Author: heckelmaniac
Date: 2011-03-28 23:36
Dear OboeMother,
Some "high end" professional model oboes will be of polymer (plastic),
or sometimes plastic upper joint and lower joint an bell made of wood.
I highly recommend a plastic or "half plastic" instrument if you happen to live in an adverse climate either very cold, or having extremely low humidity.
Some of the recommended "plastic" instruments:
LOREE 1) the instruments made with the grey/white mottled polymer
made from about CC series (c. 1969) to about HA 1986.
Only about 40 were made in total. Rare.
Acoustically, I find this grey/white mottled plastic to be the best-
sounds just like a wood version.
2) the jet black Acrylic instruments made from about 1984 to present
Howarth not common to find, though Howarth has made oboe upper joints
out of various kinds of polymer, Acrylic, Acetol, etc.
Marigaux "Altuglas" clear Acrylic tend to be expensive even used
Hiniker Only a few exist so far. Absolutely exceptional.
Gordet "Italian" model by Bulgheroni very rare. Only a few exist. Super.
In my opinion, best to avoid the Buffet "Greenline" oboes made of "composite" material, i.e., grenadilla dust, carbon fiber dust, and epoxy resin. Aside from being nearly (in my opinion) a "reed trumpet," utterly lacking in subtlety, sweetness, and finesse, the Greenline oboes can and do
crack. I know of two cases so far. Not repairable.
If not under warranty, you will be stuck. "Crack resistant," not "crack proof."
The quality wood of oboes made recently is tending to be extremely "iffy" in my experience. A steady stream of oboes now going back to the factory to have new top joints made under warranty. As Beth Orson said to me recently "Peter, I know of half a dozen new Loree oboes recently arrived in Vancouver within the last 6 months. All have cracked dramatically. No, I should rather say that they 'exploded'..."
With best wishes,
Peter
Oboes.us
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