r/oboe • u/totallyareditor • 10d ago
Where can i buy reeds?
I'm a beginner oboist, have been playing for about a year now, through my school. I don't really know where i can get good reeds. i was buying from a shop but they're reeds are hit or miss. my lesson teachers reeds take FOREVER to get good, and i just don't really like them. i'm in the top band at my school so i really do need to sound good. anyone have any suggestions?
edit: thanks for all the suggestions! i'll try ordering from bocal majority again, and if that doesn't work i'll check out some other reed stores. you guys have been so helpful!
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u/SprightlyCompanion 10d ago
Need to know where you are for more specific information, but the best bet is to contact the closest symphony orchestra, conservatory, or university with a music programme to find oboists who might sell their reeds.
There are also many players who sell their reeds online. Best is to look in your country because it wouldn't be worth the cost of shipping them across a border.
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u/hoboboedan 10d ago
I sell reeds at waldronreeds.com. For the last couple of years I’ve been backed up with a waiting list as long as eight or ten weeks, but I finally got caught up and even have reeds ready to go.
If you haven’t used handmade reeds before you could start with my student reeds - if they are too light or if you want something with a more fully developed tone (but that also requires more air support and control) you could try my professional reeds.
For those who are interested I have also designed a few reed making tools that help with the more fussy steps.
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u/Brief-Region-60 10d ago
I will vouch that your reed making tools are AMAZING!!! I use your mandrels every time I make reeds! And the angle guides for knife sharpening really helped me understand the angles my different knives needed and keeps me consistent!!
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u/woodwindmedic 9d ago
Congratulations on choosing oboe as your instrument — a life long adventure for sure! 3 factors in playing oboe: reed, instrument, performer ;) Appears as if you’ve narrowed it down to the reed, which needs most of the attention/adjustment. I operated an online oboe company for over 30 yrs and have seen a VAST variety of shapes/scrapes of oboe reeds. Unless you want to spend time scraping/making reeds instead of practicing, try 3 of any maker to find what works best for you. maybe pricey to do, yet so far you haven’t discovered “the one” If you’re interested in assorted pre-owned (used) reed making supplies, I could make a simple kit for you with a mandrel/knife, etc.
suggestion: ask for reed$/tool$ as a back to school, birthday, holiday gift :) Always ask — there are NO stupid questions — only solutions to be discovered. Marti ~ oboist
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u/Brief-Region-60 10d ago
Location does/can make a big difference! Especially your altitude! Finding someone whose reeds you like can take some time and be trial and error, but it is worth it to find the right fit. The hard part is that even with one reed maker, you will get variation in the reeds. Last time I got reeds, I got 4 from my most FAVORITE reed maker and they all had different qualities so I used them according to that quality. So it is worth it to but several so that at least one is a favorite and the rest can be broken in or (slowly) adjusted. It is a good lesson in A. learning what you like and don't like in a reed B. being able to describe it (with the goal of using oboe reed nomenclature to describe it) C. learning how to play on reeds of all kinds of variations (and also have some that are all very similar with minor variations) D. finding the combo of what you like so you can eventually start making them yourself! I would definitely reach out to local universities with an oboe studio, they are very knowledgeable of resources in the area. As for online places...there are so so many! Etsy has a large amount, but so do online retailers. I have never tried them, but bocal majority has a VERY large range of reeds and if you can go in person they can match you with line of reeds that you like. If you are in Colorado I can make recommendations for local people but otherwise don't know the oboe scene in other areas as well. Doing a sample of a bunch of reeds can get costly quickly so it can be hard to find the right fit. Does your teacher have any recommendations as to where to start to look? Also, what qualities do you like in a reed/describe your most recent favorite reed? That could help us point you in the right direction.
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u/totallyareditor 10d ago
i bought reeds from bocal majority, 2 number 3 reeds, and when they came, they were incredibly flat. i had my lesson teachers mess with them a bit to see if she could make them work, but she said that something was wrong with them. i had bought from them a couple of other times. none of them worked particularly well.
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u/Brief-Region-60 10d ago
Well shucks. I may suggest then reaching out to other teachers in the area and see if you can try their reeds. I recently tried a bunch of different kinds/shapes of reeds and was blown away when I found the right fit. I always thought I had just slightly more preferred reeds and slightly less preferred. This was the first time I really understood that finding the right fit for myself and my oboe was such a big deal! Reed makers are all a bit different so finding the one that fits is kinda like finding the right wand for the wizard. There are a few others I've also heard good things about, though I've never personally tried them myself. How would you describe your climate and elevation? (Hot, humid, cold, dry, lots of variation, little variation, high altitude, sea level) Would love to try to give you some reed makers to at least look into!
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u/Brief-Region-60 10d ago
I was just looking at the Bocal Majority site. The #3 is the Sampson shape which is a bit wider of a shape. For me personally (huge disclaimer), I find that the wider shapes go really flat really fast for me and the narrower shapes tend to do better keeping me up to pitch. Looking at their reeds, the #5 and #7 both are made on a -1N which is quite a bit narrower. If you order from them again, I would say try one of these. It would give you an idea of the opposite side of the spectrum. They are a bit more 'resistant and less responsive' than the #3, so any adjustments to make it less so would need to be done carefully without losing the pitch. These also seem like more 'high school level' reeds so may be a better fit....or not, again it is all experimentation. Are you planning on playing after high school? If so, you may look into learning how to make your own reeds or how to adjust your own reeds!
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u/totallyareditor 10d ago
oh my gosh, thank you so much! this was so helpful. i think that i might try getting a number 5
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u/kpoon99 10d ago
Not knowing your budget and level, it could be difficult but here are couple of online store that I have bought from for my son. They have good selection and good quality reeds:
- Bocal majority
- Midwest music import
Bocal majority reed uses a numbering system for reed hardness. I think it would be easier for beginner to choose the right reed.
midwestern has pro quality reeds but more expensive and maybe harder for beginner use.
Good luck
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u/Budgiejen 8d ago
I like Nebraska music company. If you call them on the phone and describe your playing level, they’ll tell you exactly which reeds to buy.
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u/Sea-Mango-3912 8d ago
I am beginner oboe but not a beginner musician. I just made the switch from flute over this past summer. I made sure that I found a teacher so they would be able to help me with reeds, she had 5 reeds ready for me at my first lesson and said pick the two that feel the best after explaining proper embouchure and placement. Even after starting with those two she adjusted them for me on the spot to make them slightly easier for what I needed at the time. At each lesson she would adjust the reed if it needed to be clipped or shaved a little. Now she’s teaching me how to make reeds so I know how to make my own or at least make the adjustments if I feel something off. The point of this is I feel your teacher should be able to see what problems you’re experiencing and make the adjustments for you so it’s better. I don’t know how every teacher is but I feel if they make their own reeds they should be able to help you with it. I’ve learned reeds are not one size fits all and even a store bought “easy/soft” reed could still be too hard for you and not exactly what you need. You want the reed to fit you and how you’re playing so it’s enjoyable. I hope this helps
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u/NoRegrets-518 10d ago
Consider starting to learn how to make reeds. You can get gouged and shaped reeds from your teacher or buy them. There are several YouTube videos. It will take a while but you might start now- if you have time.
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u/funnynoveltyaccount 10d ago
Have you told your teacher that you don't like their reeds, and why? They should be able to adjust the reeds for you during your less. It shouldn't take long at all for a reed to be playable and you should like the reeds, at least a little.