 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-11-06 23:35
(or English horn bocals - divided by a common language!)
Has anyone experienced them? I'm surprised how affordable they appear to be considering they're solid silver (from Howarth's site):
"Howarth are delighted to stock a range of Thomas Hiniker bocals. Thomas Hiniker hand makes each of these bocals from sterling silver. His bocals are enormously popular around the world.
Hiniker has developed a range of variants in order to allow the player to find the perfect crook for their instrument and set-up. The variants are distinguished as follows: the first number is the length, the second is the bore size, the last is the bocal tip length. The style "B" (for 'Brilliant bore') in the number 2 crook is designed to give excellent projection.
£239.95 including VAT"
http://www.howarth.uk.com/products.aspx?id=111&url=oboeacc.html
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bobo
Date: 2015-11-07 00:00
I own three of them. They are excellent. I play a Loree Cor I purchased pre-owned, and they were a huge improvement over the standard bocal that came with the (mid 80s vintage) instrument.
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Author: MikeC855
Date: 2015-11-07 04:01
Thank you for the advice to my musings in the other thread. To this end I have trials coming of the two largest bore Hinikers, a Dallas #9 and a Fox XL. I'll post next week once I'm able to get some quality time with them in the auditorium.
-----
Confounding band directors since 1964.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-11-07 14:30
I suppose the proof of the pudding is in the eating - I'm definitely going to have to try them out. I'm currently using a Howarth 2BM crook with my Marigaux but want something that will make the top A and Bb speak better (fuller) than that and the stock Marigaux crooks.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bobo
Date: 2015-11-07 21:49
I have a 12, a 12B and a 13, all number 2 (not short, not long). I find myself most often reaching for the 12, the sweet spot for me, though the 12B works better with some reeds. With the largest bore in the series, the 13 has a very full sound, which is nice on occasion - I think of it as my saxophone bocal, very free breathing and mellow. I trialed about 9 bocals and, like a parent with several children, couldn't settle on my favorite so to hedge my bets bought 3!
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Author: cjwright
Date: 2015-11-08 05:21
LOL Chris. They are a standard here in the States and have been for the last 10 years or so. I'd say they're the most popular after-market bocal here in the USA.
Hiniker bocals are made very well, with different bore gauges and other variables. I've owned a dozen in the past, and still use one for my short bore (higher pitch) on my Loree. The only downside is that there are so many different shapes/sizes, it takes forever to weed through them all to find the right one. The upside though is once you find it, it's EXACTLY right for your instrument!
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
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Author: MikeC855
Date: 2015-11-10 03:28
Bocals arrived today. CJ is right, it boils down to finding the right one *for the specific instrument*. In the case of the four on trial, the obvious choice for my cor was the Hiniker 2B12. I was surprised that even the 2B13 wasn't close.
Problems it cleaned up included sharp upper register, speaking issues low register, a too-bright C5, and weak/poorly-centered above C6. Overall dynamic range is improved, too.
Thanks to all for the comments and advice, and thanks for listening!
-----
Confounding band directors since 1964.
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Author: JohnW
Date: 2016-01-11 21:20
Love the Hiniker bocal I got for my Kreul Mirafone. It gave a smoother, more even sound over the whole range of the horn. I don't know whether it's solid silver or just plated, but it is a great bocal.
JohnW
amateur adult beginner, oboe and cor
www.OboeHobo.com
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Author: heckelmaniac
Date: 2016-01-12 12:33
Hiniker bocals= all solid Sterling silver, though Tom has made a few bocals of gold alloy (18k I believe) also...
Oboes.us
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