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Re: Oboe Reeds, which are the best? Problems with flat reeds >>>

Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-07-05 01:12

Hi again, Ashley --

There are also a lot of sites online that talk about adjusting reeds. The most reliable reed adjusting guide (in my experience) is the one on Martin Schuring's University of Arizona site. http://www.public.asu.edu/~schuring/Oboe/Reedguide.html

There are lots of other sites with suggestions, but I have found that following Mr. Schuring's advice actually gives you the result he says it will.

I agree with vboboe that you will have to learn to adjust reeds -- even the handmade ones often require a little tweaking to get them just right. I, too, buy my reeds a tad harder than I actually play, so that I can take a little cane off without turning it into a kazoo.

I have tried several of the "store brand" reeds you mentioned, and I really do think they are not as good as virtually any of the handmade reeds I have purchased. Since it is quite possible, via Ebay, to buy a good handmade reed for $10.00 or less, it seems less-than-desirable (to me) to pay $8 - $10 for an anonymous store brand, when you can deal directly with the reedmaker and get a custom-made reed.

As far as tools, you will get a variety of opinions on that, too. You will need a plaque or two (little metal tongues that you put inside the reed tip while working on it), and a little cutting block. Many people adjust their reeds with reed knives; more than a few use (carefully!) a single edge razor blade held inside a little plastic device (you get these at the hardware store for about $3.99 -- they're designed for scraping paint off of window panes).
Some reedmakers (including my favorite guy) swear by a certain Craftsman knife from Sears.

As vboboe says, lessons are a good idea.

Susan

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