Wooden Ocarina Repair and Restoration Services

Over the years there have been many makers of wooden ocarinas around the world. The US in particular has a surprisingly rich history of wooden ocarinas through the years – from the very first wooden sweet potato ocarinas by the Potato Bugs in the 1930s, to Alan Albright and his signature harmony ocarinas in the 70s and 80s, to Charlie Hind’s incredible range of inlines, sweet potatoes, and other styles form the 80s to the early 2020s. While there are still some active makers of this dying art, the vast majority of well-known names and brands are no longer active, and as a result, these once available instruments have become precious prizes for collectors. These older, vintage ocarinas can be found through a wide range of sources on the second-hand market. However, often times these ocarinas can be found in various states – from pristine condition to dire need of repair. And wile old ocarinas can experience the wear of age, even new wooden ocarinas can experience issues like cracking, delamination of glue joints, or just scuffs, dings, and dents from everyday use and changes in the environment.

Bretti Musical Instruments is pleased to offer the first of its kind official dedicated wooden ocarina repair and restoration services to the ocarina world. While such services are widely available for standard strings and woodwinds, often times even these specialty repair shops will not approach unconventional, niche instruments like these. As a maker who specializes in wooden vessel flutes, having developed a wide range of high-end ocarinas, with an understanding of the complexities of voicing, tonal balance, woods, mechanics, and finishes, I have the unique position of being able to offer my expertise in these instruments to help bring new life into other wooden ocarinas. Whether it is a simple cosmetic refreshing of removing small scratches, nicks, and dents, minor repair such as hairline crack stabilizing and filling, or more serious repair such as failed glue joints due to warping, I would be happy to help out others with their wooden ocarina care.

Since each repair and restoration job can widely vary depending on the condition of the instrument and the work required, pricing will depend on the scope of the repair, including labor and materials specific for the work. As such, each repair will be unique. If you would like to begin the process, please feel free to reach out with details of the repair work being requested, including full pictures, and I will work closely with you to assess your needs and determine final pricing.

PORTFOLIO