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Re: ? re oboe/EH routine maintenance

Author: JRJINSA
Date: 2008-03-13 15:27

Sorry no one has replied to you yet. Here is my $.02 worth -

I'll let you know what I've heard from my teacher whose been playing oboe for 35 years.

Just swab it out after 30 minutes of playing (or more if needed). Also, it's good to blow through the top joint (with your finger plugging the end). It's really important to blow moisture out of ALL the octave keys and the trill keys. Then, if you really want to be good, take a fold of cigarette paper (around 1 inch by one inch) and place it under all the keys one by one on the top joint to wick away moisture and prevent gunk build up. This should keep it clean for a while.

Once every couple of years, have it looked at by a good repair person, really cleaned, degunked, and oiled (if they think that is important)...and fixed if needed.

I would never attempt oiling the bore myself. One can get oil on the pads and mess it all up. Let a pro do it and don't worry about it but every couple of years. Some oboists *never* use bore oil and don't seem to have problems. All in all, It seems that swabbing and blowing through is the most important thing you can do to an oboe. Other mishaps that happen can always be fixed...just beware of too much self-maintenance. Just do the easy stuff yourself and leave the rest up to the pros.

Dampits are good, but only when needed. If they're not needed, they can rust the mechanism. Use them only when you need to.

Thanks,

J.R.J in San Antonio

Post Edited (2008-03-13 15:31)

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