Beeswax Mouthpiece

Didgeridoo mouthpiece: how to replace a beeswax mouthpiece

Replacing a beeswax didgeridoo mouthpiece takes just minutes. Soften a stick of beeswax in a half and half mix of boiling and cold water for a few minutes, press it around the rim, pinch it to seal and shape the opening to about 30mm across. Sanshi shows every step in the video below.

Video: how to replace a beeswax didgeridoo mouthpiece

Shop the beeswax mouthpiece kit

Need to fix your beeswax didgeridoo mouthpiece?

It's easy. This video shows you step-by-step, how to replace a beeswax didgeridoo mouthpiece. Get yourself a replacement mouthpiece kit from our online store, watch this video and you will have a beautiful new didge mouthpiece in no time. If you have any questions at all, please let us know.

Why do didgeridoos have a beeswax mouthpiece?

Australian Eucalyptus didgeridoo mouthpieces are generally made out of beeswax. Many eucalyptus trees have an opening too large to be able to play comfortably, therefore a beeswax mouthpiece is applied. The mouthpiece size and shape can be adjusted to achieve a comfortable, airtight seal.

When do I need to replace my mouthpiece?

Although beeswax does not expire or wear out, it tends to get quite dirty through everyday use. We find ourselves replacing our mouthpieces more from looking dirty than from wearing out.

Beeswax will melt if it is exposed to direct hot sun and pets seem to love nibbling at it.

Sometimes your existing mouthpiece is too big and uncomfortable to play, by adding wax you can reduce the size of your mouthpiece and improve the playing qualities. As you can see there are a number of reasons why you may need to replace your mouthpiece.

Between changes, you can keep a mouthpiece clean by picking off the dust with a fingernail or wiping it with an alcohol swab. How long a mouthpiece lasts depends on how much you play and where you keep your didgeridoo: it could be a couple of months, it could be half a year. A cover over the mouthpiece keeps the wax clean. A didgeridoo left on a stand collects dust, and once the wax has been dropped in dirt or beach sand it hardly ever comes clean. That is the time for a change.

Replacing the mouthpiece: the written guide

By purchasing a didgeridoo beeswax mouthpiece kit and following the instructions below, you will have your mouthpiece back in working order in just minutes!

The Didgeridoo Replacement Beeswax Mouthpiece Kit includes 3 beeswax mouthpiece sticks made from 100% Australian beeswax.

What you need

  • Your didgeridoo, with the old wax taken off
  • A strip of beeswax from a didgeridoo replacement mouthpiece kit
  • A jar of cold water (room temperature is fine)
  • Boiling water (the video uses a kettle)
  • A piece of cardboard to roll the wax on

You don't need glue or anything else. Beeswax is sticky enough to stick by itself.

Re-waxing your didgeridoo

  1. Mix boiling and cold water. Fill a jar with about half cold water and half boiling water. It should be hotter than bath water, but you can still touch it. Don't use straight boiling water: the beeswax will melt away.
  2. Soften the beeswax. Put the beeswax in the jar and wait a few minutes until it gets soft. The wax changes colour as it warms up.
  3. Check that it is soft. Take a strip out and see if it is soft enough. Sometimes a strip breaks. Don't worry, you can put it back together.
  4. Roll it on cardboard. Roll the soft wax on a piece of cardboard to round off the corners. Use cardboard because the wax might leave marks on your table.
  5. Press the wax onto the rim. Lay the wax around the top of the didgeridoo and pinch it into shape with your fingers. You don't need glue: the wax is sticky enough to stick by itself.
  6. Seal the inside with your thumb. With your index finger on top, push the wax against the inside of the didgeridoo with your thumb. This closes the gap between the didgeridoo and the wax, so no air leaks when you play.
  7. Work all the way around. Keep pinching until the wax has gone all the way around. You can turn the didgeridoo and work the other way, thumb outside and index finger inside.
  8. Tear off the excess wax. Once the wax has made a full circle, tear off the excess.
  9. Make it neat and set the size. While the wax is soft, make it neat. Aim for an opening about 30mm across. Sanshi likes 32mm and some players go a little smaller, so it is up to you.
  10. Keep the top flat. Shape the wax so the top is nice and flat, with a fairly sharp edge towards your mouth. If you push the wax in over the opening, your lips touch it when you play and it stops the sound.
  11. Test the sound. Play the didgeridoo. To make the opening bigger, push the wax gently towards the outside while it is soft. Take your time and find your favourite shape and size.
  12. Done! Your new beeswax mouthpiece is ready to go! Happy Didg'n

Download these steps as a PDF, with a photo for every step

If it goes wrong

  • Wax too soft? Wait until it cools down a little. It is easier to work with then.
  • Wax too hard? In colder places the wax can get really hard. Take it off, put it back in the hot water until it is soft, then work it again.
  • A gap in the wax? Add another piece and keep pinching the join, on top and inside with your thumb, while the wax is soft.
  • Not happy with it? Take the wax off and do it again.

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