Repair Tips: Stuck Swab

Remember to swab out your oboe after every playing session! Always check a pull-through swab for knots before sending through the instrument. The slightest knot in the silk or string can be enough to get the swab stuck near the crown (inside the top of the oboe). If a swab seems to be stuck, but the tail string is still showing out the bottom of the top joint, you can pull on the tail string (with MINIMAL force) to retrieve the swab from your oboe.  However, if your swab does get stuck with no string visible to pull back through the bore, bring it in to us or another qualified repair technician for proper removal. Do not attempt to remove a stuck swab on your own at home! Midwest Musical Imports offers stuck-swab removal at no charge.