Oboe Care Guide
There are always measures we can and should take to keep our oboes in as good a condition as they can be, and to prevent them from needing expensive repairs. Good maintenance stops avoidable costs and allows us to get the best from our instruments when we are playing them. See below some guidelines on maintaining your oboe.
P.S. There will always be matters that fall into the unavoidable category, and we will be there to help you out if this happens to you.
Before getting your oboe out of its case, make sure it’s on a flat stable surface. With clean dry hands, carefully put your instrument together. Using excessive force during assembly is a prime cause of bent keywork, so use a small amount of cork grease if the joints feel tight. Try not to twist the joints more than a few millimetres when putting them together, as over twisting can also cause bent link keys and torn G# pads.
From time to time, clean off old, sticky grease from the tenon corks using a soft cloth and apply fresh grease.
After playing, clean and dry your oboe’s bore with purpose made mops or a pull-through swab. If using a pull-through, check that there are no knots in it that may become stuck in the bore before use. Pull through from the bell end to the reed socket. If you feel any resistance do NOT just pull harder! The bore is smaller at the top than the bottom, so tugging harder will just wedge the cloth into the instrument more firmly. Instead, use the other end of the swab to withdraw the pull-through from the bell.
Use a microfibre cloth to gently wipe over the keywork to dry off any moisture from your fingers before putting your oboe back in its case. Don’t leave it out on a stand where it’ll get knocked over and damaged. Also, moisture trapped in an instrument left on a stand for extended periods without being dried may cause the tenons to swell causing the joints to become stuck together.
Don’t eat or drink while playing! Spilt drinks and crumbs are not your oboe’s friends.
Don’t store your instrument in very cold or very hot environments. Rapid changes of temperature or humidity can cause wooden instruments to crack. If your oboe gets cold, allow it to warm up gently to room temperature before blowing warm, moist air down it.
Resist the temptation to oil your instrument’s bore or keywork mechanism. Excessive oiling can cause a build-up of dirt in tone holes and damage pads, creating more problems than not oiling at all. Your technician will take care of oiling as necessary when your instrument’s serviced.
Remember, at Howarth of London we’re here to help. If your instrument develops a problem, call or email us. Whilst there’s often a waiting list for full services, we can usually accommodate minor repairs at short notice.