 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-19 04:31
When I first started out on Oboe (teaching myself) I picked up my first one in Christchurch New Zealand way back in 1977. It was a Boosey & Hawkes Regent Thumb Plate. Even though I didn't realise it at the time this was a 'bottom of the barrel' Oboe. However I did manage to progress on it to a reasonable standard. My next Oboe was a Bundy Thumb Plate and this was a big improvement on the Regent. I think I got the Bundy around 1994 or there abouts. This Oboe served me well right up to 2004 when I traded it in for a Howarth S55c Dual System (my third Oboe) from John Armstrong who had a repair shop in Newcastle NSW at the time.
However , over time the S55c proved to be just too much Oboe for me and it was also heavy. Recently early this year I traded this Oboe in for a second hand Howarth S2, (my fourth Oboe) which is much easier to play (far less resistance) and is reed friendly.
However I've always regretted trading in that Bundy and have recently been checking out E-bay for another one. The problem is , all the Bundys on E-bay have no low Bb and most of them are not English Thumb Plate. Till recently that is. Just a week ago I was brousing through the Oboe section of E-bay and there was 'my ' Oboe, low Bb and Thumb Plate. It was a compulsive purchase. The price was 180 UK pounds How could I resist? What surprise me was how quick the instrument was sent to me. Six days ! And when it arrived I was amazed at the good condition of it. It actually looks new !. The only wear and tear that I can see is on the bottom of the case where a few scruff marks are. And it is in good playing condition. I've already tested the intonation by playing along with a 'minus one' CD and cannot hear any concerning intonation problems. And with my own home made reeds it sounds fabulous. This is going to be my 'knock-about Oboe.
I've found a long lost friend
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2017-05-21 16:25)
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2017-05-19 08:57
Congratulations Barry - Tell me are you a Kiwi? ....I am and also was playing in Dunedin in the Civic Orchestra as it was at that time ( first oboe). I will get up and see you soon. Cheers Geoff
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-19 12:49
Hi Geoff. No , I'm an Aussie but I've lived in New Zealand and worked
in shearing sheds based in Blenheim and Parnassus in the South Island. Looking forward to seeing you soon perhaps
Skyfacer
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Author: SarahC
Date: 2017-05-19 15:25
Photos!!! We need photos of your new baby.
Free blowing?
What mechanism does it have?
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Author: SarahC
Date: 2017-05-19 15:36
Photos!!! We need photos of your new baby.
Free blowing?
What mechanism does it have?
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2017-05-20 03:01
Surely....been a bit busy since my return from Vietnam and working hard to familiarise myself with my new oboe. Take good care - Geoff
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-20 03:33
Attachment: DSCF1936.JPG (1300k)
Here I'll try to download a photo of my new 'Old Friend'
As you can see. It's condition is as 'good as new'
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2017-05-21 00:09)
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-20 03:38
This resonite Bundy Oboe is wonderfully light. It weighs 532 g as opposed to the Howarth S2 at 588 g. And the Howarth S55c Dual System came in at a wopping 704 g . Now wonder I ended up letting the S55c go. There was just too much weight 'leverage' beyond the right thumb. Modern Oboes are just too heavily cluttered with excess mechanism.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2017-05-20 10:40)
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-20 04:04
Another interesting detail comparing the Howarth S2 with the Bundy is that the Bundy is 6mm longer than the S2. No problem playing the Bundy at A440 though.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2017-05-21 00:08)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-05-20 08:19
The difference between the UK and US spec Bundy oboes are:
UK - simple/single action 8ve keys
US - semi-automatic 8ve keys
UK - LH3 C-D trill key
US - LH3 C-C# trill key
UK - LH1 fingerplate linked to top joint C key with screw adjustment
US - independent LH1 fingerplate with no screw adjustment
UK - thumbplate system with side key for A-Bb and B-C trills
US - conservatoire system with side key for G-Ab trill
UK - no RH2 C-D trill lever
US - RH2 C-D trill lever
UK - forked F vent
US - no forked F vent
UK - range to low Bb
US - range to low B natural with vent holes in bell
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-20 10:15
Yes Chris. What I've got to stay focused on when I'm playing the Bundy (UK version) as opposed to my Howarth S2 is that I must keep my RH on the C key when playing low B and Bb. And there is no RH C-D trill key. And no LH B-C# trill key. It's good that the UK Bundy has the fork F vent though. Fancy the US bundy not having that. And not having the low Bb as well.
The fact that the UK Bundy only has simple octave keys and my S2 has semi-automatic octave keys doesn't seem to bother me as I now realise that when I'm using the S2 , I'm using the semi-automatic octave keys as if they were simple octave keys. Bit of a quirk of fingering that I seem to have.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2017-05-20 10:19)
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-20 10:21
I'm suprised that the Howarth S2 is the weight that it is. I expected it to be lighter than 588g as it has far less mechanism to it. But it's obvious it is that weight because the mechanism is solid sterling silver. No worry about the plating wearing off. The Bundy resonite Oboe looks like it has nickel plating. Not quite sure though.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2017-05-20 10:46)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-05-20 17:27
Bundy oboes are silver plated - the only oboes with nickel plate to my knowledge are B&H Regents (and ebonite Imperials) and the Italian Howarth B models (which were later silver plated).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: SarahC
Date: 2017-05-20 22:17
Wow Chris thanks for that description!
I still haven't figured out all the amazing trill keys!
Maybe by the time I have done my lrsm
Barry you are inspiring me to weigh my oboe now!
I though the sparks felt quite right, but my thumbs are really struggling with Osteo arthritis with all the practise I am doing for the boys piano exams (I play with them.. That is three hours of my day!) and them the one hour of oboe practise on top of that.
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-21 16:18
Hi Chris. Thanks for the photos. I consider it very slack that in the US the Bundy is / was sold without a fork F vent and no low Bb. At least it has a RH c-d trill key and semi-automatic octave keys. This is the resonite Bundy that is being sold on E-bay and more often than not at a much higher price than my English version. I reckon I got a real bargan at 180 pounds plus postage. Been playing it along with some of my 'Guest Spot' minus one CDs. It's very easy blowing and 'reed friendly'. The tonal quality is excellent for a resonite Oboe but different from the Howarth S2. I like both sounds
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2017-05-21 16:24)
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2017-05-22 04:29
I also could not understand the low B Flat ommision...However a lot of oboes were made with out the Forked F Vent. I know Tabuteau never liked the vent, so that was passed on to his students. Evidently he found the unvented forked F to be the sole survivor on a modern oboe of the old baroque oboe cross fingering sound. it can also come in useful for a pianissimo entry of an F, but on some oboes you have to push the pitch up a tad. my current oboes ( Louis and Triebert, not made for the American market) are unvented, but my Louis cor is. My first oboe was a Rudell Carte - that was unvented with simple octaves....you can learn to do without it, and of course if you want a brighter sharper sound,. you can always add the RH e flat key to the forked F.
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2017-05-22 06:51
Hi Geoffrey. Thanks for the input. Concerning the vented F. I've played on an Oboe that was loaned to me quite some time back Forget what brand it was but it didn't have a vented F key and I found that having to add the RH Eb key to the fingering really 'cramped my style' Never again
Skyfacer
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2017-05-22 07:48
Some oboes are better than others in that regards, I dont use the RH e Flat on either of mine, but on the louis, the lower one needs a bit of thought, but the second octave is indistinguishable... the Triebert does not need it on either.
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