Cork grease

Saxophone necks and clarinet, oboe and bassoon tenons all use cork to create or assist the seal of the mouthpiece or joints. This is a fantastic revolution and allows for a far greater seal and stability within the instrument.

However, there is always a “BUT”.... cork needs regular greasing. Particularly during the hot summer in Australia, a lack of greasing has lead to many people visiting us with corks that need replacement. With regular greasing even once per week this can save you the $30 neck cork replace fee that you will be charged. Not to mention the hassle of having to be without your instrument while the job is done. The other problem lack of grease can cause is that the different joints of your instrument may become stuck together. No fun at all! …. this may also lead to a trip to your local tech and the embarrassment of that. On new cork please use Vaseline for the first few weeks as this penetrates the cork quicker than standard cork grease. For bassoons and larger clarinets please try using a synthetic cork grease as I have found they don’t dry out as quickly.