 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2005-07-04 18:30
I'm tried several brands of reeds so far; Jones (didn't really like), LaVoz (hit or miss but I do have a very good one from this brand), Lesher Pro (I like the response and tone of these, easy to play all registers, sound a little flat though...I think the openning may be a bit too big), Lesher/Regular (I like these ok, I think I prefer the Pro to these though), Chartier (very easy response, not too great at higher notes, *very* loud reed).
I'm not an expert, so I thought I'd see what you all like the best.
Also, when I get a new reed, it is usually very hard to play. The openning looks too big. Some I can hardly get a sound from, let alone a good one. I've heard you have to adjust most new store bought reeds. What do I need to do and what kind of tools do I need?
Some of my reeds sound quite flat too. Is it the reed or me? What should I do to keep it from being flat?
Other important reed information I should know?
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-07-04 20:06
Ashley --
I'm just thinking that you might want to start buying better reeds to start with. All the reeds you mention are "machine made", mass-production products. How about getting your reeds from a shop that specializes in oboes (such as Charles Double Reed <http://www.charlesmusic.com/>, or Nielsen's <http://www.nielsen-woodwinds.com/>, or Forrest's <http://www.forrestsmusic.com/>, to name just three -- there are many more stores like this, and they are available online).
I get my reeds from Kerry Willingham <http://www.reedmaker.com>. Pay attention to his guarantee -- he really means it.
If you can use Ebay, there are some good reedmakers selling there, including:
Charles Double Reed -- usually has a "three-fer" auction (three reeds for whatever the bid price is -- usually quite reasonable)
oboereed1109 (Kathy DiCola) sells very good reeds on Ebay
Andrea Hall will also make you some nice reeds. <http://stores.ebay.com/Hall-Double-Reed_W0QQssPageNameZviQ3asibQ3astoreviewQQtZkm>
You might also take a look at Patty Mitchell's site <http://www.oboeinsight.com/>
for all sorts of information about oboes and oboe playing. She's a player and teacher, and will respond to your questions/comments. She also has a great list of reed sources.
If your reeds are too open, you can pinch them down (carefully!) and they will often perform well.
If a reed is flat, you can always clip the tip at little.
Do check out the reed makers I listed! You can end up paying more for bad reeds than you do for good ones.
Susan K.
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Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2005-07-04 20:36
Thank you very much for your recommendations. I have never bought oboe reeds off of eBay before. I wasn't too sure since they were handcrafted and from sellers I've never heard of. Actually, the mass produced ones are really about the only ones I've been able to get easily so I haven't really thought of getting them from a smaller place. I will definitely look into the reeds that you have mentioned.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2005-07-04 23:02
Hi there Ashley, welcome!
You sound like it's time to learn how to fix reeds for yourself.
Commercial reeds too open? Reeds unresponsive? Reeds too flat?
Reeds don't do high register? Reeds too hard to play at first? ALL can be fixed.
What brand reed to get, what do I prefer -- it's always a gamble, all are variables, but I pay mid-range prices, and then I fix the reeds to suit me. At this exact moment I have medium hard Jones, La Voz and Dunkel in my playing set. All of them have been fixed, so they're actually mediums now. Need to get next hardness up, because there's more wood left on to reshape the reed in the fixing process.
I've done softer ones, they're no longer good choices for my embouchure as developed to date. I've also tried ready-to-play expensive hand-made pro-reeds, they had to be touched up to suit me also, so it wasn't worth the extra money to me.
Bottom line -- only the reeds you learn to make yourself suit you best ... and, as your playing embouchure evolves, so must the reeds be adjusted to suit you then. Also, if you learn reed-fixing skills, you can also learn how to extend the life of your reeds by trimming and reshaping a frayed tip, etc.
Several important things for selecting reeds until you know how to fix them yourself ... and competitive mid-priced brand names usually is irrelevant (except subjectively) ... but ... when you absolutely need a new reed ... what the store's got on hand is what you have to choose from, yes?
