My new flute, a Mcgee blackwood 5088, is on order! This is my first wooden flute and in the interim period I have been considering what to worry about next to take my mind off the wait! I have settled on humidity. But seriously, it is a subject together with proper oiling that does concern me. As the flute is coming from much warmer climes than here on the east coast of the UK, will this represent any problems for me on arrival? Do i need to do anything other than the general advice about breaking it in gently. The humidity here (in my house) seems to be about 44-48% (well it is at the moment) is this good/bad/ok for a wooden flute or do I need to do anything here as well. And is it related to the oiling requirements?? I was thinking that if in doubt just oil. Is it possible to overoil a flute? I have ordered a smart wooden case to go with the new flute but I have read lots of comments on this forum about keeping flutes in plastic containers. Which is best?
The advice to ask Terry/read his website is absolutely the first thing… the second is to stop fretting! Norfolk is one of the dryer (and colder!) parts of GB, but it ain’t that dry! I would not think you need to consider humidification unless you have air-conditioning in the room(s) where your flute will mostly live. More to the point will be not to leave it lying near a radiator or stove etc. Anything wooden coming from Oz is more likely to swell than to contract on acclimatising to British ambient conditions!
As for oiling, again, absolutely follow Terry’s instructions on breaking it in. Once that is done, I doubt you’ll need to oil frequently. People make far too much of a fuss about this. Yes, you can over-oil. Not in the sense of damaging the wood - that will only absorb what it is capable of absorbing (not much!)… but in terms of having a nasty gunky clogged-up instrument! Of course, much depends on what oil you use (a fraught topic to put it mildly, and not one I want to re-open - there are more than enough old threads on that one!) and how you apply it and remove excess etc. Follow the maker’s instructions for at least two years. That takes away any reason for you to worry or rack your brain about it. If you need distractions while you wait, go play tunes on whatever you’re using now! Terry gives his advice - use it! If anything goes wrong and you have done as you’ve been told, I’m sure he’ll remedy the problem.
Probably helpful to get a hydrometer and check the humidity in the room where the flute will dwell.
If it dips substantially below 50, possibly due to central heating or whatever,
it’s likely a good idea to humidify the flute. By the way a humidifier is a good way
to go if you need humidity–not too expensive and it humidifies you as
well as the flute. Rather tends to ward off colds.
I’ve found Terry’s flutes to be rather robust in construction. ( Has anyone here had one crack on them? )
Break it in, give it a light oiling every so often (I’ve taken to using JoJoba oil. Great stuff) , take it down, swab it out after you play it and keep it in its case.
Don’t leave it out on the radiator or store it in a freezer and you’ll be fine I think.
It seems that its wild temperature and humidity swings that are problematic.
Like walking it around in a snow storm then pulling it out inside a warm pub.
Ever put boiling water into a cold glass?
I seem to recall someone here having a sad story like that.
Not sure if its been said yet but perhaps, IMHO, the best thing you can do for your flute is just regular playing.
A little playing everyday will keep it very happy… and you should be playing everyday anyway.
Just to wet your appetite a bit more. The case my 5088 came is a real beaut. Terry told me it was made of an Australian wood called black acacia and it has a tan-gold interior with a sharp gold clasp. I store my flutes at around 55% in a larger case which is a modified mandolin case, but when I take the 5088 out, I use its proper case wrapped in a towel inside a plastic box. Plastic boxes with tight lids hold all the moisture that goes into them and it can build up kind of fast. I wouldn’t think people in the British Isles use them as much as us North Americans or Australians because we have much dryer climates. Even then, platic boxes need to be checked more often than an instrument case and are hard to keep at an even humidity. But you are a lot closer to people who know what the locals do than I am.
So I gather you are sticking with the 5088 and not changing to the Rudall Perfected? Since I haven’t played a RP, I don’t know the difference, but you know I think the 5088 is a great flute. Take care.
Just to wet your appetite a bit more. The case my 5088 came is a real beaut. Terry told me it was made of an Australian wood called black acacia and it has a tan-gold interior with a sharp gold clasp. I store my flutes at around 55% in a larger case which is a modified mandolin case, but when I take the 5088 out, I use its proper case wrapped in a towel inside a plastic box. Plastic boxes with tight lids hold all the moisture that goes into them and it can build up kind of fast. I wouldn’t think people in the British Isles use them as much as us North Americans or Australians because we have much dryer climates. Even then, platic boxes need to be checked more often than an instrument case and are hard to keep at an even humidity. But you are a lot closer to people who know what the locals do than I am.
So I gather you are sticking with the 5088 and not changing to the Rudall Perfected? Since I haven’t played a RP, I don’t know the difference, but you know I think the 5088 is a great flute. Take care.
Sorry about the double posting. My computer was so slow, I tried to go back and resubmit. All I can say is we are having a vicious cold front and maybe even my computer is literally frozen.
Hi All
Thanks for your advice, I am probably more concerned than I need to be. However it would be good to hear from flute owners here in the UK with a similar flute and the same levels of humidity.
Libraryman
Thanks again. yes I have decided to stick with the 5088, I think the perfected model might just give me additional challenges being such a large (and very large holed) instrument, being a beginner as I am. Good to hear that the cases Terry supplies are also good. Only 3-4 months to go!
I agree with the earlier advice of checking with Terry McGee.
I have a blackwood keyless flute and a variety of recorders from descant through to bass and I do little more than mop them out after use and lightly oil them occasionally (about once a year) and they seem to do OK.
I live a bit further north than you in Middlesbrough, so weather and especially humidity conditions are much the same as yours.
