15 Oboe Staple Brands

Posted by Ann Hodge on Mar 14th 2022

Go Back to Chapter 2

Chapters

How to Select Your Oboe Staple: Introduction
Chapter 1: 4 Effects Staples Have on Your Oboe Reeds
Chapter 2: 10 Characteristics of Oboe Staples
Chapter 3: 15 Oboe Staple Brands
Chapter 4: Oboe Mandrels
Conclusion: Oboe Staple Selection Tool

Chapter 3 15 Oboe Staple Brands

Being an oboe specialty shop puts us in the unique position to test, measure, and analyze literally thousands of staples from more than a dozen brands. We have the largest selection of oboe staples in North America, with nearly 100 oboe staple options alone and adding more regularly.

This variety is overwhelming.

How do I navigate the myriad of options and choose the staple that works best for me?

Spend time studying the information provided in Chapter 2 - 10 Characteristics of Oboe Staples to understand how small changes in your staples affect your reeds. Use the charts to determine what staples might make the changes you want. Then look at the detailed information on the staples you are interested in, which is provided in the following blog, or view our product descriptions on each product page. But first a quick overview of what we offer in our shop.

The following is a detailed dive into the characteristics of each staple model along with helpful graphics. In alphabetical order by brand, each staple has a list of characteristics compared to other well-known staples for a starting point.

1. American (Hodge Brand)

Country – made in America
Manufacturing Process – made using the old school method of hammer-forging with equipment that dates back to the turn of the 20th century.
Cork – synthetic and natural cork options
Wall Thickness – Thick walls that get thinner at the base (.30-34mm decreasing to .17-.23mm)
Metal Type – brass or nickel-silver
Metal Finish – various finishes and scoring provide grip for the cane
Tip Area – similar to Bonazza and Lorée
Base Area – slightly smaller than RC1 and Chiarugi 2
Tip Shape – on the flatter side
Mandrel – no mandrel (other brands recommended below)
4 Models

American Student

Cork – synthetic cork beveled at the end to make it easier to insert it into the reed well, 30-31mm long
Metal Finish – polished finish
Markings – spiraled down to the cork for good cane and thread grip
Tip Area – average, same as Chiarugi 2 and close to Pisoni Deluxe
Base Area – 17.8mm² (4.76mm diameter), average, close to Chiarugi 2 and Pisoni
Tip Shape – flatter, same as Bonazza Deluxe and close to Pisoni
Volume – small-average, similar to Lorée regular
Taper – similar to Lorée regular
Mandrel – fits best on a Pisoni mandrel

American Pro

Cork – synthetic cork with flat bottom, 30-31mm long
Metal Finish – beautifully polished metal and finished tip
Markings – spiraled down to the cork for good cane and thread grip
Tip Area – average, slightly bigger than student version, closer to Lorée regular
Base Area – 17.87mm² (4.77mm diameter), average, close to Chiarugi 2 and Pisoni
Tip Shape – flatter, same as Pisoni
Volume – large-average, same as Bonazza Deluxe
Taper – average, a little straighter than Lorée AK
Mandrel – fits best on a Pisoni mandrel

American Stevens-Style

Cork – natural cork, 30-31mm long
Metal Finish – sanded finish
Markings – double hand-scored diagonal lines
Tip Area – average, close to Lorée regular, less than Stevens #2 staple
Base Area – 17.95mm² (4.78mm diameter), average, close to Chiarugi 2 and Pisoni, less than Stevens #2 staple
Tip Shape – flatter-average, same as Pisoni Deluxe and Stevens #2 staple
Volume – average, similar to a Chiarugi 2+ and Lorée AK
Taper – average, close to Lorée AK and close to the Stevens #2 but a little smaller and without the inside bevel on the tip
Mandrel – fits best on a Pisoni mandrel

These staples are the closest to the popular Stevens #2 staples in taper and shape of the tip, but the tip size and base are a little smaller than the Stevens #2 and don’t include an inside bevel on the tip.

American Euro #2

Cork – natural cork, 31-32mm long
Metal Finish – polished finish, beveled and polished tip
Markings – none
Tip Area – average, close to Lorée regular
Base Area – 17.72mm² (4.75mm diameter), average, close to Chiarugi 2
Tip Shape – flat, close to Pisoni
Volume – average, same as Lorée AK
Taper – straighter-average, straighter than Lorée AK
Mandrel – fits on Chiarugi 2, Lorée, and Rigotti mandrels

As its name implies, these staples are very similar to the traditional European Chiarugi #2 / Lorée / Rigotti staples.

