Oboe, Oboe d’amore, English Horn, and Bassoon.

Jones makes double reeds for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.

Check out the differences between our Student (red thread) and Artist (purple thread) reeds here.

Oboe Reeds have a relatively short life, though following our cleaning and care instructions will help you get the most life out of the reed. When the reed is played out, the tip will become very closed, and the reed will begin to play sharp. The blades of the reed can slip more as well, making the sharpness even worse. It is very important to have three or more good reeds that are in good shape that can be selected from. Being in the middle of practice, or worse, a concert, and having your only reed collapse is not a position any player wants to be in.

View More in our Guide to Double Reed Care.

Bassoon reeds that are well taken care of can last for quite a long time. Taking care of them well is addressed above. The life of a bassoon reed can vary tremendously based on care, total playing time, and the resilience of the cane of that particular reed, so answering this question with a specific amount of time, i.e. one month, six months, would be impossible to do accurately.

View more in our Guide to Double Reed Care.

The signs of reed aging are:

Discoloration of the blade cane

Thread unravelling

Sides slipping and coming apart

Playing too sharp

Becoming more resistant

Cracking