 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: hautboy
Date: 2011-01-17 21:15
Quite a few years ago I tried a Fox oboe and I wasn't impressed. One of my students just bought a new Fox oboe and it's really nice. They must have come a long way since I first tried them. Anyhow, it's plastic, not top of the line, yet still has a great sound. Even the forked F is perfect. So, I'm thinking of selling my old C series Loree and getting a Fox. my Loree has a brighter, more vibrant sound. Actually, it's not bad considering it's about 40 years old. I don't know what to do. I'm not sure if I should take a chance and get my Loree overhauled or go for the Fox. I have a Royal, but it's wood. I wouldn't have to worry about a plastic oboe (or whatever material they use) cracking. Any suggestions on models? This would be a spare oboe. I'm just not sure what to do. My C series Loree isn't pretty. It has some cracks that were pinned, and it isn't very neat looking, but no leaks. The keys are pitted and there is a chip towards the top ( there is a line of wood that goes around the reed chamber, not sure what you would call it, but the chip is off of a piece that is for decoration only, not damaged in the sense that it leaks.) The top joint is also from a different year than the bottom joint. My teacher switched them because he said this top joint sounded better with the horn. Not sure if he was telling the truth or not. I know it's my decision, but does anyone have any suggestions?
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Author: GoodWinds ★2017
Date: 2011-01-18 00:06
only two: try the plastic before you commit to buying.
Take your Loree along, and do a blind (seriously, close your eyes) comparison test. Check the sound, the response, and how the keys feel under your fingers. If you're really feeling conflicted, take someone else along for a second opinion.
Good luck!
GoodWinds
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Author: Dutchy
Date: 2011-01-18 14:38
You don't choose an oboe for how it looks, but for how it sounds. If you're happy with the sound of your Loree, don't worry about the chips and cracks and such.
Also, the IDRS has an article somewhere in their archives that concerns a blind test someone did back in the late 1970s IIRC, in which they played both plastic and wood oboes behind a screen for a panel of trained listeners, and the listeners could not tell which ones were plastic and which were wood. Wooden instruments feel different to play, but as far as the sound goes, they're the same as plastic (assuming you're talking about good quality instruments like Fox, and not Chinese mass-production oboes, of course).
I play a Fox 333 and am pleased with it; it's an excellent quality oboe with a good sound, even if it's just an intermediate model. When I was looking into buying an oboe, I did considerable research, and I found that Fox oboes are bored out individually, the same way you'd bore out a wooden oboe; they aren't cast in a mold, like cheap resin toys. This would account for their better sound. It's possible that when you were looking at them years ago, they may have been using cast resin oboes, but now they've changed, I don't know.
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2011-01-18 22:43
The Fox oboes are great instruments, but again, try out a few, and see what you like. I play on a Fox 400 (all wood), and I have students that are using Fox 330's (all plastic). I can feel a difference in the instruments, but they sound and react very similar to my oboe. They're relatively new also. The band director bought them in 2006 or 2007, just after I was hired on.
I played on some AK Loree's recently, and really liked them, and if I could afford it right now, I would probably switch, after I of course tried out more oboes from different makers and got mine overhauled to see how much of a difference that makes. But for quality, Fox is a great horn and they seem to be pretty consistent between horns.
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: cjwright
Date: 2011-01-19 01:33
Just know that if you do decide to sell your C series, you're going to get low balled because of the different serial numbers. People have real prejudices about such issues, and even if its the best C series in the world, you'd could probably only expect to get around $2000 in FANTASTIC shape, probably closer to $1500 or even closer to $1200 if its poor condition.
I would be curious to know whether the Fox instrument you tried was a Fox Renard 330 (intermediate model, no split ring D) or a Fox 400 (professional model, split ring D, etc.) The 400's I tried weren't terrible, but there were certainly issues with the 10 that I tried (thin middle C, unstable high A, etc.)
If you're seriously looking for a new backup oboe, I'd look for a plastic top joint oboe or special order a plastic topjoint for your royal.
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
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Author: soo123w
Date: 2011-02-21 00:19
I recently tried a used Fox 450, it was only couple years old, but it played terrible. I have to struggle in order to make the oboe sing, it wasn't play that freely. May be I was spoiled, I have been playing Laubin for many years.
I remember couple years ago, I tried another older used all plastic Fox (can't remember the model number), but it played okay.
I know having a synthetic oboe, one doesn't have to worry about cracks. As cjwright suggested, you can always get a synthetic top joint for your Loree.
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