 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: RMag
Date: 2009-02-11 15:45
Hi there!
I am a recent college graduate that has just relocated to New York City and am in desperate need of an oboe to play in community ensembles. I've been playing for around 12 years and am looking to continue this hobby.
Does anyone have any recommendations for either places to buy horns in the city, models to try, or sites online that sell used oboes for a decent price? I've played on either a Loree or Yamaha during school so anything outside those two brands is new to me but am open to anything (as long as its not super expensive, boo economy and being a recent grad).
Thanks for your help!
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2009-02-11 16:06
The first rule is: never buy an oboe that you haven't played on yourself. This is because an oboe's tone can take different people different ways, and one person's "bright and sweet" can be the next person's "shrill and obnoxious". So try it yourself.
Also, used oboes, even from famous makers like Loree, can vary in how their tone has responded to going through X number of owners, so, again, you never buy one you haven't played on yourself. Reputable dealers in used oboes, whether online or bricks-and-mortar, will allow you to test-play any oboe you're interested in. Usually they ask you to give them a credit card number as surety, and ask you to pay any shipping.
Midwest Musical Imports, RDG Woodwinds, Charles Double Reed, and Nora Post are all reputable online dealers in used oboes.
Do not bother with eBay, it's a total crapshoot and there's no way of telling exactly what you're getting.
A good way to try out different models of oboes is to contact the oboe faculty at any college, and set up a meet time to get together with some other oboists. There will be broad generalities you can make in terms of the makers: Loree, Yamaha, Howarth, Fox, Rigoutat, etc.
Make sure you get Left-Hand F and a low Bb key. And decide whether you want wood or plastic. Plastic is perfectly adequate for community ensemble work; you don't really need all the keywork bells and whistles for that, either.
Some makers are producing lined top joints, or a plastic top joint with a wood body, so think about that, too, before you buy.
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Author: oboedrew
Date: 2009-02-11 21:23
RMag,
You're in NYC? You might want to check out oboeworks (http://oboeworks.com/). They've sold a couple oboes for me in the past year. I've never been there in person, but it's my understanding that they usually have quite a selection of used instruments.
Cheers,
Drew
www.oboedrew.com
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Author: RMag
Date: 2009-02-12 18:13
Drew,
Thanks so much for recommending oboeworks. I'll definitely check them out and see what I can find.
And Dutchy, thanks for all the tips. I've gotten in touch with Nora Post and I might go out and check her shop since it's only a couple of hours from the City.
If anyone has any other brands they feel strongly about besides Loree or Yamaha, let me know. Someone put in a good word for the Buffet 4052 but I also heard they're very bright. Has anyone played on a Howart or Rigotaut?
Thanks everyone!
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2009-02-12 19:07
I'm an adult amateur, puttering around, and I'm very happy with my Fox 333. It's billed as an intermediate level oboe, has a nice, rather dark sound, has Left F and low Bb, a modicum of trill keys, and at $2000 new (this was 4 years ago) it was reasonably priced for what I wanted to do with it. They're up to $2500 now, I believe, and they're good value for the money. You can find used ones for $900-$1000, more or less. Also the Fox 330 is pretty widely available as used.
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Author: RMag
Date: 2009-02-12 20:28
Great! I've heard good things about the Fox 333 and 330. I am planning on testing out some horns here in the city on Monday and the place carries a bunch of Fox oboes so I'm excited to try them out. Thanks!
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2009-02-12 22:45
Rigoutat have a fine reputation, and their RIEC model is exceptional value for money - even though it is dubbed a school model it sounds gorgeous and lacks very little keywork (from the pictures it seems to have LH F and bottom Bb as standard, but may lack the split-E mechanism).
Nora Post did a piece on the RIEC a while back - worth reading as I recall.
Martin Schuring's website at ASU gives advice on buying an instrument - sound, comprehensive advice.
http://www.public.asu.edu/~schuring/Oboe/instruments.html
J.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2009-02-12 23:49
... since you've been playing for 12 yrs already, why not treat yourself to a full conservatory oboe? if you want to further develop your technical fingering skills, or do elaborate jazz improv work in the future, or need all the available trills for more challenging music, get full conservatory
Will you be playing outdoors with it?
