Author: DressedToKill
Date: 2006-07-30 04:02
You are going to get tons of responses, particularly about the last portion of your post, and they will all be different, so brace yourself, Effie...
I have played all the professional level Fox oboes (I own a 300 for use as a backup/outdoor instrument, and I adore it), and they are all extremely high quality horns. I would actually be inclined to recommend the 450 over the 400 for a student, as the plastic top joint really cuts down on the risk of problems with cracking, and oboes have a TREMENDOUS tendency to crack within a year or so. There is (and this is getting into Various Camps of Thought territory, but I stand firm on this) virtually no difference in the sound produced by a plastic upper joint and a wood one. The Fox oboes are exceptionally well made, have a wonderful scale, and will play light years better for your daughter than what she is playing now, regardless of the body material.
If it's available now, I would ask the dealer to let her try it for a week or so (standard practice), and see how she likes it. If she loves the oboe, then it doesn't matter if it's made from concrete with PVC keys...let her have it. She is not yet playing at a level where she would possibly be able to discern the infinitesimal differences in perceived tone between the two, and you have to remember that even two instruments of the exact same specifications often show slight differences. (Much as identical twins, on some level, are slightly different, no matter how alike they appear.)
Best of luck, and congratulations to your daughter...she is a lucky girl. This is a very exciting event in a young musician's life, and I'm sure she's just thrilled! :-)
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