Can anyone give me a quick tutorial about the types of Oboe pads available?

What are the benefits of different materials? Are there some that are less maintenance intensive? Which sound the best?

I just received an oboe I purchased off of eBay and it looks great except it is an older wooden one and the pads are falling off! I figure that if I am going to pay a couple hundred dollars for repadding, I just as well pay a few dollars more for good quality ones.

Thanks a bunch!

Heliman

Hi,
Cork pads are much better than teflon pads, although they are more expensive. Teflon pads are usually only used on the lower half of the oboe (not on keys you push down), if at all. Hope this helps. Erin

Thanks for the reply! My oboe is in the shop being repadded with cork pads. One of these days they will finish it, I hope. They have had it four weeks, now.