Where to Order Handmade Reeds
Note: Reeds are made to order and can take 2+ weeks to arrive, so always order before you actually need them! Many places have a reed subscription or auto-ship service (I order 2-3 reeds per month for myself to avoid reed emergencies). Though I am able to make reeds, making them for all of my students is too time-consuming! I suggest ordering from the places below - I am always ordering from new reed-makers and updating this list so you don't have to do the guesswork.
Oboe Reeds
For 5th-6th Grade Beginners: Beginners should have reeds that respond easily, don't sound too quacky, and are inexpensive.
- Edmund Nielsen - 6th and 7th graders should get "medium hard" in purple or black thread colors. Edmund Nielsen reeds are color-coded by maker, so the thread color on their site does matter!
- Stellar "Student" Reeds - Use their monthly subscription to avoid long wait times
"Step-Up" Reeds for Middle Schoolers: Once they get past the reed-breaking stage! These reeds have better quality cane, are more stable in sound, and have a little more resistance.
- Oxford Reeds - Made in Georgia by Rebecca Testerman
- Bocal Majority - "Professional E" Reed, very fast shipping
- Shalita "Mimosa 2" intermediate reeds
- Reed Pros Superior Intermediate Oboe Reeds - Use their monthly subscription to avoid long wait times
- Stellar "Advanced Student" Reeds - Use their monthly subscription to avoid long wait times
For All-State Auditions, High School/College Students and Professionals: These reeds are made with the highest quality cane, sound very dark/resonant, and are scraped with more detail.
- Wildflower Reeds (in Texas) - made by Elise Belk (former student of John Mack). I use the "medium professional" reeds. These are great for students with strong embouchures. Arrived 1 week after ordering.
- Samantha Marie Reeds - Easy to play, dark sound - good for relaxed embouchures
- Bjorklund Reedworks (in Chicago) - Warm/dark sound, easy response. Arrived almost 1 month after ordering, but worth the wait! They offer a monthly subscription.
- James Sullivan Oboe Reeds (in Alabama)
- Shalita Black Label Pro Reed - Dark sound, easy response, opening is more closed and good for students with relaxed embouchures, arrived almost 2 weeks after ordering. They offer a monthly subscription.
- Moreno Reeds - Dark sound, easy response, medium opening, arrived 5 weeks after ordering
- Leland Greene Reeds: Easy to play, warm sound. Ask me for his contact info.
- LTK Reeds - next on my trying list
English Horn Reeds
- Oxford Reeds - Made in Georgia by Rebecca Testerman
- Wildflower Reeds
- Double or Nothing Reeds
- MKL Reeds
- Leland Greene
- Erica Howard
Bassoon Reeds
- Forrests Music
- For 6th/7th grade beginners: "Forrests Gold Label" or "Albion Blue Label" (medium soft or medium)
- For auditioning middle schoolers and high schoolers: the "Forrests Black Label" (I use medium soft)
- CB Reeds & Tools by Cullen Blain - Beginners can get the student reed. I use the professional "medium soft" reed.
- Tom Hardy Reeds - from London, and excellent audition reeds!
- Go Bassoon Reeds
- LC Double Reeds
- Tiger Reeds
- Bocal Majority "Medium" Reeds - these also come in fun themes...Star Wars, Zelda, holidays, etc.
- Raffe Reeds by Eryn Oft
- Double or Nothing Reeds
- Bel Canto Reeds
