Hohner Recorder (B-9560)

For an affordable recorder that is a HUGE step up from the plastic ones learned in Elementary school, you cannot go wrong with this. It has a sweet sound. My daughter is a teenager, who learned the recorder years ago. She recently had a renewed interest in it due to the insanely talented and epic recorder player indie musician "Erutan", who is her hero. I wanted to get her something that she could play that was not an obnoxious plastic whistle like the one she has from school. If you are a parent and have reservations about this purchase because of the sound the plastic one makes, have no fear. There is no comparison, no need to fear practice time, or invest in ear plugs. You may actually ENJOY this, and want to learn it yourself!This recorder is a wonderful step up. For the price, you cannot go wrong. It is smooth, has a natural wood grain, and from just an aesthetic point of view, it is a pretty instrument. It is great for a teenager (or adult) who has experience and can be responsible for taking care of a better instrument. Because it requires said care, do not think you can give this to a small child and expect it to hold up..Unlike a plastic recorder, it must be oiled, the cork greased, needs break-in time and regular cleaning. It must be handled properly, or it can become chipped or dented which not only impacts looks but also has the potential of impacting the sound. A younger player would have to be instructed how to care for a wooden instrument, and for some kids, this could be an excellent introduction on how to do just that (as it is fairly easily replaceable if something goes terribly wrong).5 stars, because for what it is, it meets and exceeds expectations.

The pear wood model 9520 / 9550 has a very dark glossy finish that hides the wood grain. The maple wood model 9522 has a natural finish that shows the wood grain. I own both models and I prefer the maple version. I think it has a softer more natural and richer tone and the non-glossy finish feels better in my hands. To my ears, the 9520 / 9550 has a slightly duller sound. For a beginner player or a younger child, I would suggest starting with an inexpensive plastic Yamaha. The 9522 maple is a great instrument for when a person wants to switch to a more natural sounding wooden instrument. For a more advanced player, I would suggest the more expensive 9532. It has a light finish that shows off the wood grain, a cork joint, a hard plastic traveling case and a cleaning brush. When comparing the 9532 with the other two wooden models and the plastic Yamaha, it has the richest sound. I would rate the maple wood 9522 as having the second best sound.

After learning the basics of reading music and making his way through a few songs, selcting his own (affordable for his level) wooden recorder was my 6-year-old son's reward. After looking over a few options, he was really drawn to this one. I, for myself, ordered the less expensive pearwood model at the same time (I was envious that he was getting a wooden recorder, and couldn't help but right it by throwing one in for me, too).They arrived together, an my initial impession was that his maple one was prettier. My pearwood one, though a very pretty color, just lacks the natural wood-ish beauty of the maple one. It's a pretty piece, in a natural, understated sort of way.The next thing I noticed, which is why I dinged it down from full stars, is that his maple one fits tgether rather loosely. There's little danger of it falling into its two pieces in play, but it does budge out of fitting tautly together, and I'm sure it would fall into two pieces if held carelessly (like, by the head only and some motion added). My own recorder fits together snugly and feels secure, and I trust the way it fits much better. As they're similar models from the same company, I suspect they should have similar feels in assembly, so I think the fit of my son's is a bit on the fauly side; most are probably not like this, but it's worth making a small note that I suspect a quirk in quality in this one. It's not the end of the world and it still plays nicely, but it makes it feel a little 'eh.' I'm considering attempting to re-cork it myself if I can get my hands on the right materials. I just think it would feel like a more quality piece if it didn't have a jostle-y feel when put together.Now, for sound. It has a sweet, lovely sound, and it's easy to hit notes cleanly and flawlessly. It feels comfortable to play, and has excellent response. My pearwood model has perhaps a bolder, more confident sound (which I do like a lot, too), but something about the same notes on this one are very pleasing to the ear in a soothing, songbirdy sort of way. They sound quite a bit similar, and both are very, very nice, but hearing them back to back, there's a small difference, and this one tips in a wee bit sweeter direction. The sound quality is lovely.So, It's pretty, it plays easily and very nicely, but I do wish the pieces had a snugger fit (though I suspect most prolly do fit better than his). My son is pleased with it, and overall, I think it's an excellent buy for the money. It's definetly MUCH ahead of his standard plastic one in sound and overall looks. I hear that a few grade levels ahead of him (perhaps 4th grade?) the students have a recorder curriculum in school. I hope he can use this one then, and they don't dictate some particular plastic model or another for unifomity or something; I really pefer this one all-around to student-model plastic. It's a good buy, and if you enjoy the recorder, it's definetly a good option at an affordable price.