2. Bonazza Deluxe

Bonazza Deluxe Oboe Staples Taper Comparison

Country – made in Italy
Cork – natural cork, 29-30mm long
Wall Thickness – medium-thin walls stay the same from top to bottom (.23mm)
Metal Type – only available in silver-plate (a small amount of brass left at our shop)
Tip Area – almost the same as Glotin staples and close to Guercio AM
Base Area – 19.06mm² (4.93mm diameter), same as Guercio AM
Tip Shape – on the flatter side
Mandrel – no Mandrel (Fits on Rigotti, Le Roseau Chantant 1, and Marigaux 1)

These mandrels are all quite different from each other. It appears that the Bonazza Deluxe staple has an interior section that holds each of these mandrels so that the top of the staple is flush with the tip of the mandrel. While they look like they fit, the fit is not precise. Additionally, the Le Roseau Chantant 2 fits snuggly, but it will round the staple tip a bit.

3. Chiarugi

Country – made in Italy
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe
Cork – natural cork from Portugal covering 2/3rds of staple, 30-30.5mm long
Wall Thickness – medium-thin walls that get thicker at the base (.22-.23mm increasing to .29-.35mm)
Metal Type – available in brass or some models also available in nickel-silver, #2 available in superstaple designs
Tip Area – varies by staple model
Base Area – varies by staple model
Tip Shape – very nicely shaped oval except the Chiarugi 5 which is flatter because it’s a copy of the flat-tipped Glotin
Mandrel – mandrels available for each size
7 Models

In general, Chiarugi makes all their staples with a single taper angle down the sides of the staple and two angle changes down the front/back of the staple. The top angle shift occurs 8.5mm from the top of the staple. The lower angle shift varies, anywhere between 14mm – 22mm from the bottom.

Chiarugi #1

Tip Area – small, similar to Lorée DM
Base Area – 16.39mm² (4.57mm diameter), small, similar to Lorée DM
Tip Shape – average ellipse, not as round as Lorée DM
Volume – smallest of all brands
Taper – average

Chiarugi #2

Tip Area – average, similar to Lorée regular
Base Area – 18.11mm² (4.8mm diameter), average, similar to Lorée regular
Tip Shape – average ellipse, not as round as Lorée regular
Volume – lower-average, similar to Lorée regular
Taper – average

This staple is also available in brass in all three superstaple designs, “E” (Excavated), “S” (Solid), and “M” (Solid Midway).

Chiarugi #2+

Tip Area – larger-average, almost identical to the Lorée AK
Base Area – 18.72mm² (4.88mm diameter), larger-average, almost identical to the Lorée AK
Tip Shape – average ellipse, identical to the Lorée AK
Volume – higher-average, identical to the Lorée AK
Taper – average

Chiarugi 2+ and Lorée AK are, according to Mark Chudnow, the same as the Chudnow and Sierra staples, all of which are made by Chiarugi. Howarth also claims that the staples with their name on them are Chiarugi 2+. (We don't carry Howarth staples at this time.) The Oboe Shop @ Cgrid-wrap_2thers in the UK recommends the Chiarugi 2+ for both the Howarth and Rigoutat oboes.

Chiarugi #3

Tip Area – large, larger than the Lorée AK
Base Area – 18.77mm² (4.89mm diameter), large, almost identical to the Lorée AK
Tip Shape – average ellipse, identical to the Lorée AK
Volume – higher-average, identical to the Lorée AK
Taper – straighter

If you are having issues with flatness in the upper notes of the second octave and you usually use a Chiarugi 2+ or Lorée AK staple, the Chiarugi 3 would be a good substitute since the base diameter is similar to the 2+ but the tip area is increased. See Section 2 (Tip Area) in Chapter 2, 10 Characteristics of Oboe Staples blog post.

Le Roseau Chantant recommends this staple for more closed-bore instruments like the Lorée 125 or Royal AK, Laubin, or Yamaha (41-series, North American models).

Chiarugi #5

Tip Area –average, between Chiarugi 2 and Lorée regular
Base Area – 19.11mm² (4.93mm diameter), large, very close to the Bonazza Deluxe
Tip Shape – flatter ellipse, similar to but not quite as flat as the modern Glotin
Volume – large, almost the same as the Bonazza Deluxe
Taper – most angled or conical shape offered at Hodge Products

The Chiarugi 5 is a copy of the Glotin staple though it is not clear which version. The most similar characteristic to the current version is that it has a flatter ellipse than other Chiarugi staples but not quite as flat as the Glotin is now. I must note, however, that the mandrel is a little bit rounder and tends to round out the staple so that the tip is similar to the Chiarugi 6, though the base is still much bigger than a Chiarugi 6.

The Oboe Shop @ Cgrid-wrap_2thers in the UK recommends this staple for the Lorée, Marigaux, and Buffet oboes.

