Piccolo Maintenance Guide
Keep this guide in your music folder to ensure you are taking proper care of your piccolo!
Items other than those completed annually should be done by the student/parent.
Download the Instrument Maintenance Guide Here: Instrument Maintenance Guide.
Intended Frequency of Action | Date Last Completed: | Description of Task |
|---|---|---|
Every Use | Thoroughly swab the inside of your piccolo after each use. Be sure not to leave your swab in your instrument while it is being stored! | |
Every Use | Wipe the exterior of your piccolo with a microfiber cloth to polish the keys and rid the instrument of fingerprints | |
Weekly | Place cleaning paper between each key and the body of the piccolo, then press down the piccolo key for several seconds before releasing the key and removing the paper. Be sure not to move the cleaning paper while the key is pressed down! | |
Weekly | For wooden piccolos only: Apply cork grease to the cork at the end of your piccolo body. This may need to be done more frequently for new piccolos and less frequently for older piccolos | |
Annually | Have the cork in your piccolo’s head-joint replaced, your keys aligned, and any torn pads replaced
For metal piccolos only: have your piccolo body silver polished
For wooden piccolos only: have your piccolo body oiled
|
Wiping the exterior of your piccolo helps get rid of the oils that naturally produce in your skin. These oils corrode the metals on a piccolo over time and can cause the instrument to tarnish.
Corks on wooden piccolos are very responsive to changes in temperature and humidity. Especially in drier areas, applying cork grease ensures that the cork doesn't change size or texture (which can impact how your piccolo seals!)
It's important that these things are done by a qualified instrument repair technician. These maintenance items are called a Clean, Oil, and Adjust (or COA for short) and can be scheduled at many music stores.
Swabbing your instrument removes moisture from the interior of the piccolo. Failing to do so can cause wooden piccolos to expand, metal piccolos to tarnish, and can damage any piccolo's cork and pads.
Cleaning paper helps clean moisture and dirt out of a piccolo's pads, making them last longer. Be sure you only use cleaning paper purchased from a music store (not regular paper or money!).