I just got a wooden oboe today and I decided to start breaking it in, so I played it for only 4-5 minutes. After this I noticed the oboe got sort of lighter at the top joint. There are sort of these rings that are going down it that are lighter and allmost brown. It was much more noticable after I stopped playing but I can still see it a little. Also I know that on a wood instrument you can see the I guess the best way to put it is lines that show the woodgrain. On the top joint one of these "lines" looks much nore noticeable and I can run my finger across it, is a crack starting?

Hello

If you can feel the line in the wood, then it does suggest that you do have a crack forming. It does seem rather quick after so few minutes playing though.

Can you take it back to get it examined by whoever sold it to you, as if it has cracked so quickly it suggests that there is a fault with it, and that it should be replaced as faulty under your quarantee.

Regards

Karen

Before you panic check the seal on the top joint. You can do this by covering all of the main finger holes and putting a finger at the bottom of the top joint and sucking all of the air from the top joint. Then put your tongue over the reed socket, or use the fleshy part of your lower lip to hold the suction. Hopefully you can do this, if you can`t then it has cracked and bring it in.

thanks I did the suction thing and I had a seal and everytihng so there`s no crack. I think I was probably overreacting. I think I just thought I saw a crack and then rubbed my fingernail on the oboe and was sure I felt something after looking at the top joint again I don`t feel anything if I just move my finger around on it. I rented a wodden oboe for a long time and never worried this much but this whole buying a new oboe thing has me really paranoid about damaging it. Anyway thanks for your advice.

Cracks aren`t as big a deal as some people think. In Canada, most oboes crack. Mine is cracked, both my teachers oboes are cracked... As long as the seal is good, don`t worry. It`ll lower the value of your oboe, but you don`t need to worry about that until you want to sell it, and even then, if you bought one you like you dont have to sell it until it`s blown out when it isn`t really worth anything anyway.