Woodwind Care:
Your instrument is a precisely made item. If looked carefully after it will give years of trouble free playing. Follow these simple guidelines for looking after your instrument.
When not in use, keep the instrument in its case, as that is the safest place for it. Most accidents happen when the instrument is left unattended out of its case. A hard case is much better than a 'Gig Bag'. If an instrument is dropped in a gig bag the effect can be catastrophic because the bag is not rigid, and offers only nominal protection. Try to allow your instrument to acclimatise if you are coming in out of the cold. Blowing warm air into a cold instrument may damage it.
When assembling your instrument try to hold it where there are no or few keys. This will stop the delicate mechanisms being damaged. Special care should be taken with Clarinets and Oboes as they have correspondence keys which link the middle joints and are easily bent. the Saxophone octave mechanism is effected in the same way. If joints feel too loose or too tight see a repairer. If too tight the joint might seize completely. If too loose the instrument may fall apart and be damaged whilst you are playing.
Cork joints, including the mouthpiece joint on a saxophone, need regular greasing. Use a good cork grease, Vaseline WILL NOT do the same job, and may result in serious damage! A new joint will probably require greasing on every use for the first few times. After this period it is recommended to apply grease at least twice a month. Try not to apply too much. If you do, wipe off the excess with a clean cloth and try not to get grease anywhere else on the instrument, especially the pads.
NEVER GREASE METAL JOINTS ON FLUTES AND SAXOPHONES
Never eat just before playing. Food will be blown into your instrument and it will begin to smell after a while. It is not only unhygienic but can corrode the inside of your instrument. Also sweets and fizzy drinks will make the pads sticky. If you do have sticky pads, then they do need cleaning. DO NOT attempt this yourself, seek the assistance of a repairer.
After playing, the inside of your instrument should be dried. A pull-through ( cloth on a weighted string) is a good method for most instruments, as it cannot damage the inside of your instrument. Leaving the instrument damp inside will cause the pads to rot, they will start leaking and will need to be replaced. If your instrument is wooden, moisture may also cause the wood to crack and the instrument become unplayable. If possible, do not keep damp cloths in the case with the instrument, as it will transfer moisture back to the instrument. If a pull through gets stuck or parts lock together, take the instrument to a repairer, who has tools and techniques to safely rectify matters. For flute heads, carefully wrap a piece of cotton cloth around around a cleaning rod, insert into the head and carefully wipe the inside without pushing on the head cork. If your saxophone came with a plug in the end, use it! Remember the octave and linkage mechanisms are very vulnerable and bend easily.
DO NOT KEEP MUSIC AND OTHER ITEMS IN THE CASE with your instrument, unless the case has a separate compartment for them. If you use a rubber thumb rest on your Clarinet or Oboe remove it before putting the instrument back into the case. Most cases are not designed for the extra bulk and you risk bending keywork when you close the lid.
Fingerprints may be removed from the instrument with a clean soft cloth. If desired, lacquered instruments may be brought to a shine using a non silicon based furniture polish, but great care must be taken not to get any polish on the pads. Silver plated instruments and keys can be polished with a silver cloth, which we stock.
Do not use liquid silver/brass cleaner (such as Brasso or Silvo) Brasso is too abrasive, both will enter the mechanism, to cause wear or sticking keys, and get under the key and pads, where it is not easily removed. Avoid rubbing the front edges of the pads, when cleaning the instrument, this is one of the prime causes of pad wear.
Take care not to leave your instrument, even in its case, exposed to direct sunlight or heat, such as a radiator or in the boot of a car on a hot day. The pads are held in with substances that will melt in high temperatures, and the pads may fall out.
The mechanisms require maintenance and lubrication. It is recommended that the instrument be referred to a trained repairer once a year for servicing to keep the instrument in good playing condition. Do not refer repair work to any unqualified person, particularly if the instrument is still under guarantee.
