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Looking After Your Instrument
Ist things first...
Remember! ....
Your Yidaki / Mago has originally come a long way, from a warm humid environment with high humidity levels to the uninviting climate of the UK via extremely cold conditions in an aircraft cargo hold. It needs some time to acclimatise to its new home. This is still important if you buy from me. Even though the instrument may have been in the UK for a while the conditions I keep my instruments in may not be the same as yours. If you buy from a supplier in Australia or intend to keep the instrument in its dry unoiled and/or unsealed state then you need to pay special attention to the instructions below.
Be patient! very patient!...
By all means play your new instrument BUT ONLY FOR 5 MINUTES OR SO EACH DAY FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. Please don't ignore this advice, it is very important.
If you play it too much at first it will get very wet and warm on the inside but the outside will be dry depending on where you live, if it drys out too quickly it can crack. Your Yidaki / Mago must be given sufficient time to settle in, long enough for the woods moisture levels to match that of its environment (this could be a few months!).
Gradually build up your playing time over as long a period as possible until you are reasonably happy that it has settled in and never, even when properly acclimatised, play any instrument for an extended length of time. Build up a small collection of Yidaki/Mago, this will alleviate the need to overplay any one instrument. People who do this rarely suffer from a cracked instrument!
Do's and Dont's...
DON'T .. expose it to extremes of temperature (hot or cold ). If you carry it in a hot car, get a didge bag or protect it from the heat in some other way. If you live in the arctic keep it out of the snow!!!
DON'T .. Play it for hours then leave it in the sun, near a warm radiator or in a cold room, the outside will be dry whilst the inside will still be wet, CRACK!!
DON'T .. pour water through your Yidaki / Mago like many Aboriginals do, not if you value your instrument and want it to last a long time (I want to hand mine down to my children). Most of us don't have the luxury of 70% + humidity all year round or the benefit of walking into the bush and cutting another instrument.
DO .. get a hygrometer so you can check the humidity levels in the room where you keep your instruments after playing and don't assume just because it is warm that the humidity levels are high or low because it is cold, it's all about moisture in the air and not just temperature.
DO .. try to keep the humidity levels reasonably stable. SO, get a small humidifier. If my humidity levels drop below 50% I put it on for a while, turning it off at around 65%. If you have central heating, most of us have in the UK, this can make the air desert dry!!! Make some containers for water and stick them on top of your radiators, this will help to put a bit of moisture back in the air. Better still, turn them off and wear a coat!!!
DO .. learn to play traditional techniques and encourage your friends to do the same!!!!
Another option! Oil and /or seal it
To alleviate or reduce the risk of cracks developing many people advocate oiling/sealing the inside of instruments and even sometimes sealing the outside. This is a controversial subject with the final decision up to the individual. Many products are used such as PVA glue (often watered down), Danish oil, varnish or natural oils such as pure tung oil, boiled linseed oil (sometimes mixed with eycalyptus oil or citrus solvent). Many Yidaki and Mago are sealed on the inside from new, not completley but just a few inches into either end with PVA or similar to give some protecton against the ingress of moisture, this is said to be all that is needed. If you feel you need more protection then you may think about......
Oiling the inside..
I do not have an oiling regime but I do oil my personal instruments once with a mixture of pure tung oil and eycalyptus oil. If I buy an instrument for my own personal use and the seller offers to oil it for me, then I have it oiled before despatch, just as an insurance. Personally I have found that once dry it doesn't affect the acoustics in any way, others may disagree. I have heard some say that the difference the oil makes is similar to the difference between a dry instrument and one which has had water sluished throught it prior to playing. From my point of view oiling the inside, even if only done the once, is a worthwhile even essential exercise, especially here in the UK given our climate!
So, having said that, most instruments I buy with a view to re-selling, if they haven't already been oiled prior to despatch, are oiled once on arrival, mainly as a protection for the instrument but also as an added protection for you the buyer against having an instrument that may have an air leak, crack or that may crack in the future if left untreated. I keep my instruments in a relatively safe environment and only play them to test them and create a sound file for my site, this keeps the risk of cracking to a minimum. I will offer a limited guarantee if the instrument is re-oiled (free of charge) prior to despatch.
Some people will seal the inside with a hard sealer like Danish oil or waterproof pva glue, this does brighten the sound somewhat but will allow you to play it in the swimming pool with no adverse affects!!!! NOT RECOMMENDED FOR TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS!
