Sub-bass recorder head "HP-Original", Master, natural birch plywood, Paetzold by Kunath

General information

The instrument from the MASTER series with the model number: 479HPK manufactured by Paetzold by Kunath is an instrument that is always fun to use on a daily basis.
This characteristic is due to the special combination of the ingenious design in fine tuning with the qualities of the birch plywood material used.

This material impresses with its typical advantages. The special properties can be characterised in this way, whereby it is in the nature of things that sounds can only ever be inadequately described with words. This is why the sound of recorders is perceived and described in slightly different ways by each person: Rich in overtones.

The scale

The geometry of the inner bore of the instrument is cylindrical and wider. This type of bore gives the instrument its typical sound.
In principle, recorders with a wider bore sound warmer, fuller, more fundamental and therefore more suitable for ensembles than instruments with a narrower scale.

For which musical styles is the instrument best suited?

Birch plywood is predestined for instruments that are used in ensembles, in choral playing and as solo instruments.

Who is this instrument aimed at?

The above facts show that birch plywood recorders are particularly suitable for beginners. Another rule of thumb to bear in mind is that a better quality instrument will in most cases make learning progress more enjoyable than a seemingly inexpensive bargain.

The windway of a recorder

The windway is the area in the instrument headjoint where the musician's breath is moulded into a sheet of air. This air blade is the defining element of a recorder's sound. In interaction with the labium, the air blade creates the vibration that generates the flute sound. The shape of the windway is therefore very influential for the musical expressiveness of the recorder.

The 479HPK recorder from Paetzold by Kunath has a windway that is straight and conical in shape.
Conically shaped windways accelerate the air blade more than cylindrical ones.
Due to their design, windways are extremely complex and many parameters are influenced by each other.

Fingering

The Paetzold by Kunath MASTER 479HPK model is supplied in the following version: .

Keys

It is not always possible to place tone holes in places in the body that are comfortable to play with the hands. For acoustic reasons, some tone holes on low instruments in particular are located in places that are impossible to reach. On such instruments, the instrument makers add key mechanisms that make playing easier or even possible in the first place.
The 479HPK instrument has the following keys: . This allows the recorder to be played with ease even by players with smaller hands. This key system is unique and legally protected. In Taiwan and Korea in particular, these instruments are often used in youth ensembles by internationally renowned teachers for young players.
However, adult players with a reduced grip range also appreciate the advantages of the key system.

Multi-piece construction

The construction of an instrument influences in many ways the way in which the recorder can ensure easy handling in terms of ease of grip on the one hand and compact transport on the other.
This is a point that should not be underestimated, especially when transporting larger (and sometimes several) instruments.
Directors of large ensembles know how useful good and compact recorder bags are. Provided the instruments can be easily disassembled.

Packaging and accessories

The recorder is supplied as standard with an optional bag/case and useful accessories: grease tin, fingering chart, care instructions

Hygiene tips

If the recorder is shared, it is advisable to regularly disinfect the blowing area to keep it clean. Flautisept has proven effective for this purpose. You can find Flautisept in our collection.

Notes on finding a new instrument

How to find your next instrument easily
Find out all you can!
However, you should not let "universal" rules stop you from trying out an instrument yourself. Your musical sensibilities are as unique as you are. Therefore, only you can decide which construction method suits you personally.
Our recommendation is therefore: test new instruments that you may never have tried before. You can only win.