For any questions call me at 978-745-5255
just ask for Dominic
Friday, June 15, 2007
The music man
Saxophones - Band and Musical Instruments
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Walking on a street in New Delhi, India, Brookline resident Dominic Cucinotti saw an Indian man selling wooden flutes for 25 cents each. That gave him an idea.On a whim, Cucinotti decided to buy a couple hundred of the flutes to resell for a few bucks each in America. Now, almost 20 years later, Cucinotti owns and operates his own store, Dominic's Music, in Washington Square.After he bought the wooden flutes, Cucinotti resold them to different music vendors, including Emilio Lyons, the manager of Rayburn Music Company on Huntington Avenue in Boston. Lyons then gave Cucinotti some saxophones to sell on consignment and Cucinotti began selling musical instruments at local flea markets on the weekends. Six years ago, a space opened up in the Cambridge Antique Market and Cucinotti decided to leave his job at a computer company to sell and repair instruments full time.
"Basically I Decided to do it full time because I was sick and tired of working in the corporate world," said the 57-year-old vegetarian who holds weekly meditation sessions with friends in the back room of his shop.But in June, the owners of the Antique Market announced that the building was being converted to condominiums, leaving Cucinotti to scramble for a new space in a tight seller's market. In August, he found his current small basement shop next to 13 cats. The narrow space is lined with new and used saxophones, flutes, clarinets, and violins.Because he is a one-man operation who buys new instruments in bulk and has low overhead costs, Cucinotti is able to offer prices so low his customers often admit they expected to pay more. But when Cucinotti makes a deal he puts all his cards on the table for his customers to see. It's a trick of the trade that's rarely dealt in the competitive world, but it's what sets Cucinotti apart from most large instrument dealers in the area. Cucinotti operates on the principle that if his customers feel they got a good deal and were treated well, they will come back and tell their friends about the place.
And it seems Cucinotti's philosophy has paid off. About 70 percent of his customers come back for upgrades or to sell them on consignment. The rest of his customers largely come in after he has been recommended to them, Cucinotti said."I can't compare with stores downtown. The only thing I can hope for is word of mouth. My main thing is that I'll beat anyone else's price," Cucinotti said.When Cambridge musician Heidi Larisch came in last week looking for a small saxophone to take with her on a trip to Bolivia, Cucinotti was able to sell her one for about half the price she'd find it elsewhere. He even showed her his cost, which surprised Larisch."It was nice working with Dominic. He's kind of an old-fashioned deal maker," Larisch said. "He was really up front about everything and that's refreshing because some people aren't."While Cucinotti has sold to many local musicians, some of whom have played with well known bands, he said he also sells to many families who have children just starting to play. Not only are the prices reasonable, but Cucinotti will pay the full value of the instrument on trade in if it is in good condition."He's a nice guy who tries hard. He's a very honest and reliable person who stands behind what he says," said Lyons.Music has been important to Cucinotti since he was a child.Growing up in Boston, Cucinotti played the saxophone, clarinet, and flute. His siblings, and now his own children, nieces and nephews, also have an interest in music, which allows them to play and sing, especially during the holidays."We got together at my brother's house for Thanksgiving and played for five or six hours," Cucinotti said.Although Cucinotti no longer plays many gigs, his last major concert was for a host of pretty impressive guests, including President Bill Clinton. When the president was in Boston for a fund-raising event a few years ago, Cucinotti played in the 22-piece John Payne Saxophone Choir at the Park Plaza Castle. Security was so tight, the Secret Service did background checks on each musician and they had to leave their instruments at the door to be searched by White House staff.Now that he spends most of his time buying, selling, trading and repairing instruments, Cucinotti is glad he left his job in the corporate sector to own and operate his own shop. And while he sometimes misses playing gigs, he likes the flexible but more stable hours of running a business in the town he's lived in for 20 years. "When I came into this business, I decided to give people a really good deal hoping they'd come back. I think it's worked," said Cucinotti.By Michele NettoTAB Staff WriterThe Brookline TAB, December 11, 1997
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HomeSaxophonesWoodwindBrasswindStringsUsedInformationManufacturers
Information
Store & ShippingRepairsPressContactFriendsCare & CleaningTips & LessonsArtists
Article
Walking on a street in New Delhi, India, Brookline resident Dominic Cucinotti saw an Indian man selling wooden flutes for 25 cents each. That gave him an idea.On a whim, Cucinotti decided to buy a couple hundred of the flutes to resell for a few bucks each in America. Now, almost 20 years later, Cucinotti owns and operates his own store, Dominic's Music, in Washington Square.After he bought the wooden flutes, Cucinotti resold them to different music vendors, including Emilio Lyons, the manager of Rayburn Music Company on Huntington Avenue in Boston. Lyons then gave Cucinotti some saxophones to sell on consignment and Cucinotti began selling musical instruments at local flea markets on the weekends. Six years ago, a space opened up in the Cambridge Antique Market and Cucinotti decided to leave his job at a computer company to sell and repair instruments full time.
