acoustic musical gear and electric musical gear. In other words, most musical instrument gear is capable of being classified based...... -
Bongos and Congas If you are interested in making beats, then you should know that there are a wide variety of different types of drums out there that can make beautiful music. Two of the most intriguing drums from the family of drums are the bongo drums and the conga drums. The bongo...... -
Metal Instruments 101 There are a range of different metal percussion instruments that can be found in the modern western orchestra, even though many of them have origins that are not only ancient in nature, but also global as well. The Anvil - The Anvil is a specific type of sound effect that......