If so the resin plastic Fox 300 (full conservatory model) is a versatile indoor-outdoor option, but, model 300 is not so readily available second-hand as the more popular intermediate student model 330
make sure whatever used model you're interested in is fitted with the forked F resonance vent as well as the Left F key, not all makes & models are fitted with the resonance vent, but, if you're already very skilled at using Eb with forked F, doesn't matter
the full conservatory 3rd 8ve key will definitely help get the higher notes (High E up) more easily, very useful for jazz improvs, or if you ever have to fill in by playing directly off a flute melody part with many consecutive bars of high ledgers -- but if you only expect to see an occasional High E or F in the music you'll be doing, don't need 3rd 8ve
beginner & intermediate (Fox 333 and 330) are OK for noodling along at average non-pro community level -- which don't usually rise above level 6 and more usually hovers around level 4, thus unlikely to ever need the less common trills -- so if you just want to tootle once or twice a week easily within your current playing skill level and don't need to commit to doing any serious practice in between, then go for an intermediate instrument, playing demands will never go beyond the mechanism provided
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Author: Vallemar2
Date: 2009-02-13 05:07
Okay; I will put this another way; don't dismiss ebay off the bat; it's NOT a total crap shoot if you are careful; protect yourself, ask questions and take your time. Watch ebay for a long time before you bid on anything, and do your research at least as much about the sellers as well as the instruments. Some of the sellers are just as reputable as any non ebay sellers; they just sell instruments, they have great reputations, its just that they use ebay. It's not a sin.
Some of the "reputable dealers" won't even put their prices online; so what is that about?
Just read the descriptions for God's sake; someone who doesn't know if the instrument has ever been cracked is NOT the person you want to hand a few thousand bucks to.
Or "this was my sister's but she decided she really liked the banjo so asked me to sell it for her and she'll throw in some of her used reeds for FREE. Check out my Obama ashtray collection while you're at it."
There is a lot of junk out there but there can be some great deals.
There are some pretty simple rules for bidding successfully on ebay; the biggest one is: you have to be able to return the instrument after a reasonable trial period for a complete refund with no trouble of any kind.
As far as instruments go my son's middle school got a Fox 333 and I was quite impressed by the quality of the instrument and ease of play but I would think it's worth it (could you afford it) to go up into the 4K zone and get a good used Loree (Mariguax, Rigoutat- your favorite big name here) Try a lot of them and if you find yourself talking yourself into buying it...then it is not the one.
Your teacher and a good repair person should be your team. In search of the "perfect oboe"
Good luck
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2009-02-13 06:45
-- "Nora Post did a piece on the RIEC a while back - worth reading as I recall." --
I have this link to a survey that they did:
http://www.norapost.com/pintail.html
I have a Rigoutat Riec and love it! I also have an old student Fox Renard that is built like a russian tank and will probably outlive the Riec.
Ebay is okay as long as you do your homework first and ask plenty of questions. I bid for an oboe a few years ago but didn't win it. It was being sold by an oboe professor in France on behalf of his student who'd stopped playing. A few polite emails got me a wealth of information and I felt very safe in bidding for it.
Steve
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Author: RMag
Date: 2009-02-13 16:24
Wow, thanks so much everyone for your input. Its been very helpful. I think since I do plan on taking it easy with playing, doing community ensembles, etc. and continuing as a hobby and not necessarily a study, some of the models sound more appealing than others.
So far, I plan on checking out the Fox 300 and 330, Yamaha 441, as well as some used Lorees, and possibly the Rigoutat RIEC.
Again, thanks everyone for contributing!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-02-13 16:53
The Yamaha has the lowest spec of the models you've listed.
The ones to consider which are almost full Gillet conservatoire (minus the D#-E trill mech) are:
Cabart (made by Loree)
Fox 330
Howarth S40c/45c
Rigoutat Riec
Full conservatoire oboes are:
Fox 300
Fossati Tiery E30 http://www.fossati-paris.com/zoom.php?ref=HautboisTieryE30E20
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2009-02-13 17:39
... as a former Yamaha 441 player i wouldn't do the all-wood model again, it's too thin-wall, porous at times leading one to suspect cracks, doesn't have enough resonance, very sing-song in upper register -- so may as well get either the all plastic model or else their combo plastic upper joint with wood middle & bell, still has same lightness of sound in upper register (lower register is full enough)
the finishing, feel and ergonomics of the 441's are really lovely, the wider than average thumb-rest is a real boon :-)
haven't seen or played the 800 numbered full conservatory model Yamaha myself, but it's been well received by some of our Canadian oboists
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Author: hautboy
Date: 2009-02-15 15:37
If you live in NY city I would check out Laubin in Peekskill NY. Oboeworks is an option as well as Nora Post, but she's closer to the catskills area. Not sure how much selling she's doing these days. These are the places that come to mind at the moment.
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Author: hautboy
Date: 2009-02-15 15:40
Just an addition to my previous post: Laubins are expensive and there is a long waiting list for a new one but they sometimes have used instruments. You could always call and see what they say.
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2009-02-18 07:21
I've done well with usedoboes.com. Marti's honest and the prices seem about right. Don't scratch off such sites as Miller Marketing (bassoon specialists, but they consign other double reed instruments).
I agree with DON"T BUY AN OBOE YOU HAVEN"T PLAYED.
Best advice. Get what will work for you.
Today I tried a 'modified conservatory' MCW oboe, was impressed. Just TAKE YOUR TIME and know (more or less) What you Want.
happy playing!!
GoodWinds
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