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The current lead time on oboe family reeds is 7-8 weeks. Processed cane wait is 7-10 days.

Testimonials


Janelle-

Ordering oboe reeds online has felt risker than playing the lottery. Usually I've had to remove significant amounts of cane to make the reed playable and then tune it. THESE reeds, however, are perfect out of the box! Beautifully shaped with lovely light windows for a resonant sound. By the end of rehearsal this morning I was nailing pitch with no muss, no fuss, no bother, and no additional work required on my part. Price was great, especially for the quality. I will definitely be back!!!

Emily-

"It is very rare that I get oboe reeds out of the box and don't have to adjust them to fit my needs. I play in 2 community bands and need reliable reeds. These were very responsive with a warm tone, & I found my chops lasted longer on them. The price is steep sure, but if you can swing it I highly recommend buying Aaron Lakota reeds."

Tom-

"The reeds I ordered shipped sooner than promised and were spot on perfect! I'm about to order 6 more."

P.-

"Thank you so much for once again going above and beyond. As a beginner oboist, she was frustrated and went through many manufactured reeds. When she found your handmade reeds, her love of oboe increased because she felt better about her playing. Now she wants to continue playing once she enters college. Thank you again!"

(same customer)

"Thank you so much Aaron. Your reeds are fantastic. My daughter has been playing oboe almost 2 years now and your quality reeds make her sound more advanced. Thanks again!"

Natale-

"After purchasing several dud Jones' oboe reeds which basically made it impossible for my daughter to play her oboe anymore, her oboe instructor suggested we go the handmade route. So glad we did -- her oboe instructor gave these the thumbs up and my daughter is playing again. Yay!"

A.V-

"I had a very pleasant experience purchasing reeds from Aaron. He was so friendly and you could tell that he really cares about the quality of your reeds. True to form as he states, he strives for “fullness“ rather than “darkness” of sound, and it shows. The reeds were ready to play straight out of the box and intonation is stable and clean. Thank you, Aaron!"

Olsen-

"I've been playing the oboe for years, more on and off now that I'm in college, but through all those years I've never been able to find a reed supplier I've been happy with. ALakota Reeds just might change that. I ordered one student and one professional reed (my embouchure is a bit weak these days) and both sound great."

L.A

"Reed has a beautiful tone, and it is not difficult for my beginner to play. Seller was professional with communication and more than willing to help with a USPS issue, which wasn't his fault. Thank you for the great reed. I will purchase from this seller again."

Caitlin K-

"Great balanced reeds.
I’m a professional oboist, but I’m also a solo parent to a young son and honestly sometimes reed making just does NOT spark joy at the end of a long day!
I appreciate these, they are definitely useful to me!!!!"

Steve J-:

"I am am a semi-pro oboist in my early sixties and am severely out of practice in making reeds. I just received two of your soft pro oboe reeds today and I can’t tell you how comfortable you reeds are for my playing style. Yours are the first commercially-available hand-made reeds I’ve tried that I like. I own both Lorée and Laubin oboes and the reeds work well on both horns. Thank you so much. You can expect more orders from me (I’ll tell my orchestra mates, too, once we’re up and running again 🤞!).

Thanks again for your time and talent!"

 J.G-

Aaron is extremely great to work with. He responded to my inquiries very promptly and was able to get an English horn reed all the way across the bloody continent in (possibly) record time!

The E. horn reed plays beautifully!

I will definitely recommend his shop to my fellow oboists and will use his services the next time I need an E. horn reed.

 

 E :

"I’ve been playing on these reeds for a while now. Aaron takes great consideration when structuring reeds for the optimal presence of overtones and I have rarely had to adjust them for intonation — usually an issue with compatibility with my oboe, not an issue with the reed itself. As a music educator and occasional professional oboist, my performance venues and ensembles vary greatly. The reeds I get from Aaron are durable and have provided an array of timbres when requested– he’s capable of creating mellow, mild reeds which I typically use for solo/liturgical settings and brighter, more resonant reeds which I use for cases in which I need to cut across an ensemble. I’m grateful for the amount of care Aaron takes to make sure his reeds are absolutely ready for the consumer and, six years into buying reeds from A. Lakota Reeds, have never received one that leaks. I highly recommend this option to intermediate, advanced, and professional musicians."

