I bought a 5 year old wooden FOX(400 i think) oboe at the end of the summer last year for my schools orchestra. The last time I used it was around the end of November. I pulled it out today and somehow the ring on the end of the bell became EXTREAMLY loose, i could almost just slide it off the end. The mechanism on the bell for the Low B was rather sticky and would not return once pressed. Same thing that is going on with my bell is also happening on the keys on the middle piece.

I could see the keys just needing oiled and worked after not being used for a while, but the ring on my bell is confusing me to no end.

Anyone have any idea why this would be happening? change in season (temp/humidity)?

Thanks

You are correct in thinking that temperature & humidity change will be the cause of the loose ring - with regular playing it might tighten up againbut a competent woodwind repairer can easily sort that for you if not.

The sticking keys could be for the same reason but also oil drying out or rust forming on the pivot rods & screws. Maybe as the oboe is 5 years old it hasn't had much attention recently & I recommend finding a good oboe technician to give it a service. Oboes (& all woodwind instruments) are like cars - they are sophistcated mechanical devices which go off the boil slowly & the user doesn't realise this until they have had them serviced.

For the ring I suggest you take it to a music store, don't know what happed there. But as for the pads, my clarinet had the same problem and so did my oboe, you should buy "yamaha powdered paper" it works like magic, sometimes you try it on one of the pads that the key moves, and it doesn't work, well maybe it's another time, don't spend like an hour trying to find out why it's still sticking. Really, it's really really rare when the key sticks, it's more like the pads that the keys move. Good luck!

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lol sorry, i didn't realize the other comment. :)