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Worst Oboe Ever!

Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-05-31 15:58

Having tried out a new composite bodied (well, some kind of moulded substance with a brushed 'wood effect' finish) Chinese oboe earlier and compared it against my plastic Selmer Signet and Howarth S5, I can definitely put it forward as a candidate for the 'Worst Oboe Ever' award.

This is the same model that is beig sold on eBay (but under a multitude of names), though this one was almost full Gillet (but without the split D#-E trill - same as the Cabart, Riec or Howarth S40c spec), so it's the more expensive of the two types on the market (the other being the basic conservatoire to low B), but still cheap and nasty.

Even the old B&H Regent oboes play much better than this heap of crap, and that's really saying something! The tuning was all over the shop as was the keywork. Adjusting screw tips had been filed along with the keywork they went through so they had angled tips to them, ruling out any fine adjustment.

The keywork was perhaps the least ergonomic of any oboe, and let's face it, oboes aren't exactly the most ergonomic of instruments even though makers do their best to get them near perfect.

One saving grace was the tone which was fairly rich, but it didn't like being pushed as the notes would change pitch up or down by a semitone at the most, almost like lifting a finger or operating a key even though no finger movements were happening. Either that or the notes would gurgle, bubble and generally become unstable.

Tuning was another matter - it really had to be lipped up to pitch to the point of biting the reed, and register changes were interesting as the pitch would suddenly change when changing between registers.

I know they're cheap, but they won't do anyone any favours if they try to learn on one. If I find an old Lark oboe (the old Chilnese copy of a Moennig fully automatic ring key model), I might compare it with one of these. Note that I said 'might' there, which doesn't necessarily mean I will.

So, any more candidates for the 'Worst Oboe Ever'?

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

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