 The Oboe BBoard
|
Author: oboeidaho
Date: 2010-06-21 04:45
My student (who is not majoring in music, but wants an acceptable oboe for playing casually through college and beyond) is looking for a used instrument in the $2-3K range. She has found several to try, including a Howarth S40C (08), a CU Loree (70s?), Rigoutat Delphine (07), and a Fossati Tiery E30 (97). Of course the Loree is very old, but I'm not really familiar with the others. Does anyone have input on any of these models? Thanks for your input!
PS - of course she will be trying these out before purchase - just trying to get a "heads up" for problems!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jhoyla
Date: 2010-06-21 08:35
All of these makes are excellent, so it will be down to the condition, tuning and voicing of the individual instruments.
The Howarth S40C does not have the split E, neither does the Rigoutat Delphine but the other two models you mention, do (improves intonation of E with LH Eb depressed).
Check regulation before play-testing - a poorly regulated oboe will not play well, even if it is the best of the bunch. Check for cracks (though a well-repaired crack is not necessarily a bad thing since it relieves the stresses inside the wood). Check the bore and make sure it has not had a stuck swab badly removed, or been swabbed out too energetically over the years.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ceri
Date: 2010-06-21 11:00
The Rigoutat Delphine is a "small-hands" model (my ten-year-old daughter has one) and I wouldn't recommend it for an adult. The keys are not quite in the same place as on a "normal" oboe (they are closer together)* and it does not have all the trill keys or a third octave key.
*They really are spaced for a child's hand as opposed to a small adult hand.
Post Edited (2010-06-21 11:10)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2010-06-21 18:25
I've had good experience with Fossati English horns, and played some very nice Mark Chudnow (Sierra) intermediate-level oboes. He's always got some good buys on his site.
I always buy used instruments, but of course one should ALWAYS try them out first.
I'm glad that you as a teacher are 'open' to different brands, and do not instruct your student to buy only one brand of oboe. There are lots of really nice used instruments out there.
GoodWinds
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-06-21 22:30
Will she be able to try all of them together, or only one at a time? If she can have all of them for a trial period then that will give her a chance to weigh them all up against each other in more familliar surroundings and find out which one is best suited to her.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: hautbois francais
Date: 2010-06-22 07:16
Yes, I found it best to try them side by side, at the same time whether new or used. If you have a shop nearby where u can go, has a few oboes for u to try, then it is easy, no shipping u have to deal with, or deposits....some mail order outfits charge your credit card but dont submit it, till after the trial period (normally 7 days upon receipt) and upon receipt of the instrument back ! Of course, this is the US.
Oh yes, go with or test them with someone who is savvy and knows a good oboe too. So, the student wont be buying blind !
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jhoyla
Date: 2010-06-22 10:45
Don't forget to take several good reeds with you, if you are trying out in a store.
It is mainly for this reason that home trials are often preferable - you can tweak reeds to match the instrument.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: oboereed1109
Date: 2010-06-27 15:21
For the price, I would recommend a new Yamaha 441 with either a resin top joint or fully made of wood. I think Lorees in the 70's were very inconsistent. I've never played one I liked. A few of my students have bought these new Yamahas and they are beautiful.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: oboeidaho
Date: 2010-07-21 02:48
I have heard the Yamahas are good, but in this area (inland NW) everyone who has bought one in the past couple years (that I know of) has had terrible cracking problems. Yamaha has a good warranty, but unfortunately one of my students bought online at some discount site and had to buy a new top joint out of pocket (worst crack I've ever seen - huge!!!)
Just for closure's sake, my student buying the oboe in this thread has purchased a used Loree in the D series - it sounds great and I'm very excited for her.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: oboefiend
Date: 2010-08-28 23:32
I got a great Yamaha 841T custom (Yamaha's professional model) from hannahsoboes.com. I got my oboe which was two years old at the time for half the msrp price. She has graet service and she buys and sells oboes for no personal profit! Check it out!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