Chiarugi #6

Tip Area –average, between Chiarugi 2 and Lorée regular
Base Area – 17.44mm² (4.71mm diameter), smaller-average, much smaller than the Lorée regular
Tip Shape – average ellipse, similar to Lorée regular and other Chiarugi staples
Volume – smaller-average, smaller than the Lorée regular
Taper – straighter, the same as Chiarugi 3

Compared to the Lorée regular staple, the Chiarugi 6 will lower the pitch progressively through the entire upper octave (D₅-C₆) because the base is smaller than the Lorée.

Chiarugi #7

Tip Area – huge
Base Area – 20.29mm² (5.08mm diameter), huge
Tip Shape – rounder side of average ellipse
Volume – huge
Taper – average

This is the largest staple we offer at Hodge Products. The Chiarugi 7 was designed for Dutch oboists who make very short reeds with a long scrape. They also use very short staples (42mm) which offsets the large bore. We only recommend this staple to American oboists who use an extremely wide shape such as the RDG 2. First, we suggest trying the 46mm before trying the more extreme 47mm option. Surprisingly, I made a decent reed on a 47mm staple with a Joshua +2 shape (which is relatively nargrid-wrap_2) that played at 440 Hz. The blades needed to be well slipped to work.

4. Eterion

Country – made in Italy by Chiarugi
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe
Cork – natural cork from Portugal covering 2/3rds of staple, 30-30.5mm long
Wall Thickness – thin walls increasing to a much thicker base (.17mm increasing to .33mm)
Metal Type – available in brass only
Tip Area – large-average, same as Glotin
Base Area – 17.20mm² (4.66mm diameter), smaller-average, in between Guercio D12 and Roseau Chantant #2
Tip Shape – average ellipse, same as Chiarugi 2+
Volume – same as Reeds 'n Stuff
Taper – fairly straight, same as Guercio D26
Mandrel – Eterion mandrel available

The Eterion staple was developed by Oboe-Shop.de, together with famous oboists David Walter, Ramon Ortega and Nick Deutsch.

By reducing the thickness of the brass and by changing the staple's geometry, the Eterion plays more comfortably than conventional staples. The intonation is well balanced and the sound more rounded.

According to Oboe-Shop, the staple is especially suitable for Marigaux and Josef oboes and all oboists who like the Guercio D12, Chiarugi 2 or Glotin staples.

5. Glotin

Country – made in France
Manufacturing Process – formed from a flat sheet around a proprietary shape with a silver-brazed seam
Cork – natural cork, 30.5 - 31mm long
Wall Thickness – medium-thick walls that get slightly thicker at the base (.25mm increasing to .28mm)
Metal Type – available in brass or nickel-silver
Tip Area – large side of average
Base Area – 18.75mm² (4.89mm diameter), large
Tip Shape – one of flattest ellipses we have
Mandrel – mandrel available

They also make a seamless version out of brass only. Typically, a seamless staple is made out of a tube that is then formed to the correct shape. We have recently added some to our stock but it turns out their seamless staple is just a Chiarugi 2 staple.

Glotin has changed their staples over the years and the flatter shape that is available now is not necessarily their consistent goal. The standard deviation in a Glotin staple is fairly high as they are not terribly consistent. You can find beautiful elliptical shapes if you’re able to dig through them or take a chance on what you order.

John Ferrillo, principal oboe of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, spends extra time looking for staples that match his 1960’s Glotin mandrel, describing the staples he’s looking for as,

the opening at the top has a lovely elliptical shape - not too round, not too small, not too large. This is needed to create the Goldilocks situation where the tubes are not so large as to cause noise and sharpness, and not so small as to cause choked, flat upper registers.

Due to the flatness of the tip shape, some players have noticed that their F tends to be louder than other notes. See Air Flow in Flatter Staples in Chapter 2 - 10 Characteristics of Oboe Staples.

Annotated Glotin Double Star Oboe Staple

Glotin also now offers a smaller, flat staple called the "Double Star". It turns out this staple is a staple of extremes. It has the smallest tip area of any of the staples discussed here, yet the base area is fairly large. This staple is even flatter than the standard version, making it the flattest staple here. These characteristics also make it the most angled staple by a significant amount.

