 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Saxy Boy
Date: 2002-09-08 03:30
in your opinion(oboe players only!), which is the best type of wood for an oboe? I have come across the possibility to obtain a rosewood oboe. Is that a good kind? or is there better? what is considered to be the "best" wood to produce the richest sound?
Saxy Boy(I'm an oboe player as well)
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Author: Torus Tubarius
Date: 2002-09-08 16:47
Who makes it? I play on an AK series Loree, pretty much the nicest oboe you can get right now if you're an American, and it's made out of grenadilla wood (a.k.a. African blackwood). Loree also makes a Rosewood oboe, but I've never played on one, or any oboe made out of Rosewood for that matter. I was under the impression that most people preferred grenadilla because of the deeper tone quality and warmer sound it affords.
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Author: Laura
Date: 2002-09-08 20:14
In my understanding, grenadilla does produce a more bell-like sound or deeper tone. Rosewood is not necessarily a worse wood to play on, but generally, rosewood or violetwood oboes are used in chamber groups. They have a somewhat "quieter" sound though not a worse tone. There are just different uses. The grenadilla is more audible in larger groups such as orchestras or bands.
(As I said in the beginning though, that's just my understanding, I may be wrong.)
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Author: Saxy Boy
Date: 2002-09-09 00:43
Thanks guys,
I'm considering purchasing an oboe, used or new, and I have about 1100 dollars under my belt. I'd like to buy a wooden one because they sound a whole s**tpile better than plastic. Question, which types of wood have tendencies to crack, and can these crack be repaired with any ease? For brand names, I'm sticking to a Linton, buffet, or Loree, because they seem to be the best makers. Any other suggestions on purchasing an oboe?
Saxy Boy(oboe too!:)
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Author: Steven King
Date: 2002-09-09 09:20
I don't know much about Oboes but I do thnow there is alot of dissagreement to what is the best sound and type of material the Oboe is made of. Before you Buy anything you should goto an Oboe dealer how specializes in Oboes and test play all of them and pick the one you can play the In Tune with a Tuner and Gives you a sound that you like. This is trun with all instruments. But that is my recomendation try before you buy, If you are looking to buy.
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Author: Laura
Date: 2002-09-09 14:39
If you're really serious about continuing to play oboe, you should probably get a Loree. I played on a Buffet in high school and from what I can tell, they should stick to making clarinets because that's what they're good at doing. I've never played a Linton, so I can't say they're good or bad. Loree is probably the best maker around. (I find that Paul Covey is a good oboe maker - he only makes oboes and spends time perfecting them - but he's a relative new-comer to the market. Go to www.oboes.com for more information about that.) Anyway, the Loree will cost you a lot of money (close to 5000 unless you buy used and in that case you would most definitely need to try it out and take it to a professional oboe player to evaluate, because most music stores don't know oboes well enough to do that). If you want something a good bit cheaper, though plastic, my oboe teacher (a professional oboist) recommends the Fox oboes (I think maybe the 300 or one in that series). They are plastic but have a higher quality sound than most plastic oboes. The other oboe player last year at my high school played one of these and he had a wonderful tone. And I think Fox oboes cost about 2500 or so, which is a good bit less expensive. No matter what though, do your research and try the oboe before you buy it. You want something you're comfortable with and sounds good.
About the cracks, I don't know that any wood is more prone to cracking than another. If you take good care of your oboe, and don't expose it to drastic temperatures, swab it out and such, it shouldn't crack. If it does crack, it can be repaired and I've heard people say that when repaired the oboes sound fine. You do need to be sure to send it to someone that deals with oboes though. You may be able to send it back to the manufacturer to be repaired or someone else who deals in oboes though maybe didn't make yours. If you do get a new oboe (wood) you do need to be careful when breaking it in. If you don't break it in correctly, there is a higher probability that it will crack. There is a general reference guide to doing so at www.oboes.com/breakingin.html I hope this has helped a bit and good luck.
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Author: Christopher Rosevear
Date: 2002-09-12 01:11
Although the term "rosewood" is occasionally used, there is no such thing as an oboe made of Brazilian rosewood (too soft). The actual woods used are either cocabola, kingwood or violetwood. In terms of volume, I have played instruments on these three woods and African blackwood (grenadilla) without any perceptible difference in max/min sound levels. However, there is a difference in sound quality - cocabola and kingwood tend to be slightly sweeter in sound. The non-standard woods tend, however, to be more expensive (cocabola is toxic to work) and slightly more prone to splitting in the upper joint.
In the US you have the problem of high ranges and changes of temperature and humidity. For that reason, many makers offer the possibility of a synthetic top joint (it is always the top joint which is most succeptible to cracking).
As for makes: in the US you have tended to favour Lorée ever since Marcel Tabuteau. However, while finely made, there are equally good instruments from Howarth's (London), Marigaux (Paris), Rigoutat (Paris), Kreul (Germany) and Yamaha (Japan).
Fox oboes are not generally used professionally although they are making great strides. Lorée is used widely in the USA but not elsewhere, even France; Marigaux used to account for a large part of the finer European orchestras but of recent years seem to have lost consistency of finish, while Howarth XL's are becoming the most popular with the UK and German orchestras and are gradually coming into the US. Italian makes tend to stay in Italy, although Patricola make superb English horns and Bulgheroni make fine oboes at a reasonable price -- just not much support for either make in the US.
At the end of the day, you should be able to pick up any oboe and make what is recognizably "your sound" irrespective of make. Sure, a $10,000 Howarth XL will make your life easier; but you should still be able to do anything from Scala di Seta to Mahler 3 on a well-regulated $1000 Fox plastic oboe without noticeable loss of tone or intonation.
Most bad playing come down to:
1. The player
2. The reed
3. The regulation of the oboe
99. The oboe itself
By regulation I mean air-tightness, pad fit, mechanism alignment, joint alignment.
The best compromise? Have a look out for a Howarth S45 or a second hand Howarth S2 (open hole). The S45 makes almost exactly as fine a sound as the XL and has almost as many bells and whistles, just less hand finish and undercut and a lot less money. The S2 is a superb instrument, but with open holes requires more player precision.
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Author: Muse89
Date: 2002-11-01 21:27
The type of wood u use should depend on what kind of ensemble you play with. If its a small group, you don't want your sound to override other instruments like some types of oboes are prone to do. My advice is to test several types of oboes and see which suites your ensemble.
muse89
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Author: musichick
Date: 2003-06-06 00:07
Sorry Saxy Boy, but you wont be able to get a Loree oboe for $1100. If you do tho, tell me where!!! thoes oboes are really expensive! really nice, but really expensive!
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