 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: ckoboe777
Date: 2020-05-24 06:46
Hey there,
I just moved to the South Bay (in California, specifically Palo Alto), and I’ve been having trouble with closed tips. Not all my reeds have this problem, but it’s becoming alarmingly frequent, and I’ve been thinking of lowering the cane diameter I’ve been using (from 10.5-11 to 10-10.5). For those of you living in the area (saw a few on this site earlier), what diameter works for you?
Thanks,
CK
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2020-05-26 19:57
It depends on what shape you use. Where did you move from?
I'm in Fremont and use RDG -1 with 10.5 diameter. I buy it gouged and sorted to precise diameters.
Dane
Bay Area, California
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Author: ckoboe777
Date: 2020-05-30 08:21
I’m also using an RDG -1, tied at 72 mm on a Stevens #2 thickwall tube. My cane is gouged on a Gilbert machine, if that makes any sort of difference.
I’m coming from Central Illinois - more specifically Urbana. It’s generally more humid year round there, and it’s a couple hundred feet above PA in elevation.
To be honest, even in Illinois, I’ve found that I’ve been getting better tip openings with pieces that are closer to 10.5... I even had a few that were slightly below 10.5 (probably inserted by error) that I used, and I liked the openings I got, although I can’t point out a definitive trend due to small sample size.
Also, if you don’t mind answering, where do you get your gouged cane from? I’m searching for a new source...
Thanks for the response,
-ckoboe
Post Edited (2020-05-30 08:22)
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2020-05-31 04:59
I have been getting most of my cane from Capitol Cane.
Pros: Consistent gouge and tube diameter, excellent variety of cane brands and gouges.
Cons: A little pricy. Also, I think this is a very small business, so sometimes it takes several weeks to get my order, which can be aggravating if you need cane right away.
My favorite brands are Danzi, Marca, K.Ge, and Ghys. I use 10.5 mm diameter and 11.41 gouge, which seems like the standard American gouge of 45/60 ratio of sides to center.
http://capitolcane.com/oboe-cane/gouged-oboe-cane/premium-gouged-oboe-cane/
When I first found Capitol Cane, I started by ordering some samplers to try out the different brands of cane to see what made the best reeds for me: http://capitolcane.com/oboe-cane/gouged-oboe-cane/gouged-oboe-cane-samplers/
I find this information to be useful: http://capitolcane.com/cane-guide/
Dane
Bay Area, California
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Author: mschmidt
Date: 2020-06-12 05:11
I was initially very excited by Capitol Cane's commitment to selling very specific diameters, but I think that the opening of a reed depends on a whole lot more than the cane diameter as measured before making a reed. I still find a lot of variation in reed openings for a given cane diameter. Cane diameter and staple design are the best places to exert control over reed openings, but reedmaking is still like a box of chocolates--you never know what you are going to get.
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2020-06-12 18:26
Yes, reed opening depends also on the scrape, specifically how much you take out of the back and spine.
However, if you remove all the variables, like using the same cane, staples, thread, shape, tie length, top wrap location, and scrape, I have found that the reed opening will be very consistent.
Dane
Bay Area, California
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Author: ckoboe777
Date: 2020-07-04 11:28
Hello Dane,
Sorry for the delay in my reply - thank you for the pointers!
Just a few questions - what is your tie length/staple combo with your RDG -1? Also, the Capitol Cane website lists the 11.6 mm diameter as being optimal for ‘narrow’ tips - would this make the sides too thin in your experience? I’m actively trying to get my reeds to close down more easily - I’ve been using Rigotti cane which has been much harder than what I remembered it to be a while ago...
Thanks again,
ckoboe777
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2020-07-05 19:11
I use 47mm Advantage Artiste staples (https://advantage-usa.com/collections/oboe-staples/products/advantage-artiste-oboe-staple).
With the RDG -1 shape, I typically tie to 73mm and cut to around 69.5mm for in tune reeds with good opening. I have found that I prefer to make reeds that are a bit too open and close down with playing in and squeezing, rather than build reeds that have a perfect opening at the get-go, which close too much after they break in.
The staple one uses can affect the tie length. Some staples like Loree have a slightly smaller opening, which means you must tie longer to get optimum cane closure. Other staples like the old MCW have a larger opening and requires a shorter tie length.
When I first tried Capitol Cane, I chose the 11.41 gouge diameter to start, with the intention of moving to a different diameter if that didn't work. Luckily for me, 11.41 has worked great so I have not tried the 11.6. This process does require quite a lot of experimentation (and investment).
You might try the RDG -1N, which is 0.1mm narrower than the RDG -1 according to this chart: https://www.forrestsmusic.com/oboe_cane_shaping.htm
I bought 3 additional shaper tips to try when experimenting with what would work for me. This along with trying 12 to 15 brands of cane, can make the process somewhat pricy, but once you have it narrowed down to a combo of cane, shape, staple, and scrape, it is rewarding to be able to make a playable reed more consistently.
Dane
Bay Area, California
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