Author: oboi
Date: 2012-12-14 22:31
Chris,
My oboes have been more or less okay so far (knock on grenadilla wood, ha). My used Marigaux has been fine. My new Fox EH had a few issues last year with the bell ring dropping off and the C# posts getting tight. But after humidifying and taking it out less to rehearsal, it's been behaving.
Howarth folks have been to Edmonton (principal oboe plays on an XL and thus everyone followed suit) and they sort of refuse to make cocobolo oboes for us anymore, because of cracking issues and after their utter shock arriving here, haha. But I'm assuming that humidity shock is the same reason I go crazy when I go to a humid locale (like Toronto or Florida). They do recommend the upper joint synthetic liner for the grenadilla ones they make. Mind you, I'm sure we're much more humid than, say, Arizona. Houses have humidifiers built into the heating system. e.g., my house is between 30-40% now. Apartments, public/office spaces, I dunno how that works... but I assume that has to be some humidification. So my concern isn't much where the horns spend 95% of their time, as to when I take it outside or to a nasty rehearsal/performance space. I've seen some cellos *explode* at rehearsals on some of the coldest days. But I don't see many cellists let their instruments warm up before playing.
The temperature is much milder than it would have been in the early-80's. Mind you, still hellishly cold at times. I do make sure my oboes are well-covered when I go take transit, etc, and minimize their time outdoors as much as possible. The summers do get quite hot nowadays, too, with many people getting A/C. Still not humid but more oboe friendly.
On the plus side, I never have issues with moldy and stinky reeds.
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