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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000061.txt from 2004/01

From: Lee Lowry <leel@-----.net>
Subj: [DR-L] Re: Fox oboe on eBay
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 14:46:25 -0500

I agree with Marci about the variability of Fox oboes. When I started
playing again 22 yrs ago, after a disastrous experience with a wooden
Selmer, I bought a plastic Fox 330, and later an early Fox 400, (if
that's what the all wood one is called). I was impressed with the
quality of both instruments, particularly compared to the Selmer, and
even preferred them to a pair of new Lorées I tried! This was in 1982.
The plastic instrument was later stolen, but I played the wood one for
15 years. I had no cause for complaint with either instrument purchased
then, and I think in those days Fox was very careful about quality
control, because they were making a very serious effort to get into the
American oboe market. Both craftsmanship and playing quality were quite
good, really for a moderately priced oboe. And I'd never have guessed at
the time I'd prefer ANY American instrument to a new Lorée!

But not any more. A few years ago, I was asked to help out with a local
college band, and there was an earnest young lady who was having a
terrible time with her 2-year old Fox wood/plastic top joint oboe. I was
surprised because I had been impressed not only with the quality but
also the long-term stability of my Foxes. She finally asked if I would
try playing it, (and this was after at least 2 return trips to the
seller for repairs and adjustments). I expected it to be most likely a
problem with her reeds, but it wasn't. That horn was a mess. It was so
bad I couldn't even guess at what all was wrong with it. Overall, it
seemed stuffy, some notes wouldn't speak at all, others would break for
the octave, still others very unstable in pitch--a real basket case,
AFTER two repair trips to a reputable dealer! Because of the
universality of problems, my first suspicion was top joint leakage, yet
when I both blew and sucked on the top joint alone with my finger
blocking the bottom hole, I could not detect any leaks. She told me it
had been nothing but trouble ever since she bought it, and she was very
depressed, because half of its substantial purchase price had been paid
by her grandmother. In its condition it was unsaleable and a new oboe
was not an option. I couldn't imagine how she had selected such a poor
instrument to begin with, but she had only been in high school when she
did and had no teacher involved in the selection process.

I've heard other stories about disappointing Fox instruments, and based
on my own good experience with the early Fox oboes I found it hard to
believe until I ran into hers and heard complaints from others. But I
know that in the years after I got mine, Fox oboes were in great demand
because they were considered by many teachers to be the best American
student/intermediate oboe available, and it may be that to meet the
demand, some instruments were pushed out the door a bit too fast. And as
we know, every maker has ups and downs in instrument quality over the
years. After I found the Foxes superior to the F & G series Lorees I had
tried, I heard that Loree had been going through a bad period at that time.

It's not a good idea to buy any oboe without right of trial/return, but
I would not take Fox for granted now the way I once would have. I have
bought 4 instruments on eBay and all 4 came with a week's trial and the
right to return if dissatisfied. I think that is (or was) fairly
customary on eBay and in the intrument business. New oboes I've had
shipped from distant dealers came with a 2-week trial period.

I see this auction is from a music store and while I don't know current
pricing on the Fox instruments, this looks like a low price to me. But
coupled with no mention of a trial period, it could be intended to move
a problem instrument quickly.

You could try asking the seller, "If you bought it, would you then get a
trial period with the right to return it if dissatisfied?" The seller
will have to say either "yes" or "no." A "no" answer would tell me that
this was no bargain, regardless of price.

Lee

>
>Message: 11
>Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 11:11:15 -0600
>To: doublereed-l@-----.edu
>From: Marci Elston <melston@-----.net>
>Subject: Re: [DR-L] fox oboe on ebay
>Reply-To: doublereed-l@-----.edu
>
>When we were trying oboes for our youngster we had three foxes on loan, and
>they varied wildly in tone and scale. "Floor Model" just may mean "this is
>the one everyone sends back from trial w/o buying" JMHO. ~M.E.
>
>At 10:24 AM 1/12/2004 -0600, you wrote:
>
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I called the seller of this oboe and he says it's a floor model,
>>"practically new", but will not let me have it out on trial. I suppose
>>that's bc it's still up for auction, but I'm leery of any instrument I could
>>not try out and inspect first hand and try it out in different
>>circumstances. I have a student I'd like to have a Fox oboe, but for them to
>>shell out over $2K for an oboe and not have a 2nd opinion on it doesn't seem
>>right to me.
>>
>>Opinions??
>>
>>
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