NEW MAKER!  This reed line has been transferred to a different reed-maker. What's new? More of a medium tip opening and more balanced.

What does that mean for customers?

For customers who have never played those reeds, we believe it means that as they move around in the reed lineup (as they become more experienced players, as their specific needs change, and as they search for substitute reeds when their top reed choice is out of stock), they will find it much easier to navigate the continuum and to make sense of the system.

For customers who have developed a liking for the specific (former) version of that reed line, it means may end up wanting to move to a different reed selection. Why? It may be that the thing that player liked about "Oboe Reed #5" (for the sake of argument) was not its "five-ness" but rather something unrelated to it being Oboe Reed #5. In that particular case, the player may have liked the tip opening, for example, that was slightly more open than the reed lines around it. 

So what do you do if you're one of those customers in this situation? 

We suggest two things:

1. Try the new version of the reed and see if you like it
2. Try something else that is related to what you used to like

Here are some ideas:

- Former Oboe Reed #5 players might like: Oboe Reed #7, #8, or #10 for the tip opening

- Former Oboe Reed #4 players might like: (New) Oboe Reed #5 or #6

- Former Oboe Reed #11 players might like Oboe Reed #9, #10, or #12

Why did we make this change?

A little over a year ago, we decided it was time to re design and re imagine our oboe reed line. We had many reed-makers making reeds for us and things had gotten to a real boiling point. Customers would buy a certain reed, not really knowing much about it, hoping that it would work for them, and then they would perhaps re order that reed and NOT get the same reed experience as before. Besides that, it was very difficult for new customers to determine what reed would be the best fit for them and why. Our head oboe reed guru, Sally Bohls, really had her work cut out for her!

To summarize the results of her work, Sally took the already existing reeds and she re assigned them numbers instead of letters (and instead of the labels of basic, intermediate, and pro, which didn't seem to help folks know what to get). She worked closely with the makers to develop greater consistency within each given reed line, new standards of playability and cosmetic expectations, and she also sought to create a system that could be understood by non-oboe players for the sake of getting the best fit reed for each player and each customer. Let me tell you, these were some very lofty goals! But Sally is determined, smart, and persistent. She has made tremendous progress in all areas. 

A side effect of the reed line up and the related continuum which shows oboe reeds from 1 to 15, from most free-blowing / flexible to most resistant, is a displacement of some of our previously existing reeds. We tried hard to fit each one of the previously existing reeds by our reed-makers into a category. Nevertheless, over time it became clear that some changes needed to be made for the best interest of the reed line up; to help it make sense as a progression from 1 to 15, from most free-blowing / flexible to most resistant. As we enter the next stage of things, we believe the best thing to do is to revise the offerings for the following reeds: Oboe Reed #4, Oboe Reed #5, and Oboe Reed #11. 

For customers who have never played those reeds, we believe it means that as they move around in the reed lineup (as they become more experienced players, as their specific needs change, and as they search for substitute reeds when their top reed choice is out of stock), they will find it much easier to navigate the continuum and to make sense of the system.

For customers who have developed a liking for the specific (former) version of that reed line, it means may end up wanting to move to a different reed selection. Why? It may be that the thing that player liked about "Oboe Reed #5" (for the sake of argument) was not its "five-ness" but rather something unrelated to it being Oboe Reed #5. In that particular case, the player may have liked the tip opening, for example, that was slightly more open than the reed lines around it. 

We know there will be some growing pains, but we believe these changes will ultimately benefit the most players, and that there will be a solution for everyone.

Oboe Reed #5. 59% resistance/41% flexibility. Warm, clear tone. String color grey/greys. Tip opening: medium. 

NEW MAKER!  What's new? Medium tip opening and more balance

If out of stock, try #6. Inventory updated daily. Returns & exchanges on reeds not accepted.

String color is grey/greys. The specific thread pattern may vary from reed to reed and some reeds have more of a solid coloration look to them. We do not guarantee the specific color pattern on the thread of the reed.

We have a unique system for naming our reeds. We assign them a number based on criteria about their levels of resistance. The numbers on this chart show the percentage of resistance in the reed on the left, and the percentage of flexibility in the reed on the right.

The number essentially corresponds to how easy the reed is to blow to how easy the reed is to control. Here is some advice about how to select the best reed fit for you. Do you have a request for a specific tip opening (more closed | medium | more open)? Put that in the notes and we’ll do our best to select a tip to your specifications.

More information about this reed:

Cane Type: Loree, Danzi
Shaper Tip: Reeds 'n Stuff -1N; RDG -1N
Profiler: Reeds 'n Stuff
Type of Staple: 47mm brass synthetic cork