For organic oils, they could go bad over time as well, leaving an unpleasant odor. You don’t want rancid oil on your instrument. Other possible alternatives to cork grease Before you buy any grease, make sure your instrument has a cork. Sure, there’s a cork in the headjoint near the closed end, but I’m talking about the opening of the body. Verdict – Do not use beeswax in its raw form as a substitute for cork grease. The Best Clarinet Cork Grease It is also important to remember that just because your clarinet is inside it’s case, it doesn’t mean it’s indestructible! Clarinet are beautiful, but sensitive instruments, and even a small bump or jolt can result in serious damage. It’s always worth investing in a high-quality case if you can. Also, make sure your clarinet is in a safe and secure place when in transport. Other Handy Things to Have in Your Case… Whether you never used it before or for some other reason, you might need to replace the cork on your piccolo. After the replacement, you should get into the habit of using grease.

A less common brand but still a good option comes from Selmer. This is what I currently use, and it works great. I’ve had the same tube for years, so it can last you for quite a while. Yamaha Another advantage of this product is that it is kid-friendly. Even if you gift it to your daughter or son, he/she will use it without safety issues. 6 ) Rico Cork Grease For a used clarinet, you need to apply cork grease regularly as and when you feel the moisture is down. When you take your piccolo out, you can use cork grease before putting the instrument together. If you have a tube of grease, I’d apply it to the cork like you’d apply lip balm to your lips by rubbing the tube directly on the cork.Still looking for an alternative? Let’s dive into the options here. From hours of research, here’s a breakdown of the common alternatives to cork grease. Alternative We’ve already spoken about cleaning the inside of your clarinet, but what about the outside? As we touch our instruments, we transfer greases from our fingers and hands onto the body and keywork. It’s important that we clean these parts of the instrument properly. Rico is a popular cork grease. You use it to help put the instrument together, and to keep the corks in good condition. It also helps seal the gaps keeping sound in the instrument. It is easy to use and is like a lip balm pop-up tube.

Applying cork grease to a clarinet needs proper knowledge and skill. If it goes wrong, it does not increase moisture and damages the quality of sound in the long run. So, when to apply cork grease to a clarinet? When you find difficulties in assembling the instrument, you need cork grease to add ease to the structure, according to Paul Effman Music Store. An unscented and natural lip balm, free from flavors, is the best alternative to cork grease. Lanolin is another alternative that spreads smoothly but comes in a different consistency. If you are new to it, you might find it difficult to spread it evenly. As I come from a family of musicians playing multiple woodwind instruments, I buy cork grease that fits all the instruments. This cork grease from Duo Korea fitted the expectation. 4) 6 Pieces of Cork Grease for Clarinet Flute Grease Lubricant TubeThis grease not only lubricates your cork, it also helps to maintain the health of the corks on your instrument and your oboe reeds. A good mix is the combination of lanolin oil and beeswax. This combination stays longer and keeps your clarinet sweeter and more efficient. In general though, lip balm won’t offer the same lubrication and protection as cork grease. Can I use petroleum jelly or Vaseline as an alternative to cork grease? Using this grease should be a standard part of your piccolo maintenance routine. If you never use any of it, the cork will dry out, which may not seem like a big deal. Cork grease is a vital tool for most (though not all) piccolo models. Before you toss the tube that came with your piccolo, consider why it’s so important and how to use it.

Now, you only need a little bit to get good results. If you use too much grease, you could make it slippery. The inside of the piccolo headjoint may get too greasy, and it won’t stay in place. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VgeJrgJY28 Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: How to Apply Cork Grease to a New or Used Clarinet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VgeJrgJY28) For a new clarinet However, depending on the type and quality, your lip balm may actually work well for your tenon corks in a pinch. As a lubricating liquid, oils can be quite messy and will be harder and take longer to apply. To fully protect a joint cork for you instrument, applying it would be troublesome and you’d probably have oil dripping inside and on the exterior of your instrument.

Arguably, one of the most important parts of your clarinet to keep clean is the mouthpiece. This is because the mouthpiece is more likely to be contaminated with bacteria, yeasts and moulds than any other part of the instrument – and this is the part that you put in your mouth! By not cleaning the mouthpiece regularly, clarinettists are subjecting themselves to possible infections or allergic reactions. Your instrument will most likely be with you for many years so it makes sense to try it out for more than an hour in a shop. Vaseline is a commonly used alternative to cork grease. It is cost-effective and easily available on the market. If you are new to lanolin-based cork grease, it might take time to get used to this consistency. Otherwise, this is a must-buy for each clarinet player. 3) Cork Grease for Woodwind Instrument So without further ado, let’s introduce the products that we think should make up your clarinet maintenance kit, and how to use them. Pull-Through