 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2016-03-13 04:42
In a fit of insanity I have purchased another oboe. Checked out and approved by my local pro, but since then the C# key has shown itself to sometimes work and sometimes not. I see that when I press the C# key something else down below is suppose to rise. Sometimes it does and sometimes it does not. Is this likely a spring problem or a lubrication problem or something else I haven't seen yet? I don't think it has been played in quite a while, and it also went through a huge drop in humidity (from upper Midwest to Southwest desert.) Any suggestions?
Post Edited (2016-03-13 05:43)
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Author: oboi
Date: 2016-03-13 05:03
The tone hole that goes up when the C# key is depressed is held by 2 posts. If you have had a large drop in humidity, the posts are probably too close together, causing that key to not go up. I had that issue when I first bought my new EH (upper midwest to Canadian prairies) and had it out of the case or home too much at the beginning. I put some orange peels in the case (and I think something else rather moisture-ly drastic) and it loosened up overnight. It has never gotten stuck again.
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2016-03-13 05:42
Thanks. Just to see if I can make sure what I'm looking at is the actual problem: The C# key appears to only slightly turn a post that in turn raises a small lever that allows a pad to open. That pad sometimes opens and sometimes does not.
Are we talking about the same thing?
Is there a book on how to adjust oboes? It all makes perfect mechanical sense but I don't know what has a spring, what is just lubricated, etc.
Post Edited (2016-03-13 05:44)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-03-13 05:48
If it's fitted with an articulated low C# key, the key barrel on the C# pad cup can bind between its set of pillars as it's a cross key which is more affected by humidity changes than a key running along the length of the joint (on a wooden bodied oboe).
Other cross mounted keys that can suffer are the lower (1st) 8ve pad cup, the forked F vent rocker and pad cup and the Eb pad cup as they're lightly sprung to open under their own spring tension (and are being held closed by a much heavier sprung key or piece of mechanism). So if the pillars pull in due to the joint diameter changing (due to the drop in humidity), these keys are prone to binding.
Best cause of action is to have the key barrels on these cross keys all shortened very slightly so they have a bit of play between their pillars, so they'll still work when humidity levels are low.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2016-03-13 08:17
Thanks. Sounds like something to have a pro take care of rather than myself.
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