Author: Hotboy
Date: 2019-05-20 23:54
In my experience, "blown-out" refers to three things:
- Change in scale intonation
- Change in note stability
- Change in blowing resistance
I have experienced several Lorees whose scales changed over a period of 10+ years so that they weren't as dependable to play in tune as they were when younger than five years. Also, an older oboe can suffer from notes that are variable in pitch depending on how hard one blows. For a professional who needs to depend on consistency of intonation, these are unacceptable faults.
Due to visually imperceptable changes in the bore from heat, moisture, and swabbing, the blowing resistance changes over time. This is most noticeable between the time when an instrument is new and when it is broken in, about one to two years after manufacture. Then, over the following years, the resistance can change, which necessitates the player to adjust reeds to compensate, which is an unnecessary burden for a professional player.
Also, old oboes can be plagued by problems such as gathering water in vents due to microscopic bore wear and keywork shifting due to plating wear. I have not played on an oboe older than 20 years without one or more of these problems.
Amateurs who have difficulty playing in tune, getting good tone, and making reeds may not notice these subtle changes in an instrument, but advanced players certainly do.
I don't know about comparing the difference in the cellular structure of the wood...this seems like a red herring to me.
Dane
Bay Area, California
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