Country – made in France
Manufacturing Process – formed from a flat sheet around a proprietary shape with a silver-brazed seam
Cork – natural cork, 30.5 - 31mm long
Wall Thickness – medium-thick walls that get slightly thicker at the base (.29mm increasing to .30mm)
Metal Type – available in brass only
Tip Area – Very small
Base Area – 18.93mm² (4.86mm diameter), large
Tip Shape – the flattest ellipse we have
Mandrel – no mandrel available at this time

6. Gualco (Superstaple)

Country – made in Germany
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe - an ebony core is inserted in the bore of the middle section
Cork – none (Excavated metal with 3 rubber rings, 27.3mm long)
Wall Thickness – medium-thin walls at the tip
Metal Type – available in brass, copper-plated brass, and silver-plated brass
Tip Area – average, same as Chiarugi 2
Base Area – 17.72mm² (4.75mm diameter), smaller side of average, a little smaller than Chiarugi 2
Tip Shape – flatter side, same as Chiarugi 5
Mandrel – no mandrel, Roseau Chantant #1 recommended

Generally, this staple is very similar to the measurements of the excavated Chiarugi 2. The wood insert is meant to help with the vibrations in the large amount of metal that must vibrate, and to help sweeten the tone.

7. Guercio

Country – made in Germany
Manufacturing Process – a rolling process with seamless tubes following the Klopfer model
Cork – natural cork, approx. 29mm long
Wall Thickness – medium-thick walls that get thinner at the base (.23-26mm decreasing to .19-.20mm)
Metal Type – available in brass, nickel-silver, special brass alloy, solid silver, gold-plate, palladium-plate
Tip Area – varies by staple model
Base Diameter – varies by staple model
Tip Shape – varies by staple model
Mandrel – mandrel available for each model
8 Models

Guercio uses a taper style that produces more volume than most other staple manufacturers with a similar top-to-bottom ratio. Their staples have two places where the angle changes and they also "pinch" the top on some staples (D10, D26, G1). To increase the volume, they add a shoulder in the middle to the R12.

For example, Guercio’s smallest staples, D10, D11, and Guercio 1, which have the smallest tip area and nearly the smallest base area of any other staples we have measured, have more volume than other brand staples with slightly more tip areas and base areas. Also, their wall thickness at the tip, which is in the medium range, gets thinner toward the bottom, more like the thick-walled staples made by Pisoni and the American staples.

The various Guercio models that start with D are all variations on the old, well-liked Klopfer staples which Gottfried Möckel sorted into sub-sections. A couple of other Guercio models have been influenced by current great European oboists such as Albrecht Mayer of the Berlin Philharmonic and Carlo Romano of l’Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI in Tourin, Italy.

Guercio D10

Tip Area – smallest of all, quite a bit smaller than the Lorée DM
Base Area – 16.48mm² (4.58mm diameter), small, similar to the Lorée DM
Tip Shape – almost round
Volume – small, but a little bigger than Lorée DM
Taper – very angled, unlike the Lorée DM which is on the straighter side

The smallest Klopfer model; best paired with German-style oboes such as Ludwig Frank, Mönnig, Springer, and Josef. It has a pinched almost round tip creating a very small tip, but it still has good volume in the rest of the staple to produce a refined sound.

Guercio D11

Tip Area – small, just slightly larger than Guercio D10
Base Area – 16.72mm² (4.61mm diameter), small, just slightly larger than Guercio D10
Tip Shape – average oval
Volume – small, just slightly larger than Guercio D10
Taper – very angled, about the same as the D10

This model has a more oval, small tip and is not pinched (the main differences between it and the previous staple), so there is less resistance or back pressure. As with all small tips, the cane will need to be tied longer than on a larger-tipped staple. This staple will help close down a reed.

Guercio D12

Tip Area – smaller average, much bigger than the D11
Base Area – 17.01mm² (4.65mm diameter), small, very similar to the D11
Tip Shape – average oval, same as the D11
Volume – average, much bigger than the D11
Taper – straighter average, about the same as the Lorée DM

Somewhat similar to standard staple measurements, this staple matches well with the French-style oboes such as Lorée Royal, Marigaux, Buffet, Rigoutat, and Howarth. German players have also especially liked these staples because they offer a "greater dynamic range with freer response, if less refinement or sweetness" than the D10 and D11. (Salter, p.445)

Guercio R12

Tip Area – smaller average, about the same as the D12
Base Area – 17.01mm² (4.65mm diameter), small, same as the D12
Tip Shape – average oval, same as the D12
Volume – large, much bigger than the D12
Taper – straighter average, about the same as the D12

The R12 is a staple made in collaboration with the Italian oboist, Carlo Romano. It has the same basic measurements as the D12 but a larger internal volume created by a shoulder section about 7.5 mm long in the middle of the taper, keeping the sound more stable.

