 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: plclemo
Date: 2010-08-30 21:04
What are the instructions for taking care of oboe reeds? I KNOW that you have to be careful with them, but what about their storage? Do they have to be completely dry before you put them back in the plastic tube? What if there is no time to wait for them to dry out? Then, what do you do with them? As you can see I am truly a novice at this. (Less than 4 months of experience.) Thank You, ladies and gentlemen.
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Author: oboefiend
Date: 2010-08-30 21:17
The first thing you should do is buy a real reed case. A six reed case should do the trick. After I am done playing, I dip my reed back in the water and let it sit for about 30 minutes and put in my reed case. Make sure your reed case lets air in so the reed will finish drying off. If you don't want to buy a case get a knife and poke a hole in the lid of the plastic tube. This will sllow the reed to dry off. If you dont put a hole in the plastic case your reed will get moldy.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2010-08-30 21:37
Yeah, Paula, don't use the tubes to store the reeds, because they will get moldy, and unless you kept the cotton in the tube tips, they will also get broken!
I would suggest you start with a six (or twelve) reed case, of the "ribbon" holder variety. Cheap is fine -- there are some good cheap ones on The Auction Site. But get the "ribbon" style. The cases that have the little mandrels inside, IMO, are problematic, in that the reeds don't always stay on them, and thus can get broken in the case, or flung to the floor when you open the case.
I sometimes rinse a reed inside and out after playing -- it's not a bad idea -- and then I just put it snugly in the case, close the case, toss the whole thing in my gig bag, and that's it until the next time.
One thing I do, every once in a while after a reed has been used a fair amount, is a run a very, very soft, all-cotton pipe cleaner up the shank of the reed (don't push though the tip!!). You might be surprised at how dirty the pipe cleaner gets when you do this, with accumulated gunk from the inside of the reed. And the reed lasts longer when it is de-gunked.
Glad you are getting along so well with the instrument.
Susan
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Author: plclemo
Date: 2010-08-30 21:46
You guys are really "on the ball!" Thank You very much for your advice. I will definitely look into getting a reed case this week. I sort of thought that the plastic case was not really a good idea when I took the reed out of the case this morning and it smelled "musty." So I rinsed it very well before using it (didn't want to subject myself to any unnecessary germs). I'm used to having clarinet reeds go back into a cardboard sheath. That allows them to dry out quickly (but also allows for splitting them a little easier if I am not careful). At least clarinet reeds are much cheaper than oboe reeds. Don't want to destroy too many oboe ones. I am NOT used to plastic cases (or tubes.)
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Author: oboedrew
Date: 2010-08-30 22:36
Hi, Paula. Welcome to the wonderful world of oboing! Susan is right about those plastic tubes. We reedmakers use them because they're safe and affordable for shipping reeds from here to there. But they're NOT meant for long-term storage. And mandrel-style cases are a leading cause of death amongst reeds. Even ribbon-style cases can be problematic if the ribbons aren't evenly spaced. Reeds in each slot must be held securely. Harris Reed Cases and oboes.ch cases (available from Hodge Products) are first-rate.
Cheers,
Drew
www.oboedrew.com
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Author: mschmidt
Date: 2010-08-31 02:04
I have been pleased with the wooden reed cases that I've gotten from Forrests'. Given the price, they must be made in China, but they hold the reeds better than other ribbon-style cases I've had. Unfortunately the 12-reed case they used to offer has shrunk to a 10-reed case (for the same price!).
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
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Author: oboeidaho
Date: 2010-08-31 16:48
I've agree the mandrel cases are to be avoided. I have a couple but I never use them (I'm a case junkie) - the ribbon style ones are better, but some need a little cloth laid over the bottoms of the reeds (like a blanket) to keep them in place. My EH case is the worst, most of my oboe cases don't need a blanket.
I have always bought the imitation leather cases - which are fine, but maybe if you spend big $ on a real leather case it would have tighter fittings! The only wood case I have was a gift and the fittings are so loose I don't use it at all. Just sayin. The Harris cases look lovely and I think priced reasonably, but I've never tried them...
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Author: oboereed1109
Date: 2010-09-04 14:23
No one has said anything about brushing your teeth before you play. I NEVER play until I brush my teeth. One can only imagine the garbage floating around in your mouth. I also carry a toothbrush and tube of toothpaste in my oboe bag. I am not shy about brushing my teeth in a public bathroom. I have done it many times. You go to all the trouble of making a reeds and finding a nice case to store them in. Shouldn't you make sure they are clean, too?
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2010-09-05 04:19
I found a 24-reed ribbon-style real leather case from Miller Marketing -- they were seconds, and they were SO affordable that I bought 2.
So it's worth touring several sites to see who's got what on sale.
I believe the mandrel-style would contribute to bacteria growth or mildew within the staple, unless one swabs out the reed (with a small pipe cleaner) and waits for it to thoroughly dry first before sticking it in.
GoodWinds
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