 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: plclemo
Date: 2010-05-22 10:52
I have been playing clarinet for 40 years. I have played bassoon and tenor sax for 36 years. I play clarinet in our church orchestra. However, since the clarinets OFTEN get the oboe parts (and our oboist is "hit or miss" in attendance) I recently decided to start on the oboe. I have had 2 lessons thus far and am renting my oboe for 3 months from our local music store. The instructor is AMAZED at how quickly I have picked it up and at how GOOD my tone is! The biggest problems I am having are remembering the NEW fingerings and that the holes seem SO CLOSE together compared to the clarinet! Anyway, my husband has OFFERED to BUY an oboe for me! YEA HUSBAND!!!! So I have a few questions!
1. Which is better: all wood, all plastic, or the one that is plastic at the top and wood at the bottom?
2. What brand of reed is best? I currently use an EMERALD SOFT.
3. Which make and model of oboe are best for a semi-experienced woodwind player? The rental is an all-plastic Selmer 1492.
Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! Thank You!
Paula Clemons
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2010-05-22 12:26
Paula,
Congratulations on joining the ranks of Oboists.
My first question is - if your Instructor is an Oboist?
Since many of these questions are initially best addressed by an experienced teacher.
Mark
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-05-22 13:58
I'd suggest a Fox 330 (or 300 if you want to spend that bit more) as that has pretty much all you'll need keywork-wise, is entirely plastic bodied so no danger of it splitting in cold churches and will last you for many years.
If you find a used one, make sure it has been well maintained (and by an oboe specalist - not the Jack of all trades and master of none working from their garden shed bodging up all instruments and making them worse).
If later on you decide on getting an all wood oboe, then play this one in conjunction while playing the wooden one in and then keep it as your bad weather, travelling and back-up oboe.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: plclemo
Date: 2010-05-22 14:34
YES! She played for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in her younger years after graduating from Peabody Conservatory. She is past retirement age and is teaching oboe and flute lessons as a supplement to her retirement income.
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Author: plclemo
Date: 2010-05-22 14:40
Thank You VERY MUCH for your input. I will definitely take your comments into consideration before I purchase a new (or used) oboe. We learned a couple of years ago (THE HARD WAY) about purchasing a used instrument via EBay. We purchased a flute for our daughter. It came and for MONTHS she instisted that she could NOT get a proper sound out of it. We thought it was that SHE was NOT playing it right. Come to find out, the private instructor we eventually hired (Who is the SAME one that will be teaching OBOE to me!) told us that her flute had 2 subtly broken keys on it and needed new pads. $150 later it sounds wonderful! But had we had it inspected upon first arrival, we would have sent it back! Now IF we purchase an oboe via EBay, we are planning to take it STRAIGHT to the shop for inspection as soon as it arrives. Rather be safe than sorry!
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2010-05-22 15:02
It's really not a very good idea to buy an oboe on Ebay.
Try one of the many oboe dealers across the US. They will be most happy to ship you instruments on trial.
The Fox Oboe is a good place to start. It was my daughters first Oboe.
It is a good entry instrument.
Other manufacturers also have student oboe lines.
Mark
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-05-22 15:44
I'd say only buy from eBay if you know what you're in for and have the means to sort it out. Otherwise take some of the descriptions with a pinch of salt where they mention 'fully serviced' or 'recently overhauled' - which means nothing unless it's from a reputable seller who has the means to carry out such work or has the work done for them.
BTW - click on where it says 'Flat View' to open up the whole discussion.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: plclemo
Date: 2010-05-22 15:48
Thank YOU for YOUR GOOD ADVICE! I think I'll take it to heart! I too was a bit concerned about that. Glad you reinforced it!
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Author: plclemo
Date: 2010-05-22 15:51
Thanks Chris! HELP is WELCOME HERE! Even UNSOLICITED HELP! I can use ALL I can get.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2010-05-22 23:27
Good for you, plclemo!
You are asking the right questions, which goes a long way to finding the right solutions!
