Author: pliscapoivre
Date: 2011-09-09 20:39
Wow, that's a big question! I played Loree for 16 years and visited Howarth in London earlier this year (I spent a full day and tried around 8 instruments there) before finally settling on a Moennig.
I find the most notable characteristic of Howarth to be a very *noble* sound. The craftsmanship is great, and the makers are justly proud of their work and their approach.
I think that Loree and Howarth are simply two different animals, and of course it's a completely personal and subjective decision which has more to do with your sound concept than anything else. At this point, there's no question that I would choose Howarth over Loree, but Moennig is the oboe for me. If Howarth had been an option when I was a student, I think I'd have been a happier player, but who knows? I have the impression that Loree was a lot better in the 90s than it is now, and my last Loree (a Royal, made in 2006) was by far my least favorite and the most problematic of the three or four I owned over the years. My niece now has my 2000 Loree regular model, and when I play it occasionally, I'm always impressed once again -- it's quite a nice instrument.
Ultimately, your decision of course depends also on precisely which XL you've been sent and how your playing style, reeds, etc. respond to the instrument. If the particular one you try isn't exactly right for you, but you feel good about most of its general characteristics, I'd encourage you to try more of them if at all possible.
Enjoy! I hope that you get a real winner.
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