"Basically I Decided to do it full time because I was sick and tired of working in the corporate world," said the 57-year-old vegetarian who holds weekly meditation sessions with friends in the back room of his shop.But in June, the owners of the Antique Market announced that the building was being converted to condominiums, leaving Cucinotti to scramble for a new space in a tight seller's market. In August, he found his current small basement shop next to 13 cats. The narrow space is lined with new and used saxophones, flutes, clarinets, and violins.Because he is a one-man operation who buys new instruments in bulk and has low overhead costs, Cucinotti is able to offer prices so low his customers often admit they expected to pay more. But when Cucinotti makes a deal he puts all his cards on the table for his customers to see. It's a trick of the trade that's rarely dealt in the competitive world, but it's what sets Cucinotti apart from most large instrument dealers in the area. Cucinotti operates on the principle that if his customers feel they got a good deal and were treated well, they will come back and tell their friends about the place.
And it seems Cucinotti's philosophy has paid off. About 70 percent of his customers come back for upgrades or to sell them on consignment. The rest of his customers largely come in after he has been recommended to them, Cucinotti said."I can't compare with stores downtown. The only thing I can hope for is word of mouth. My main thing is that I'll beat anyone else's price," Cucinotti said.When Cambridge musician Heidi Larisch came in last week looking for a small saxophone to take with her on a trip to Bolivia, Cucinotti was able to sell her one for about half the price she'd find it elsewhere. He even showed her his cost, which surprised Larisch."It was nice working with Dominic. He's kind of an old-fashioned deal maker," Larisch said. "He was really up front about everything and that's refreshing because some people aren't."While Cucinotti has sold to many local musicians, some of whom have played with well known bands, he said he also sells to many families who have children just starting to play. Not only are the prices reasonable, but Cucinotti will pay the full value of the instrument on trade in if it is in good condition."He's a nice guy who tries hard. He's a very honest and reliable person who stands behind what he says," said Lyons.Music has been important to Cucinotti since he was a child.Growing up in Boston, Cucinotti played the saxophone, clarinet, and flute. His siblings, and now his own children, nieces and nephews, also have an interest in music, which allows them to play and sing, especially during the holidays."We got together at my brother's house for Thanksgiving and played for five or six hours," Cucinotti said.Although Cucinotti no longer plays many gigs, his last major concert was for a host of pretty impressive guests, including President Bill Clinton. When the president was in Boston for a fund-raising event a few years ago, Cucinotti played in the 22-piece John Payne Saxophone Choir at the Park Plaza Castle. Security was so tight, the Secret Service did background checks on each musician and they had to leave their instruments at the door to be searched by White House staff.Now that he spends most of his time buying, selling, trading and repairing instruments, Cucinotti is glad he left his job in the corporate sector to own and operate his own shop. And while he sometimes misses playing gigs, he likes the flexible but more stable hours of running a business in the town he's lived in for 20 years. "When I came into this business, I decided to give people a really good deal hoping they'd come back. I think it's worked," said Cucinotti.By Michele NettoTAB Staff WriterThe Brookline TAB, December 11, 1997
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