Moeck 4204 Rottenburgh Soprano

Note: the purpose of this review is solely to express my thoughts about the PHYSICAL appearance of this instrument. As such,I will just say: "Caveat emptor! (in Latin)...or: Buyer beware! (in English)".

When I purchased this product I expected to receive a lovely, beautiful looking recorder just like the one shown on Thomann's website, so I felt all excited with anticipation when my order arrived. Oh boy, was I in for a surprise: as soon as I took a look at what was inside the box, my heart sank: instead of finding an instrument of beauty and grace, I saw an ugly little duckling with long black, uneven streaks embedded in all three parts of the recorder - which, unbeknownst to me, are apparently a natural part of Maracaibo boxwood, of which this instrument is made. I was so disheartened by its visual appearance that I did not even bother to assemble the recorder to hear what it would sound like. It was anything but my dream come true. I was also a bit disappointed by the Moeck case which looks classy in the pictures but struck me as relatively heavy & impractical. So the comparisons between my equivalent old Moeck 329 Soprano Rottenburgh recorder, made I assume of the same wood but without any dark streaks, and its stylish, lightweight and practical case were no contest.

Therefore I promptly contacted the returns department who were most helpful and efficient in processing my return. And I must also add that the entire staff at Thomann's was outstandingly helpful in guiding me to replace this recorder with one more suited to my taste. In my experience, Thomann has been a FIRST CLASS internet company in the way each member of its staff has communicated with me. I did suggest to management, though, that they should make it more transparent on their website that Maracaibo boxwood can naturally have dark streaks embedded in it, so you can’t expect it to be as perfect looking as on their product page. But if you don't mind visual imperfections, then this recorder may be for you. And who knows: perhaps my ugly little duckling may even turn out to be your wonderful musical swan!

For further info about such potential visual imperfections, you may want to read what Moeck states upfront on its own website: https://www.moeck.com/en/service/faq/sustainability-and-conservation-of-resources/

This recorder has responsive articulation, a strong and clear tone through all registers, and gives stability and ease of playing even at the top of its range. The dense exotic boxwood gives a bright tone as expected, however some might find the appearance of the random dark streaks in the otherwise golden wood a little unsightly. My particular instrument is marred somewhat by this characteristic of the Maracaibo, and there is a possibility that this heavy streaking could cause cracking in future, especially around the fipple. Apart from these cosmetic issues, the recorder is well-made and a pleasure to play, and I’d love to own one with a more even woodgrain.