How to oil your Yidaki or Mago..
There are many different ways to oil a didjeridu but I have found a very quick method that is very easy to do, is a one man operation and one where I have never had oil leak out onto the paintwork.
Sealing the outside..
Difficult one this but sealing the outside can also add further protection as it creates a barrier against the elements that dry out the exterior of the instrument. Again, what you put on the outside is dependant on the type of paint used for the artwork, damage can be done if this is not approached correctly.
Some instruments are just painted in ochre (earth pigments mixed with a medium) whilst others have a pva base coat to seal them and then the ochre is painted on top, others are painted in acrylics, with or without a pva base coat. Some acrylic instruments have a sealer (pva or varnish) applied as a top coat whilst most ochre instruments do not.
Acrylic Yidaki/Mago
If you want to further protect an unsealed acrylic painted instrument then I would suggest you find a water based (acrylic) varnish to match the type of finish on the instrument ie: matt varnish for a matt instrument. Nothing looks worse that an instrument that is supposed to be matt, being finished in a gloss varnish. If you are searching for matt, make sure it is really flat matt, not all of them are!!
I can do this for you at the time of ordering or for further protection I can seal the entire instrument with PVA then bring it back to its matt finish with an acrylic flat matt varnish. Due to the time and expense involved there will be a small charge for this additional service.
Ochre Yidaki/Mago
Not so easy!! I have sealed ochre painted Magos with one coat of acrylic matt varnish and they have turned out ok but I can't be certain if the colours change a bit or not. I have a personal Mago with really beautiful artwork and I don't want to do anything to spoil it so this remains unsealed (it is oiled on the inside though). Personally, I would leave ochre instruments alone unless the ochre is in danger of disappearing if left to it's own devices. If you really must seal it then avoid any brushing if the ochre is unstable, find a fast drying (a few minutes) acrylic matt aerosol varnish and spray a few really fine coats so as to not damage the artwork. Be prepared for the white ochre to go transparent when wet, fingers crossed, it will return to its white colour when dry. ALWAYS TRY A SMALL AREA FIRST!
Again, I can seal the outside of such instruments at the time of purchase but only if I feel that the finish is suitable for such treament and will not be damaged.
And finally.. The dreaded crack!!
After all of this there are still no guarantees, traditional didjeridu's can be tempramental objects so at some stage you may have an instrument that cracks. If it does, Dont panic!!! it's easy to fix.
Here's how..
Ist things first...
Remember! ....
Your Yidaki / Mago has originally come a long way, from a warm humid environment with high humidity levels to the uninviting climate of the UK via extremely cold conditions in an aircraft cargo hold. It needs some time to acclimatise to its new home. This is still important if you buy from me. Even though the instrument may have been in the UK for a while the conditions I keep my instruments in may not be the same as yours. If you buy from a supplier in Australia or intend to keep the instrument in its dry unoiled and/or unsealed state then you need to pay special attention to the instructions below.
Be patient! very patient!...
By all means play your new instrument BUT ONLY FOR 5 MINUTES OR SO EACH DAY FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. Please don't ignore this advice, it is very important.
If you play it too much at first it will get very wet and warm on the inside but the outside will be dry depending on where you live, if it drys out too quickly it can crack. Your Yidaki / Mago must be given sufficient time to settle in, long enough for the woods moisture levels to match that of its environment (this could be a few months!).
Gradually build up your playing time over as long a period as possible until you are reasonably happy that it has settled in and never, even when properly acclimatised, play any instrument for an extended length of time. Build up a small collection of Yidaki/Mago, this will alleviate the need to overplay any one instrument. People who do this rarely suffer from a cracked instrument!
Do's and Dont's...
DON'T .. expose it to extremes of temperature (hot or cold ). If you carry it in a hot car, get a didge bag or protect it from the heat in some other way. If you live in the arctic keep it out of the snow!!!
DON'T .. Play it for hours then leave it in the sun, near a warm radiator or in a cold room, the outside will be dry whilst the inside will still be wet, CRACK!!
DON'T .. pour water through your Yidaki / Mago like many Aboriginals do, not if you value your instrument and want it to last a long time (I want to hand mine down to my children). Most of us don't have the luxury of 70% + humidity all year round or the benefit of walking into the bush and cutting another instrument.
DO .. get a hygrometer so you can check the humidity levels in the room where you keep your instruments after playing and don't assume just because it is warm that the humidity levels are high or low because it is cold, it's all about moisture in the air and not just temperature.