Guercio D26

Tip Area – large, more than the AM
Base Area – 18.76mm² (4.89mm diameter), large, almost the same as the AM
Tip Shape – almost round, the roundest staple we sell
Volume – large, more than the AM
Taper – straight, unlike the AM which is quite average

The D26 is the largest Klopfer model. It has a significantly larger base area and the tip is larger and more round than the other Guercio/Klopfer models. Additionally, it has a huge internal volume due to the pinched tip. This gives it slightly higher pressure at the beginning but a nice, clear sound going into the oboe. We recommend using this staple with a wider cane shape. The large tip will cause the cane to be more open at the wrap point. Overall, this staple tends to play sharper than standard-sized staples.

Guercio AM

Tip Area – large, but less than the Guercio D26
Base Area – 18.63mm² (4.87mm diameter), large, almost the same as the D26
Tip Shape – rounder, yet not as round as the D26
Volume – large, but not quite as much as the D26
Taper – average, unlike the D26 which is quite straight

This staple is based on the Guercio/Klopfer model D26. Albrecht Mayer designed this to match with his eponymous oboe, manufactured by German instrument maker Gebrüder Mönnig. He reduced the tip area and removed the "pinched tip" to reduce the internal volume of the staple. Even though the AM is a bit smaller than the D26, both are large compared to most other staples. "The Guercio AM offers an ideal match to the generous bore of the Josef ‘20th G.S’ oboe." (Salter)

Guercio G1 (Glotin Copy)

Tip Area – large-average, close to the Lorée regular
Base Area – 18.56mm² (4.86mm diameter), large, same as the Lorée AK
Tip Shape – quite round
Volume – large
Taper –average, similar to the Lorée regular

This is a copy of an old Glotin staple which many have come to love, but different from a contemporary Glotin staple and also from Chiarugi's Glotin copy. The Guercio Glotin copy has a rounder tip compared to the other two. However, it has much more volume due to its "pinched" tip.

Guercio 1 (GC1)

Tip Area – small, similar to Chiarugi 1, smaller than Marigaux 2
Base Area – 15.46mm² (4.44mm diameter), the smallest that we offer, similar to Chiarugi 1, smaller than Marigaux 2
Tip Shape – average, same as the Lorée DM
Volume – small-average, close to the Guercio D11, larger than the Marigaux 2
Taper – straight, same as the Marigaux 2

This staple is a recent design by Carmelo Guercio and, according to Oboe-Shop.de in Germany, is made especially to suit Marigaux oboes. Though the overall size is smaller than the Marigaux staples, it has the exact same tip-to-base ratio as the Marigaux 2 staple. Due to a straighter angle at the base, the Guercio 1 also has more volume than the Marigaux 2 despite the tip-to-base ratio being the same.

8. Hiniker

Country – made in America
Manufacturing Process – made using the old school method of hammer-forging with equipment that dates back to the turn of the 20th century.
Cork – natural cork
Wall Thickness – Very thick walls that get thinner at the base (.35mm decreasing to .25mm)
Metal Type – brass or nickel-silver
Metal Finish – smoot finish with strong scoring to provide improved grip for the cane
Tip Area – similar to Bonazza and Lorée
Base Area – slightly smaller than RC1 and Chiarugi 2
Tip Shape – on the flatter side
Mandrel – no mandrel (other brands recommended below)

These are oboe maker, Thomas Hiniker's, favorite staples. He has specified a number of external characteristics that are important for matching with his oboes. Specifically, these include:

Thick natural cork
Cork glued solidly the entire length
Thick wall
No chamfering of the top
Thick scoring for holding the cane securely

9. Lorée

Country – made in Italy by Chiarugi
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe
Cork – natural cork, 30.5 – 31mm long
Wall Thickness – medium walls with similar base wall thickness
Metal Type – available in brass or nickel-silver
Tip Area – varies by model
Base Area – varies by model
Tip Shape – average oval
Mandrel – mandrels available for all models
3 Models

Lorée staples, made by Chiarugi, are designed by Lorée to match the different bore models of their instruments. However, they work great in many different instruments and with many different reed styles.

Lorée Regular

Tip Area – large-average, more than Chiarugi 2
Base Area – 18.34mm² (4.83mm diameter), large average, more than Chiarugi 2
Tip Shape – rounder-average, more round than Chiarugi 2
Volume – average, same as Chiarugi 2
Taper – average, slightly more straight than Chiarugi 2

These staples have become the gold standard among American oboists. Although not precisely average, they are what most American oboists consider to be the standard staple design. Made for the regular Lorée oboe bore, they are very similar to the Chiarugi 2, with a slightly larger base diameter and a rounder larger tip area, which creates slightly less back pressure.