So, with what they've got in medium hards, I select the best combo of
... translucent tip (more responsive)
... fine grain cane (better overall tonality)
... smoother finish in the scrape (sweeter reed already and less finishing work for me)
... even and similar scrape both sides (less wild and unpredictable)
... 70mm length (too long = too flat, more fixing work needed)
... scrape not more than 3/4 down the cane (less likely to be flat)
... wider apertures (they'll always close down eventually)
... and, all other factors above being weighed, I'll choose a non-wired reed before a wired reed, although wire's easy enough to take off. My lips don't like rolling over wire.
You must, absolutely must, find a reed-making teacher (although I believe there's a good detailed video available out there, haven't needed it myself) to show you how to do that. Teacher will tell you what tools you need. Presume video will have a list too.
How find one where you live? Start by asking your present band teacher, music store, music schools with oboe teachers, checking out the yellow pages, etc.
What I don't think you need to know just now is how to make reeds from tube cane. Instead it would be more practical for you to learn how to fix ready-made reeds to play better for you, and not long after that you'll want to learn how to tie new cane on recycled tubes and scrape them down to your very own style of new reeds
It's cheaper to make your beginner's mistakes on economy coarse-fibred cane, but the reality is that good quality fine-fiber cane stands up longer when wet, takes longer to blow out, vibrates with less buzz against the lips, is easier to shave down, and produces more complex and beautiful sound.
Shortcut to making fewer mistakes is getting a teacher to show you how to do it right.
Good luck searching, hope you find somebody locally to help you.
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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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Author: sömeone
Date: 2005-07-05 06:42
The best i have found so far is this : http://shop.kge-reeds.com
expensive, but VERY VERY good.
Jones is excellent, but most commercial reeds will need adjustment anyways, good luck.
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2005-07-05 18:51
My experience, FWIW: Been playing oboe for 4 months now; I've had good luck so far with both Fox and Giardinelli brand commercial reeds (haven't gotten around to buying reeds off eBay yet, although I intend to when I feel like I "deserve" better reeds, like when it's clear that the "oboe thing" is going to "take" :D ). The Giardinelli reeds tend to be more open and more "honky", but maybe that's because I've been playing the Fox reeds more.
The two reeds from LaVoz that I got from Giardinelli weren't even the same length! [boggles silently] And the sides were sealed with--obviously--clear nail polish. I've heard of home reedmakers using nail polish in a pinch instead of goldbeaters skin, but I never expected to find a commercial manufacturer using it. Guess I've got a lot to learn about commercial reeds. :D And it was just slopped on, too, big wodges of goop on the sides, not like the way you'd carefully dab it on at home.
I have also found, FWIW, that the reeds (from both Fox and Giardinelli) that were continually and annoyingly flat a couple months ago, when I was first starting, are now mysteriously "not-flat", and I can only credit my (slowly) developing embouchure, getting better at tweaking the pitch, I guess.
I too tried to "adjust" one of the Fox reeds, early on, by clipping the tip as advised, and merely succeeded in ruining what it is now clear would have been a perfectly decent reed. My advice would be to use extreme caution before taking an Exacto knife to your supposedly "flat" reed. Because it may not be the reed's fault. 
Post Edited (2005-07-05 18:55)
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-07-05 19:38
<<My advice would be to use extreme caution before taking an Exacto knife to your supposedly "flat" reed. Because it may not be the reed's fault. >>
Amen to that.
AND . . . when you do clip, take off the teensiest amount possible (you can always take more later, if necessary). It doesn't take much of a trim at all to improve a raucous, flat reed.
Read Martin Shuring's advice. http://www.public.asu.edu/~schuring/Oboe/Reedguide.html
Susan
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2005-07-07 17:03
Hi Dutchy, FYI new flat reeds tend to get sharper after blowing in and reeds blow sharper anyway with increasing age ... also some tired embouchures blow sharper like mine or flatter like my co-player oboe in band, which is quite an interesting microtonal ow-wow-ow so totally typical of modern life ... we like to think of it as delegated vibrato which our tenor sax can modify at leisure
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