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Re: General survey of oboes

Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-10-11 14:41

1) 38, West Sussex, UK.

2) Woodwind instrument repairer, previously with Howarth for 12 years, playing oboe and cor mostly in concert bands, local orchestras and pit orchestras.

3) Howarth S5 kingwood from 1995 and a Selmer Signet Soloist 104 plastic oboe for outdoor playing.

Howarth oboes are popular in the UK being the only UK company still making oboes, from beginner level instruments through to top pro models. The S2 was the most popular pro oboe in the UK which lost popularity to the S5 and XL oboes within the last 20 years - the XL being the most popular Howarth oboe among pro players.

4) 440Hz.

5) I've been buying reeds off eBay from a seller in Korea - very well priced, European U scrape (Rigoutat No.2 shaper) with wire and very consistent. Only a small amount of adjusting to do to get them to play how I like, but the hard work has already been done.

6) I bought the S5 kingwood after it came back to the factory for a top joint transplant (it had been given a thrashing while out on approval) plus it had keywork conversion along with the transplant to make it dual system in readiness for resale in the UK. I liked the way it played from the word go and also getting it with staff discount was a bonus.

7) I played a Yamaha 821 before I got the Howarth and struggled with some tuning problems on it (mostly the saggy Gs), and the S5 was so much easier for me to get on with.

8) If I was to get another pro model oboe I'd most likely go for a Marigaux 901 as I like the thick, weighty tone quality of these - though I'd probably add a low B-C link to it as they don't come with them as standard.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2010-10-13 05:14)

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General survey of oboes new

HautboisJJ

2010-10-10 08:29