Lorée AK

Tip Area – large, almost the same as Chiarugi 2+
Base Area – 18.52mm² (4.86mm diameter), large, almost the same as Chiarugi 2+
Tip Shape –average, the same as Chiarugi 2+
Volume – average, same as Chiarugi 2+
Taper – average, almost the same as Chiarugi 2+

The ‘AK’ staples were designed to match the ‘AK’ bore instrument models that began to be produced in the late 1980s, copying the bore of the late 1930’s AK series produced just before WWII. These have a larger tip area but with almost the same base diameter as the regular Lorée staple. This would be a good change to make if you are using the regular size and struggling with your A₅-C₆ being flat. The Chiarugi 2+ is essentially the same as the Lorée AK, but less expensive.

Lorée DM

Tip Area – small, almost the same as Chiarugi 1
Base Area – 16.54mm² (4.59mm diameter), small, similar to the Chiarugi 1
Tip Shape – average, similar to the Chiarugi 1
Volume – small, almost the same as Chiarugi 1
Taper – straight side of average, straighter than the Chiarugi 1

The 'DM' oboe is often referred to as having a German-style bore with a darker sound but that is debatable by some. Produced in the 1980s for about ten years, the ‘DM’ oboe benefited from a thicker-walled smaller-bore staple which is still sold today and used for various reed styles. The Chiarugi 1 staple is very similar to the Lorée DM but is less expensive.

The overall pitch of the 'DM' is lower than larger staples, and it has a very round, dark, centered, stable sound. It tends to open any reed in comparison with a Chiarugi 2, and can correct some challenges to intonation around Upper-A₅. This pairs well with a bright instrument or one that tends to be sharp.

10. Marigaux

Country – made in Italy by Chiarugi
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe
Cork – natural cork, approx. 30.5mm long
Wall Thickness – thin walls increasing to a thick base (.15-.21mm increasing to .29-.35mm)
Metal Type – available in brass only
Tip Area – varies by model
Base Area – varies by model
Tip Shape – average oval
Mandrel – mandrels available for two of the models
3 Models

Marigaux has designed staples that match well with several of their instrument models. There is more variation than one might expect between the measurements of the Marigaux 1 and 1SL staples, but they are still similar staples. The staple walls are all considered thin, but the 1SL and 2 are extra thin. All Marigaux staples have thick base walls, however. Marigaux only makes brass staples.

Marigaux 1

Tip Area – smaller-average, same as the Pisoni Artist
Base Area – 18.09mm² (4.8mm diameter), average, same as Chiarugi 2 and Pisoni Artist
Tip Shape – flatter-average, same as Pisoni Deluxe
Volume – average, same as Chiarugi 2

Taper – angled side of average, slightly more angled than Chiarugi 2

The Marigaux 1 staple is Marigaux's standard staple to fit any Marigaux instrument, although it is particularly recommended for the Model 901. The tip shape tends to be flatter than the other Marigaux staple models, even the 1SL which is designed to be the same shape. Due to the flatter shape, the tip area is smaller than the 1SL. This, along with the thicker walls, gives it a feeling of more resistance and back pressure than the 1SL. The mandrel that is made for both the Marigaux 1 and 1SL fits the shape of the 1SL better and therefore conforms the Marigaux 1 to a more analogous shape. Marigaux derived this staple from the Chiarugi 1 staple but the Marigaux 1 is larger overall.

Marigaux recommends the Marigaux 1 and 1SL for the 901 / 2001 ranges of their instruments.

Marigaux 1 SuperLeggera (1SL)

Tip Area – average, same as the Chiarugi 5, a little bigger than the Marigaux 1
Base Area – 18.11mm² (4.8mm diameter), average, same as Marigaux 1
Tip Shape – average, almost the same as Chiarugi 2+
Volume – low-average, only slightly less than Marigaux 1
Taper – average, slightly straighter than Marigaux 1

The Marigaux 1 SuperLeggera is supposed to display the same dimensions as the Marigaux 1, but it tends to have a rounder tip and a larger tip area. Wall thickness is supposed to be the defining characteristic of this staple. SuperLeggeras are designed to be very thin, which allows the staple to start vibrating very quickly, reducing the effort required to play. It is particularly suited to players who like the Marigaux 1 staple dimensions but are looking for a lighter, more airy feel.

Marigaux 2

Tip Area – smallest-average, close to a Lorée DM
Base Area – 16.76mm² (4.62mm diameter), small, same as Guercio D10 and close to a Lorée DM
Tip Shape – round-average, close to the Guercio D10
Volume – small, close to Guercio D10 and Lorée DM
Taper – straight, a little straighter than Lorée DM but opposite to Guercio D10

The Marigaux 2 staple was developed specifically for the M2 Model. Even with a small tip area, which usually produces more back pressure, this staple is light to play on. It has the same thin walls of the Marigaux 1SL, and is well-balanced and even.

