A fipple describes the mouthpiece of a recorder or similar wind instrument which is blown endwise, in which a thin channel cut through a block directs a stream of air against a sharp edge.

Recorders come in various sizes with names and compasses roughly corresponding to various vocal ranges. The sizes most commonly in use today are the soprano (aka "descant", lowest note C5), alto (aka "treble", lowest note F4), tenor (lowest note C4) and bass (lowest note F3). Sopranino and Great Bass models also exist; the smallest is called a Garklein flute, or sopranissimo or piccolo recorder.

Traditionally constructed from wood or ivory, modern professional instruments are almost invariably of wood, and student and scholastic recorders are commonly of molded plastic.

Finer models can be made of pearwood, rosewood, ebony or other rare woods, and fittings (the foot plate, beak, and the rings around the joints) are often made of ivory. I've seen some examples where each finger hole has an ivory ring around it!

The recorders' internal and external proportions vary, but the bore is generally reverse conical (i.e. tapering towards the foot) to cylindrical, and all recorder fingering systems make extensive use of forked fingerings.

Reverse conical boring is found on Baroque recorders, and gives the instruments a range of over two octaves and a mellow tone. Cylindrical boring is Renaissance style which provides a much louder sound, but limits the range to two octaves or less.

More Info: en.m.wikipedia.org