  :

"I have just recently started purchasing reed from Aaron. My students have also been ordering reeds from him. He takes great care to make sure he selects the right reed for each individual musician. He adjusts his reeds to the exact needs of his customers. He is careful to make each reed vibrant with the appropriate resistance level for students of all ability levels. Aaron is always easy to get in touch with when the weather changes and need minor adjustments made. I have never received a reed that was not performance quality."

Jason-
Great experience with ALakotaReeds. Reeds were of excellent quality and play very well. (My son gave me a lot of specific and technical feedback, which I can't recall). It was clear when we were exploring our options that ALakota is passionate about his reeds. We spent a lot of time exploring his etsy page and website. Order was processed quickly, even over a holiday weekend, and arrived well in time for an important concert. Reeds were packaged well. Communications were personal and engaging. Will definitely buy from again.

 

 

"I have been purchasing reeds (three or more at a time), for over a year now. The consistency is wonderful and they are worth the wait time. I do not specify mellow or resonant and am able to modify the reeds as necessary- orchestra or band, or chamber ensemble. I have never received a reed that leeks or is shorter than the rest or not durable. My highest recommendation!"

  :

"I highly recommend Aaron Lakota’s oboe reeds. I have been using his professional reeds for over a year now and I find them to be consistently of high quality. Aaron has worked with me to find reeds that fit my style of playing and my instrument. When the air is hot and humid, some of us find our reeds playing extremely sharp. He has developed a wider, longer reed that helps keep pitch even. He is very knowledgeable about oboe brands and different styles of playing and will try to accommodate your needs. Aaron has a sincere wish that oboe playing be joyful and that to this end he provides a key ingredient: good, easy to play reeds, with beautiful tone."

:

"I refer all of my students to buy their reeds from Aaron. I rarely have to do any minor adjustments to his reeds in order for my students to be able to play on them. Each reed has a full, round sound that allows my students to play in tune and with well supported air while producing a good tone."

  :

"If you are considering purchasing some of Aaron’s reeds, let me tell you that you won’t be disappointed. I have tried both the student and professional models, and they both work great — I have been playing oboe for about 10 years, and these are some of the best reeds I have played on. They are also priced reasonably. You can also expect a lot of consistency from these reeds — I have ordered about 10 reeds so far and they all played roughly the same out of the box. The bottom line is that I highly recommend these reeds because they consistently work well, and they are priced reasonably."

 

"We just received these reeds, my daughter has been playing for 4 weeks, and I can already notice a change in her tone. She isn’t flat anymore! Thank you and we will be purchasing again soon."

 

  

"We bought a couple student oboe reeds for my daughter last year and they worked great. One is still usable, but it’s time to replace! Ok, past time.Aaron, I think you charge too little. The cheapest manufactured one I could find in store was $13! $15 for handmade reeds is a steal!"


 

"We had a small problem with shipping and quality of a reed and Aaron sent us a very nice letter and took care of the problem as soon as we notified him. I wouldn’t hesitate to continue using Aaron for my daughter’s oboe reeds not only for the quality but because of the customer service and communication we had with him. Thank you, very much, for your attention to customers!"

Bailey

I definitely recommend these oboe reeds! Plus the customer service is amazing! Before I ordered I asked many questions and they were prompt, friendly, and very helpful. I was able to order the best reed for me and I'm very satisfied.

Jason W

Great experience with ALakotaReeds. Reeds were of excellent quality and play very well. (My son gave me a lot of specific and technical feedback, which I can't recall). It was clear when we were exploring our options that ALakota is passionate about his reeds. We spent a lot of time exploring his etsy page and website. Order was processed quickly, even over a holiday weekend, and arrived well in time for an important concert. Reeds were packaged well. Communications were personal and engaging. Will definitely buy from again.

Jennifer -

"These English horn reeds play the best of any of the handmade reeds I've tried for my temperamental instrument. Great response and tone quality. They also seem to have handled the transition to my dry, high altitude climate the best."

Gerry G

Aaron is extremely great to work with. He responded to my inquiries very promptly and was able to get an English horn reed all the way across the bloody continent in (possibly) record time!

The E. horn reed plays beautifully!

I will definitely recommend his shop to my fellow oboists and will use his services the next time I need an E. horn reed.

Heath-

"Excellent customer service ! I ordered 7 reeds and they all play exceptionally well, are easy to play, and have a great sound!! Until I can make my own, I'll use Aaron Lakota oboe reeds"