DO .. try to keep the humidity levels reasonably stable. SO, get a small humidifier. If my humidity levels drop below 50% I put it on for a while, turning it off at around 65%. If you have central heating, most of us have in the UK, this can make the air desert dry!!! Make some containers for water and stick them on top of your radiators, this will help to put a bit of moisture back in the air. Better still, turn them off and wear a coat!!!
DO .. learn to play traditional techniques and encourage your friends to do the same!!!!
Another option! Oil and /or seal it
To alleviate or reduce the risk of cracks developing many people advocate oiling/sealing the inside of instruments and even sometimes sealing the outside. This is a controversial subject with the final decision up to the individual. Many products are used such as PVA glue (often watered down), Danish oil, varnish or natural oils such as pure tung oil, boiled linseed oil (sometimes mixed with eycalyptus oil or citrus solvent). Many Yidaki and Mago are sealed on the inside from new, not completley but just a few inches into either end with PVA or similar to give some protecton against the ingress of moisture, this is said to be all that is needed. If you feel you need more protection then you may think about......
Oiling the inside..
I do not have an oiling regime but I do oil my personal instruments once with a mixture of pure tung oil and eycalyptus oil. If I buy an instrument for my own personal use and the seller offers to oil it for me, then I have it oiled before despatch, just as an insurance. Personally I have found that once dry it doesn't affect the acoustics in any way, others may disagree. I have heard some say that the difference the oil makes is similar to the difference between a dry instrument and one which has had water sluished throught it prior to playing. From my point of view oiling the inside, even if only done the once, is a worthwhile even essential exercise, especially here in the UK given our climate!
So, having said that, most instruments I buy with a view to re-selling, if they haven't already been oiled prior to despatch, are oiled once on arrival, mainly as a protection for the instrument but also as an added protection for you the buyer against having an instrument that may have an air leak, crack or that may crack in the future if left untreated. I keep my instruments in a relatively safe environment and only play them to test them and create a sound file for my site, this keeps the risk of cracking to a minimum. I will offer a limited guarantee if the instrument is re-oiled (free of charge) prior to despatch.
Some people will seal the inside with a hard sealer like Danish oil or waterproof pva glue, this does brighten the sound somewhat but will allow you to play it in the swimming pool with no adverse affects!!!! NOT RECOMMENDED FOR TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS!
How to oil your Yidaki or Mago..
There are many different ways to oil a didjeridu but I have found a very quick method that is very easy to do, is a one man operation and one where I have never had oil leak out onto the paintwork.
Sealing the outside..
Difficult one this but sealing the outside can also add further protection as it creates a barrier against the elements that dry out the exterior of the instrument. Again, what you put on the outside is dependant on the type of paint used for the artwork, damage can be done if this is not approached correctly.
Some instruments are just painted in ochre (earth pigments mixed with a medium) whilst others have a pva base coat to seal them and then the ochre is painted on top, others are painted in acrylics, with or without a pva base coat. Some acrylic instruments have a sealer (pva or varnish) applied as a top coat whilst most ochre instruments do not.
Acrylic Yidaki/Mago
If you want to further protect an unsealed acrylic painted instrument then I would suggest you find a water based (acrylic) varnish to match the type of finish on the instrument ie: matt varnish for a matt instrument. Nothing looks worse that an instrument that is supposed to be matt, being finished in a gloss varnish. If you are searching for matt, make sure it is really flat matt, not all of them are!!
I can do this for you at the time of ordering or for further protection I can seal the entire instrument with PVA then bring it back to its matt finish with an acrylic flat matt varnish. Due to the time and expense involved there will be a small charge for this additional service.
Ochre Yidaki/Mago
Not so easy!! I have sealed ochre painted Magos with one coat of acrylic matt varnish and they have turned out ok but I can't be certain if the colours change a bit or not. I have a personal Mago with really beautiful artwork and I don't want to do anything to spoil it so this remains unsealed (it is oiled on the inside though). Personally, I would leave ochre instruments alone unless the ochre is in danger of disappearing if left to it's own devices. If you really must seal it then avoid any brushing if the ochre is unstable, find a fast drying (a few minutes) acrylic matt aerosol varnish and spray a few really fine coats so as to not damage the artwork. Be prepared for the white ochre to go transparent when wet, fingers crossed, it will return to its white colour when dry. ALWAYS TRY A SMALL AREA FIRST!
