 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: KJC
Date: 2012-07-19 16:55
Hello,
I'm going to start playing the oboe again and am having three used oboes sent to me to try. They include a Rigoutat Delphine, a Fox 330 and a Yamaha 441. These are the best models I can afford at this point. I did search this board for a helpful thread on this subject, and there has only been one discussion about these oboes (that I could find) and the person decided to purchase the Rigoutat Delphine. They are being sent to me by a reputable dealer (who does post on this message board I've notice-I'm new). Since my options are limited, and I trust this dealer, I'm not going to wait until September when my teacher will be back in town to try them. I want to get started now so I can practice and not be totally inept when I start lessons. The three oboes should arrive tomorrow. Of course, if the oboe doesn't feel right after trying to play it for a couple of days, I won't purchase it. I would just like some opinions from others who have tried, purchased or heard of these oboes. When I played previously, I had an old Loree that I really loved but had to sell it in college for financial reasons. Anyway, this is a huge financial decision, and I would appreciate all opinions. I've been told by one person that the Fox 330 would be the best buy.
-Kate
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Author: Old Oboe
Date: 2012-07-20 00:35
I play a Rigoutat RIEC and have a friend with a Delphine. I played hers and found it to be delightful. One thing I've heard is that the Delphine is designed for smaller hands, so if you have medium to large hands it may not be comfortable for you.
Linda
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Author: KJC
Date: 2012-07-20 01:19
Thanks for your response. That's good to know.
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Author: KJC
Date: 2012-07-20 01:59
Thanks Susan. The only one he recommends in that last paragraph regarding intermediate oboes is the Fox 330. I'll have to seriously consider it tomorrow when the oboes arrive. Thanks.
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Author: WoodwindOz
Date: 2012-07-20 05:04
I compared the Fox 330 with the Yamaha 441 at the Midwest Clinic last Dec. The Fox outshone the Yamaha, in my opinion. It just felt more...oboe-y. The Fox feels in the hands and with the airstream as through it was designed by a company that deals primarily with oboes (and bassoons of course!) The Yamaha felt like it was constructed by a company that constructs lots of things. Strange, that!
Don't get me wrong, the Yamaha is a good instrument! For sure you need to compare them yourself side by side. But for me, there was a stark contrast between the two.
And well done for getting back into the oboe!
Rachel
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Author: KJC
Date: 2012-07-20 21:19
After much "Night before Christmas-like" anticipation, I received the oboes today. They are all very nice instruments. It's going to be a tough decision. I am playing some of the Barret Progressive melodies and comparing the sounds on all three by playing the same piece. I was playing the No. 3 melody, and I got to the 14th measure on the Delphine- wow I really miss the D trill key in the middle joint there. That may be a deal breaker for this particular oboe.
Right now, it is between the Yamaha and the Fox. (Both have the D trill key where I remember it.) I haven't completely given up on the Delphine though because I think that it has a nice sound and maybe the pitch is more exact than the Yamaha. The Yamaha has some interesting and complex characteristics in its sound though. By the way, I didn't notice the difference with my hands in the key placement on the Delphine. My hands are average for a woman, and the keys didn't seem too close together. I really like the Fox because it seems to be more centered on pitch than either the Yamaha or the Rigoutat Delphine ---or at least it's easier for me to find the correct pitch with my out of shape embouchure. The Fox also has a beautiful sound, and I agree with Rachael that it has a bit more of that classic oboe sound (this is a very slight difference though). As my muscle memory came back regarding embouchure and posture/diaphragm, all three oboes started to sound remarkably better! -) In fact I had forgotten how 90% of playing well is really your reed and "you". Actually, I wish that one seemed a lot worse than the others to me. Maybe over the weekend things will change. Since they are all so close it might come down to the one least likely to crack, which would be the Fox. It will take me at least this weekend to decide.
If anyone can think of anything else to play or test the differences please let me know.
Regards,
Kate
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Author: KJC
Date: 2012-07-24 23:07
After playing all three oboes extensively, listening to recordings of me playing them, and having my husband listen to the oboes, I narrowed it down to the Fox Renard 330 and the Rigoutat Dephine. I picked the Rigoutat Delphine. The Yamaha 441 just didn't produce as good or consistent a sound when I played it, particularly in the upper registers as the Rigoutat or the Fox 330 in my opinion. Also, the Rigoutat Delphine produced the most beautiful and complex sound compared to the Fox 330. My husband thought so too ( and no, he is not a musician of any sort), but he does appreciate music well. The sound reminds me more of the Loree I had in high school. The Fox 330 also seemed more resistant to changing registers with ease and didn't respond as readily as the Rigoutat. I would get a very slight "honk" on occasion (resistance), but never from the Rigoutat which just seemed to get better as I played it. I think if the Fox bell had the low B flat vent key (which is an option), it might have improved the sound. The sound, however of the Fox 330 was good, just not up to the standard of the Rigoutat. I just wish the Rigoutat had the trill key on the middle joint instead of just the top, and it is missing one other trill key that the Fox has (albeit one that is rarely used). I have to say that one person who is a very knowledgeable and talented oboe player really recommended that I buy the Fox 330, but he didn't know a lot about Rigoutats though and knew a lot about Loree's. Not going with his recommendation was tough, but I think I made the right decision. For those who are worried about the size of the Rigoutat Delphine, it fits me comfortably, and I have average hands (according the the science charts) for a woman. In fact, I think it was easier to play because of the key placement. The Fox 330 is a very nice instrument, and I wish I could buy it as well, but then I could afford to buy a newer full conservatory oboe instead couldn't I? :-) I hope this review helps some other amateurs looking at the Rigoutat Delphine, because I could find very few user reviews on the web. I found a really nice and effective dealer of oboes on the web, but I don't think I'm allowed to drop her name in this forum, so I will not.
Cheers,
KJC
Post Edited (2012-07-25 19:07)
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2012-07-25 07:06
you couldn't be talking about The Oboe Fairy, by any chance?
J.
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Author: HelenJ
Date: 2012-07-25 18:32
KJC - enjoyed reading about your comparison experiences. I will certainly look out for the Rigoutat Delphine.
Susan - thanks for that interesting link! Wonder why he says an outright 'Avoid' for Ward & Winterbourn oboes. I recently bought a second-hand one on eBay and thought it had a nice sound (compared to my student oboe).
Helen
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2012-07-26 08:41
The Ward and Winterbourne oboes are a reasonable step-up from a B&H Regent student oboe if you are a thumb-plate player (I think just UK persist with this, today). After all, they are made from wood and have a reasonable sound as you pointed out.
The main problem with them is lack of keywork. I don't know how the price compares with a Howarth S20, but that would be my preferred student model in the thumb-plate world.
J.
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