11. Pisoni

Country – made in Italy
Manufacturing Process – hammer forging
Cork – natural cork, 29.5 – 30.5mm long
Wall Thickness – thick walls decreasing to a thin base (.31-.36 decreasing to .20-.23mm)
Metal Type – available in brass or nickel-silver
Tip Area – average
Base Area – larger-average
Tip Shape – average oval
Mandrel – mandrels available, not a great fit
2 Models

Pisoni brand products come from the Italian company, Music Center SRL, owned by Luciano Pisoni.

Pisoni Artist

Tip Area –average, same as Marigaux 1 but not far from Chiarugi 2
Base Area – 18.17mm² (4.81mm diameter), larger-average, very close to Marigaux 1 and Chiarugi 2
Tip Shape – flat, close to the Glotin
Volume – large
Taper – angled (high end of average), close to the Marigaux 1, rounded outside bevel at the tip

Pisoni Artist staples are the thickest-walled staples we carry. They can be recognized by the inscribed parallel lines around the top of the staple.

Pisoni Deluxe

Tip Area –average, close to the Chiarugi 2, includes an inside bevel
Base Area – 18.17mm² (4.81mm diameter), larger average, very close to Marigaux 1 and Chiarugi 2, not uniformly round
Tip Shape – flatter average, same as the Marigaux 1
Volume – large
Taper – angled (high end of average), close to the Marigaux 1 and Chiarugi 2

Deluxe staples are nearly identical to the artist models. However, they have an internal bevel on the tip of the staple. This will tend to reduce some of the resistance and back pressure that may be felt in the Artist version. The deluxe staple can be recognized by the diagonal lines at the top of the staple.

12. Prestini

Country – made in America by Prestini International Corporation
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe, not extruded
Cork – natural cork from Portugal, 29.5 – 30.5mm long
Wall Thickness – thin walls increasing to a slightly thicker base (.17mm increasing to .22mm)
Metal Type – available in brass or nickel-silver
Tip Area – average, same as Bonazza Deluxe, but very close to Lorée regular
Base Area – 18.67mm² (4.88mm diameter), larger-average, same as Chiarugi 2+
Tip Shape – round-average, similar to Lorée regular
Volume – large-average, same as Chiarugi 5 and similar to Lorée AK
Taper – angled (high end of average), very similar to Pisoni
Mandrel – these are made to fit a Lorée or Rigotti mandrel

Started in 1890, the Prestini brand is now in its third generation. Giuseppe Prestini II took over the company in 1981 and established the U.S. location in Nogales, AZ. Though their measurements don’t line up perfectly, they are intended by Prestini to fit perfectly onto Lorée mandrels, and they do appear to fit well. These are also available directly from Prestini with quantity discounts for batches of 100 or 1000, and are likely a common staple used in commercially-made reeds. Having very thin walls gives them a light sound and very low resistance which is desirable for student reeds.

13. Reeds 'n Stuff

Country – made in Italy by Chiarugi
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe
Cork – natural cork from Portugal covering 2/3rds of staple, 30-30.5mm long
Wall Thickness – average wall thickness from tip to base (.23mm to .24mm)
Metal Type – available in brass only
Tip Area – large, same as Lorée AK
Base Area – 17.28mm² (4.69mm diameter), smaller-average, almost the same as Roseau Chantant #2
Tip Shape – average ellipse, same as Roseau Chantant #1 and #2
Volume – same as Eterion
Taper – fairly straight, very close to Guercio D26
Mandrel – Reeds 'n Stuff mandrel available, however we have found that the mandrel isn't fitting well. The Eterion mandrel is a better fit.

The Reeds 'n Stuff staple is in between the Eterion and Roseau Chantant #2 in the tip size while the base of all three are essentially the same. They all work well with Marigaux oboes but their slight differences in tip size affect the pitch and intonation slightly. The Reeds 'n Stuff staple also has thicker sides than the other two if you prefer a little more resistance.

14. Rigotti

Country – made in Italy by Chiarugi
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe
Cork – natural cork, approx. 30.5mm long
Wall Thickness – average walls increasing to a slightly thicker base (.23mm increasing to .29mm)
Metal Type – available in brass or nickel-silver
Tip Area – average, same as Chiarugi 2
Base Area – 18.11mm² (4.8mm diameter), larger-average, very close to Chiarugi 2
Tip Shape – average oval, same as Chiarugi 2
Volume – average, very close to Chiarugi 2
Taper – angled (high end of average), very close to Chiarugi 2
Mandrel – mandrel available

Rigotti, a large farm ggrid-wrap_2ing, harvesting, and processing arundo donax for reed instruments, also sells other products for double reeds under their name. Many of their products are made for them by Chiarugi. Their regular oboe staples are essentially the same as a Chiarugi 2. They also now carry a 2+ and a nargrid-wrap_2 version which are not commonly seen in the U.S. The 2+ is obviously the same as the Chiarugi 2+ but we are not familiar with the nargrid-wrap_2 staple.