Fox makes a very credible line of everything. Their "intermediate" bassoons are so good that some folks say they are undermining their "professional" line -- why buy the $$ model, if the less-$$ model is so good?
I myself play a Fox English Horn, and it HAS to be the equivalent of any EH that I have heard. Not just my opinion.
My oboe, OTOH, is a Covey that I got from . . . (ahem) (er, uh) . . . well, you know!
May I suggest that you contact Hannah Selznick (Hannah's Oboes), who is an advertiser on this board, in regard to your purchase? Hannah is a jewel of a person, and she will do you right in your selection. Just look in the "Instruments" category on the right sidebar of this page.
I have no connection with Hannah other than as an amazed client. (My testimonial is on her site.)
Susan
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2010-05-23 11:16
I agree - I have sold two Oboes to Hannah.
She is a good person to contact.
Mark
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Author: justme
Date: 2010-05-24 03:06
I haven't heard anyone mention the MARIGAUX altuglass oboe.
It's supposed to be a Professional Model according to their web site:
" Professional oboe - Line 2000 "
2009 altu - MARIGAUX oboe altuglass, same as 2001, in clear altuglass.
It is most likely more expensive, but they claim it's a pro model and you wouldn't have to worry about it cracking.
http://www.marigaux.com/english/?marigaux=instruments/
Justme
"A critic is like a eunuch: he knows exactly how it ought to be done."
CLARINET, n.
An instrument of torture operated by a person with cotton in his ears. There are two instruments that are worse than a clarinet -- two clarinets
Post Edited (2010-05-24 03:09)
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2010-05-24 07:28
I don't know about you, but I would feel a little self-conscious sitting in an orchestra with a clear altuglass. I'm certain they are just fabulous, but it wouldn't feel right. I believe that Marigaux also have a "black altuglass" model?
Nevertheless we are talking top-of-the-line here, not the instrument I think Paula is looking for. The Fox seems to be a better choice all round.
Paula, since you are new to oboes you may not have visited Martin Schuring's web-pages yet. He has a whole section on how to buy 2nd. hand pro instruments.
http://www.public.asu.edu/~schuring/Oboe/instruments.html
Oboes are different. They are prone to crack, they have to seal perfectly in order to work, the keywork is an order of magnitude more complex than for any other woodwind. And that is before we begin to discuss the almost mystical effects of reeds ...
In your place, I would buy a good instrument with a plastic head-joint from a reputable dealer. It won't be cheap, but it will be cheaper than a new all-wood oboe that may well end up cracking and need expensive repair.
J.
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Author: plclemo
Date: 2010-05-24 16:08
Jeremy, THANK YOU. That "article" was QUITE informative. I have a professional oboist that will be assisting me in my purchase. I agree with the statement about the keywork (to some extent). The BASSOON also has complicated keys. The ONE THING that I am REALLY having trouble with is that I think I need to put my fingertips on a diet! They seem TOO fat! I'm sure that the uncomfortable fat feeling I am having right now will disappear with time and familiarity with the instrument, BUT for NOW THEY ARE FAT!!!!!! Clarinets are a bit more forgiving and saxophones are DEFINITELY forgiving!
THANKS AGAIN for your help.
Paula
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Author: justme
Date: 2010-05-25 13:12
The only other thing I have to say on this subject is to buy the best instrument that you can afford, ( if you are planning on staying with said instrument).
Whether it is a clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, oboe etc.
In this way you'll have a better instrument that won't be as frustrating to play and learn on and you won't have to buy another one for an "upgrade" later on ( at least for a very long time) costing more money and frustration than if you had bought the best one you could afford in the beginning.
If you can afford that $10,000 pro model now and buy the $5000 model, then want to upgrade to the $10,000 model later on, you'll have spent much more than if you would have bought the more expensive one to start with.
But just make sure you're going to stick with it if you spend that kind of money!
Justme
"A critic is like a eunuch: he knows exactly how it ought to be done."
CLARINET, n.
An instrument of torture operated by a person with cotton in his ears. There are two instruments that are worse than a clarinet -- two clarinets
Post Edited (2010-05-25 13:12)
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