 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Old Oboe
Date: 2011-07-30 01:21
I just received 4 new reeds from an exceptionally good maker that I have used before. This time three are cracked. Two have a crack from the thread up to the beginning of the scrape on one blade and one seems to have a crack all the way though because I can feel a slight breeze on my upper lip when I play it. The cracked reeds are all flat in the low register (Actually from middle B down). How should I handle this when I call the maker? All other reeds ( 4 in all) from them have been perfect. Is it possible to have a little crack that does not go all the way through and would not be considered a defect? (I don't want to try to adjust a reed to get the pitch up if it's really cracked!) The maker lives in about my same climate and I soaked the reeds normally and noticed the problem with the first tone I played, so I hope they will make good on them. Any ideas?
Linda
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2011-07-30 03:33
I would CERTAINLY let the maker know ASAP, perhaps send photos via e-mail?
THe one reed cracked 'only' to the beginning of the scrape might possible be salvaged but I would be reluctant to even try if you want a refund.
If ALL the reeds are flat "from B down", then I would certainly ask for a refund or replacement. Let the reedmaker know how much you've valued his/her reeds in the past.
It might be a postal fluke. They may have 'experienced' extreme condition while en route. OR it might be a bad batch of cane pre-disposed to cracking.
let us know how you get on!
GoodWinds
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2011-07-30 13:18
Yes, certainly contact the reedmaker! No need to be accusatory -- s**t happens. But any good reedmaker would want to know, and I hope would offer to replace the damaged reeds. Take photos, too.
OTOH, some reedmakers do have disclaimers on their sites regarding damaged reeds -- make sure you check that before making the call.
I agree with Mary, a small crack extending just above the threads but not into the back of the reed sometimes happens in the tying on, and is acceptable. But to have the whole batch showing cracks suggests to me something else is going on here. Possibly the extreme weather.
Do you know when they were shipped, and how long they may have spent without climate control?
Susan
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Author: RobinDesHautbois
Date: 2011-07-30 14:52
Like Suzan said.. shhhhh.... it happens!
Sooo many factors can account for this. I would expect the reed maker to just replace them gladly because s/he knows from LOTS of times this happening to her/his own reeds.
Although, over 20 years, I have had a couple or so split reeds that actually remained good enough to use in performance, this is so incredibly rare I would not chance loosing the opportunity of replacements.
Best of luck!
Robin Tropper
M.A.Sc., B.Mus., B.Ed.
http://RobinDesHautbois.blogspot.ca/music
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2011-07-30 16:51
I buy professionally-made reeds on occasion to check my own technique. I received a batch of 4 once, and I think 3 were cracked, but in that 'fixable' way I mentioned. In the end, 3 played, and 2 were actually good.
I was curious to know if the reedmaker was aware of these cracks -- near the string, they usually happen during the tying process -- before she shipped them. If so, that would be a bad sign. If not, then perhaps she wasn't paying attention.
It IS possible that they would 'happen' en route, but in my own reed-making experience, I could only envision that with poor packing and/or TERRIBLE changes in temperature/humidity.
I'd love to hear from the reed-maker side, what kinds of experiences they've had in dealing with refunds/replacements...
GoodWinds
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Author: cjwright
Date: 2011-08-02 09:00
Hi Linda,
As a professional reedmaker, I occasionally get a phone call or email from a reed client who is concerned about a crack on the throat of the reed (the area of the bark between the string and the beginning of the scrape.) Not once have I ever seen the crack go through the actual reed, and usually these cracks are surface cracks.
If you're truly feeling a "breeze on your upper lip" as you put it, it might be cracked all of the way through, but this is very rare. I'd guess that the problem is probably coming from a leaky reed rather than surface crack. If the reed truly is cracked, all of the way through, then yes, it should play VERY flat (not just a hair flat). but otherwise, a surface crack would usually make no difference.
If you have questions, send it back immediately. There's nothing worse than sending a reed out and then getting an email complaining about the reed a month later. As a reedmaker, I'm sitting there wondering, "Who knows what that reed has been through in the past month!"
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
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Author: Old Oboe
Date: 2011-08-02 16:30
Thanks for all your input. I did contact the maker immediately and they are replacing the reeds very graciously. I appreciate all of your help.
Linda
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Author: Jennetningle
Date: 2011-08-02 20:55
Every reed maker has his or her own ethics about what to send out, I would guess.
Speaking for myself, I will mail a reed with a small crack from the string WHICH STILL PLAYS WELL. I will mail a reed with a slightly imperfect looking tip WHICH STILL PLAYS WELL. I will not mail a leaky or severely cracked reed or one that does not play well (for me, with my setup, in my climate), but sometimes things do happen in shipping, and sometimes a tiny crack that I judged to be stable might not be.
If a customer contacts me about a damaged or un-good reed I replace it, no questions asked. The key is, though, that the customer has to get in touch, because I will never know about the problem otherwise.
So although my advice is late coming to this thread it is the same - get in touch with the reed-maker in a non-hostile way and they should make it OK.
Jennet
_________________________
Jennet Ingle
<www.jennetingle.com>
<www.proneoboe.com>
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2011-08-02 23:10
Being a decent reed maker myself, I always admire those who offer to replace "no questions asked", as the $$ you get for producing a really good reed is pretty minimal considering the time involved.
I hope nobody takes advantage of your generous refund policies, Cooper and Jennetningle. I am scared to make reeds for anyone other than myself!
GoodWinds
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Author: cjwright
Date: 2011-08-03 00:06
I'm a little less "no questions" than Jennet is. If the reed is dead on arrival, I happily replace them, but they have to contact me within a week of arrival or the guarantee is void. I've had people try to swap reeds out 2 months after I've sent them out, to which I'm like, "Uh, this isn't Walmart folks."
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
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Author: Jennetningle
Date: 2011-08-03 13:07
Yes, that's fair. I find that oboists are pretty reasonable, and I've never had to spell out my policy too carefully. If someone complains about their two-months-ago reed I just offer to be more careful next time.
Jennet
_________________________
Jennet Ingle
<www.jennetingle.com>
<www.proneoboe.com>
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