Top Oboe Reed Brands for Superior Performance

Choosing the right oboe reed can significantly enhance a musician's performance, offering improved sound quality and playability. With numerous brands on the market, it can be challenging to find the perfect fit for your unique style and needs. Factors such as reed material, craftsmanship, and tonal quality are crucial when selecting the best option. To help you navigate the options and make an informed decision, we've compiled a list of the top brands renowned for producing high-quality oboe reeds. Discover our curated selections below.

Illustration of oboe reeds

Best brands of oboe reeds in 2025

Marigaux

Marigaux is renowned as one of the top producers of oboes, known for their instruments' warm, dark sound quality and improved acoustic and tuning properties. The company's designs, such as the M2 model, feature innovations like a long middle joint and a small top joint, which enhance security and intonation in the E to B range. Marigaux oboes are less reed-reliant compared to other brands, with the sound originating more from the lower joint and bell, and they respond well to a wide range of articulation and reed types. The brand has made significant improvements since the late 1960s, addressing historical issues like cracking, and now offers instruments with distinct tonal stability and dynamic range. Marigaux's principal oboe tester, Michel Croquenoy, has patented several design improvements between 2005 and 2008. For more details on Marigaux oboes, visit the dedicated page.

Vandoren

Vandoren is renowned for producing high-quality oboe reeds, crafted with the best cane and assembled with meticulous care by master craftsmen. Their double reeds are available for various instruments, including the oboe, English horn, and bassoon. While Vandoren's market share in other areas like saxophone reeds may be decreasing, their expertise in oboe reeds remains unparalleled. Hand-scraped oboe reeds from Vandoren are preferred for their responsiveness, intonation, and beautiful sound. These reeds are often customized to meet the specific needs of oboists.

Legere

Legere is a leading brand in the production of synthetic oboe reeds, known for their high-quality and reliable products. Founded in 1998 by Dr. Guy Legere and Dr. Mark Kortschot, Legere has made significant strides in synthetic reed technology. Their oboe reeds, introduced in 2016, offer a consistent and durable alternative to traditional cane reeds, with a European scrape style available in three different strengths. While they have not yet released an American scrape version, their reeds have been well-received for their balanced sound and embouchure control. Around 85% of Legere's sales for saxophone reeds are from their Signature series, indicating a strong market presence. For more details on their synthetic oboe reeds, check their product page.

Loree

Loree is widely regarded as one of the best producers of oboes, known for their instruments' exceptional tone quality and durability. Loree oboes hold their resale value strongly, with data showing they retain their value better than other brands, particularly leveling off before 5 years. The brand offers various models, such as the AK and Royal series, which are praised for their flexibility and consistent tone. Loree oboes are favored by professionals for their ease of control and smooth sound, making them a top choice for many oboists. Their instruments are also noted for their light weight and full-bodied sound, especially in the A and C series models.

Emerald Reeds

Emerald Reeds are highly regarded for their consistency and reliability, making them a favorite among both beginner and advanced oboe players. These reeds feature a half-moon American scrape profile, which ensures a stable, warm tone. Available in five strengths - Soft, Medium Soft, Medium, Medium Hard, and Hard - Emerald Reeds are identifiable by their distinct emerald-green thread. The company has been offering high-quality, affordable oboe reeds for many decades, utilizing select cane from the Var Region of France for their Emerald Artist Oboe Reeds. This attention to detail and quality inspection make Emerald Reeds a go-to choice for musicians. For more details, visit their Emerald Artist Oboe Reeds page.

Fox Products

Fox Products is a renowned American manufacturer of double reed instruments, particularly celebrated for its high-quality oboes, English horns, bassoons, and contrabassoons. Founded in 1949 by Hugo Fox, a former principal bassoonist of the Chicago Symphony, the company is based in South Whitley, Indiana. Fox Products produces approximately 40 bassoons and 20 oboe family instruments per week, making it a predominant manufacturer globally, especially for contrabassoons. The instruments are crafted with meticulous care, using wood aged for at least seven years and precise keywork options, resulting in superior sound and mechanical consistency. The company has successfully blended technology with artistry, weathering challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and seeing a significant rise in demand post-pandemic. Learn more about their double reed instruments on their website.

Rigotti

Rigotti is renowned as one of the best producers of oboe reeds, boasting a legacy spanning over 57 years since they commenced cane production on a large plantation in Cogolin, France in 1966. Their cane, characterized by medium to medium-hard density and medium walls, yields a high percentage of usable pieces. Rigotti's commitment to consistency and quality is evident in their rigorous production standards, where the cane is aged for about a year and meticulously sorted and processed to ensure optimal performance. The Rigotti family's dedication to manual labor and precise craftsmanship significantly contributes to the high quality of their reeds. This meticulous attention to detail makes Rigotti cane highly sought after by oboists worldwide. For more details on their oboe tube cane, visit their product page here.

MS Reeds

MS Reeds, such as those from Argendonax and Singin' Dog, are highly regarded for their premium quality and meticulous craftsmanship. Argendonax reeds, for instance, are handcrafted by a distinguished artist from Lincoln Center and use 100% organic cane sourced from vintage cane harvested in 2010, ensuring a strong and structured American scrape. These reeds are sterilized before shipping and offer a range of hardness levels, including Medium/Soft, Medium, and Medium/Hard, to cater to various playing styles. The use of 47-mm brass thin-wall custom staples and tube cane with a diameter of 10.5 to 11mm contributes to their excellent projection and tone quality. Each reed is carefully inspected and adjusted to ensure optimal performance. For more details, visit their Argendonax Oboe Pro Reeds page.

Gonzalez

Gonzalez, particularly through EG-REEDS, is renowned for producing high-quality oboe and English horn reeds, utilizing Arundo Donax cane from the Var region in France, known for its exceptional quality. Founded in 2015 by Eric Gonzalez, EG-REEDS produces over 10,000 reeds annually and ships over 1,000 orders worldwide each year. The company's rigorous quality control process, involving careful selection, harvesting, and a 1-2 year drying process, ensures optimal material quality. Gonzalez cane is also noted for its consistency and hardness, making it a preferred choice among oboists. With a strong distribution network of over 60 distributors in Europe and beyond, Gonzalez reeds are highly regarded for their responsiveness, intonation, and beautiful sound.

D'Addario Woodwinds

D'Addario Woodwinds is renowned for its precision-manufactured reeds, particularly for clarinet and saxophone rather than oboe reeds. The company uses a proprietary, digitally controlled process to ensure high consistency, with each manufacturing step digitally monitored to cut the reeds within strict tolerances. This technology results in a higher level of consistency, making the reeds more reliable for musicians. D'Addario's Reserve line, including Reserve, Reserve Classic, and Reserve Evolution, offers various tonal characteristics tailored for different playing styles and preferences. However, specific information on oboe reeds from D'Addario is limited, as their primary focus is on single-reed instruments. For more details about their offerings, visit their D'Addario Woodwinds page.