15. Le Roseau Chantant

Country – made in Italy by Chiarugi
Manufacturing Process – CNC Lathe
Cork – natural cork, approx. 30.5mm long
Wall Thickness – average to thin walls increasing to a slightly thicker base (.22-.25mm increasing to .26mm)
Metal Type – available in brass or nickel-silver
Tip Area – varies by model
Base Area – varies by model
Tip Shape – rounder average
Mandrel – mandrels available
2 Models

Le Roseau Chantant began in 1998 in Montreal, Canada. They spent 11 years in Lyon, France before coming back to Montreal in 2018. Besides ggrid-wrap_2ing cane from the Camargue region of France, they have developed a number of products for the oboe reed including proprietary staples and shapers. They have two varieties of staples to address different notes on certain oboes.

RC1

Tip Area – average, same as Marigaux 1SL
Base Area – 18.01mm² (4.79mm diameter), average, very close to Marigaux 1 and 1SL
Tip Shape – round-average, same as Margaux 2
Volume – average, close to Marigaux 1
Taper – average, close to Marigaux 1SL

This staple is very similar to the Marigaux 1 and Chiarugi 2 staples in dimensions, though slightly less conical. According to Le Roseau Chantant, “it is very stable on more sensitive notes such as G₄, C₅, G₅, and F#₅. The sound is round and easy to produce, with good projection.”

Additionally, they recommend these staples for all French makes of oboe, as well as with Mönnig, at 47mm, 46mm, and 45mm lengths. Le Roseau Chantant also mentions that they work well with the Ludwig Frank and Josef instruments, but only at the 47mm length.

RC2

Tip Area – large, very close to Chiarugi 3
Base Area – 17.32mm² (4.7mm diameter), smallest-average, very close to Chiarugi 6
Tip Shape – round-average, same as Marigaux 2
Volume – low-average, close to Marigaux 1SL
Taper – very straight, nothing like it

According to Le Roseau Chantant, “the RC2 staple features a more rapid response and easier speaking at the octave. It is the most responsive of the wider staples, and retains beautiful tone and warmth in the sound.”

They developed it in 2009 specifically for the Marigaux oboe Model 901. At that time, the 901 had a slight tendency to be low at the octave – especially on the A₅ and Bb₅, so they decreased the angle of the taper, making the tip larger and the bottom smaller, which fixed the octave issues; then they made the wall thickness very thin, increasing the ease of response and air speed.

According to Le Roseau Chantant, this staple works well on Marigaux models 901 to 2001, and also on Rigoutat, Buffet Prestige, Lorée Royal and ‘AK’ bores, Howarth models XL and LXC, and Mönnig Am155. It is less effective for instruments such as the Lorée ‘DM’ model, Yamaha (31 series, European bore), Josef, and Ludwig Frank.

That covers all the staple brands we have in our store. As we get more, we'll update this blog. If there are specific staples you want, let us know and we will do our best to get them for you.

These final charts can be used to compare the staples in various areas all at once. Click to enlarge in a new tab.

A question that comes to mind at this point is about mandrels. With all those differently sized staples, can I still use my old mandrel with any that I try? We'll discuss that question and more in the next chapter on mandrels. Click on the button to go to Chapter 4.

Works Cited

Draving, Wolfgang. Air Flow Analysis of Oboe Reed Staples. IDRS Vol. 42 No. 2, 2019

Howarth. "Oboe Tubes (Staples)."Howarth London. https://www.howarthlondon.com/accessories.aspx?cat=42&accinst=5. Accessed 17 December 2021.

Marigaux. "Oboe Staples."Marigaux. https://accessories.marigaux.com/en/reed-making-tools/staples/. Accessed 18 December 2021.

The Oboe Shop @ Cgrid-wrap_2thers. "Chiarugi 47mm 2+ Brass Staple."Oboe Shop.https://oboeshop.co.uk/chiarugi-47mm-2-brass-staple/. Accessed 17 December 2021.

Oboe Shop GmbH. "Oboe Staple Guercio 1."oboe-shop.de. https://www.oboe-shop.de/en/oboe-staple-guercio-1.html. Accessed 18 December 2021.

Le Roseau Chantant. "Oboe Staples."Le Roseau Oboe. https://www.le-roseau-oboe.com/categorie-produit/accessoires-hautbois-cor-anglais/tubes/hautbois-tubes/. Accessed 17 December 2021.

Salter, Graham. Understanding the Oboe Reed. 2nd Edition, published by Graham Salter, 2021.