Again, I can seal the outside of such instruments at the time of purchase but only if I feel that the finish is suitable for such treament and will not be damaged.
And finally.. The dreaded crack!!
After all of this there are still no guarantees, traditional didjeridu's can be tempramental objects so at some stage you may have an instrument that cracks. If it does, Dont panic!!! it's easy to fix.
Here's how..
| ¡ | Sand down the area of the crack and find the start and end of it if possible. |
| ¡ | Using a very small drill piece, drill a hole at each end of the crack, if that can be determined, this will stop the split spreading any further. |
| ¡ | If you can, wedge something into the crack to open it up a bit or widen it slightly with a knife to allow room for some filler. It is usually better to fill the space, created by the crack, with filler rather that try to glue the two parts of the crack together and taping it up. |
| ¡ | Filler : mix some quick setting epoxy resin glue, pva wood glue or better still, some Aliphatic (yellow wood glue), with some sawdust into a paste and press it into the crack and drill holes. If the instrument is not painted try to stain the sawdust with some wood stain, prior to mixing with the glue, this will disguise the repair as best as possible. If it is a hairline crack that closes completely once the wedge is removed, dispense with the sawdust and just use the glue on its own. If the hairline cannot be opened up just rub the glue into the crack with your fingers |
| ¡ | Remove the wedge, if used, and scrape of any excess glue that has been squeezed out when the crack closed up, do this quickly before it sets. |
| ¡ | When dry, rub down smooth and seal the outside with some pva or wood glue. Allow the repair to harden for a few days then oil the inside to help protect against further cracking. |
| ¡ | Now's the time to re-paint. If is painted in ochres you may need to enlist the help of your local art shop or search the internet to get the correct pigments. If it is acrylic then contact me and I may be able to help with the colour choices. A gloss finish can be replicated with a thin coat of wood glue, pva or acrylic silk or gloss varnish. A matt finish will result from the painting or can be obtained from a flat matt acrylic varnish applied after re-painting. Do not use "normal" varnish as it is probably cellulose based and will lift the original coating and paintwork! |
| ¡ | Thats it! all done Good as new!!. Wasn't that bad was it? |
| ¡ | Before starting to oil your instrument check it over very thoroughly for any hairline cracks, especially around the mouthpiece, or pinholes. This is very important, especially so if it is painted in ochres as any seepage will spoil the appearance of the artwork or destroy a section of it completely. If you do find a leak seal it as described on this page. |
| ¡ | My method involves sealing up the mouthpiece end of the instrument and can be used with a natural or wax mouthpiece. To do this you will need one or two (depending on the size of the mouthpiece) old supermarket carrier bags which you will need to roll up into a plug. I flatten out the bag, fold it over a few times until you have a long strip about 2 inches wide. I then roll it up as tightly as I can until I end up with a cylinder shaped plug which is slightly bigger in diameter than the mouthpiece aperature. If it isn't then add some more polythene to the plug. |
| ¡ | Push the plug into the mouthpiece with a twisting motion, it should be fairly tight, pressing it in until it looks sealed. It doesn't need to go in all the way, about halfway should do it, remember, you will need to pull it out again!! Be extra careful with very thin walled instruments!! |
| ¡ | Now you are ready to pour in the oil. To start, stand the instrument up and pour a small amount of oil into the instrument via the bell end. Check that the mouthpiece end is leak free. When you are satisfied that all is ok, pour in the rest of the oil. don't be shy, pour in more that you need. |
| ¡ | Now carefully roll the instrument around to distribute the oil, keeping the bell end raised slightly to avoid any oil dripping out of the open end. I shine a torch down the bore whilst doing this to make sure the oil has covered the entire bore. |
| ¡ | To finish off I use a small paintbrush to spread the oil right to the end of the bell, this avoids oil dripping onto the paintwork, as it might do if the oil was allowed to run naturally down the bore to the bell end. |
| ¡ | Finally, tip the didjeridu, bell end downwards, to drain the oil back into it's container. Hold it for a few minutes until the drips almost stop. I then stand my instruments on a strip of wood which spans an old saucepan to allow the rest of the oil to drip out overnight. wipe of any excess with a bit of tissue, pull out the plug and job done!! |
| ¡ | For the next few days stand the instrument on a thick piece of cardboard covered in tissue or kitchen roll just to ensure all of the oil has finished dripping out. |
