Old Dolmetsch 'School' recorders.

The Old Dolmetsch Plastic Descant (ABS).
(Late Version)

Click the images with blue borders for big pictures in new tabs.

The five completely disassembled parts.
Note the elongated foot tenon and
slot to accomodate the lowest holes.

An unusual feature is the 'ski jump'
shaping of the top of the block.
This is usually only a feature of the
very best hand made instruments.



Beak details.
There is a separate block.
The windway ceiling is part of the beak.
Early models had an integral rectangular windway tube.

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The first moulded recorders were made of Bakelite.
There were several variations affecting
colour and subtle aspects of design.
They were discontinued in the late '60's

Early ABS models are made of light coloured plastic,
the colour of milk chocolate.
The dark ones have also been branded 'EMI'.
The moulds have been sold and the recorder
may still be available (without the 'Dolmetsch' name).

Rigadoon in C major, Z.653, by Henry Purcell

Click play to hear one of these old ABS recorders,
or use the links below.

DOWNLOAD or HELP!

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The Old Dolmetsch Plastic Tenor (ABS).
(Late Version)

Spare Parts

I have parts available for this model tenor recorder. (The keys are easily pulled off and lost.) New ones are easily pushed on to replace them. The keys are like shoes and are not identical. To avoid problems with 'left' and 'right' I refer to them as 'C#' and 'C'. These names refer to the note that the key is used for. Please check the next image so as to be sure which is which. I have added detailed guidance at the end of this section.

The keys are fitted to a 'saddle'. This should have two little 'fingers' that act as springs. They should be checked for cracks. Check also that there is a gap between the underside of the finger and the flat that the saddle sits on. (Prolonged storage under pressure may permanently close this small gap and prevent the finger from working as a spring.) I have the 'saddles' and pads as well as a quantity black keys that will fit all.

The keys come complete with pad. I have a very few screws (foc) if yours is missing. (Other small self tapping screws will do.) Each part is £2.50. (I have spare pads at £0.50 each.)

Do not discard a broken saddle.

I have new saddles but the saddles do not come with a fitted rod. It is not available separately.

However, the rod is a 'push fit' and it is an easy job to take the rod from a broken saddle and fit it to a new one. It is best to push it out but it may be stiff if it is rusty. Do not damage the ends of the rod. The rod is 12.7mm long and 1.58mm in diameter. These dimensions are not so strange when you remember that these recorders are about 50 years old and were made in the UK. The 'Imperial' size is 1/2 x 1/16 inch. The diameter is critical. Too small and it will fall out and not hold the keys. Too big and it will not go through the holes. If you enlarge them, to make a larger rod fit, a rod that is too large will break the keys.

Assembly Guidance.

You can click the above image for a landscape pdf page.
This will display or print well if the 'page fit' option is selected.
(The gold colour is an unexpected lighting effect. All the plastic parts are black.)

Please contact me, john@saundersrecorders.com with a picture, if you need any help in relation to these parts.

An Old Dolmetsch Plastic Treble (ABS).

The first 'Dolmetsch' mass produced trebles were made of bakelite, a very hard and heavy moulding material, in the 1940's. Many of these recorders survive despite being brittle and are still used by aficionados. There were different versions and the first were the best. (That's progress for you!)

Later, ABS, plastic trebles similar to the descant and tenor illustrated above became available. When production ceased they were replaced for a short time by the model illustrated on the left, which came from Israel. These were nice instruments with 'soloist' tone. (Similar recorders branded 'Ariel', the factory's brand, were available at the same time.)

As ever, quality control became a problem and this model soon disappeared. Its (Korean) replacement was the 'Nova' treble. Quality control became a problem with the Nova recorders too.