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Re: weird oboe

Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-03-02 16:33

Also, the Italian 'B' model bores differ to those by Prestini and Orsi in that they have been reamed out using Howarth reamers during the time they're set up at Howarth.

So oboes of the same make, but bearing different names (Louis LM5, Lafleur, Buisson, Rudall Carte, Selmer Sterling, etc.) have the original bores from their factory of origin which are narrower or of a different taper to Howarth bores.

The Czechoslovakian copies of the Italian 'B' models (bearing the names Artia or Corton - built by Amati) have a very wide top joint bore which can cause trouble in the lower part of the low register, from E downwards they can become unstable and 'bubble'.

And just to add to the confusion - Howarth discontinued the S10 model in the late '90s and renamed it the S10B, though it only carried the letter 'B' on the back (and 'B' in the bell logo and the serial number ended with xxxxB) instead of S10 - it's basically the same keywork specification, though the instrument was made in the UK and has all Howarth keywork parts and body joints. Due to some retooling, the S10B was discontinued and was now called the S10 again back in around 2002.

The difference between the S10 and S10B is in the keywork - the S10B has more utilitarian keywork with thick key arms that are the same width across the pad cups with an angle filed at the far ends from the key barrel, (almost like Rigoutat RIEC keywork), whereas the S10 has pointed key arms across the pad cups which look much nicer, and the serial numbers are like those of the other Howarth student model oboes - a letter followed by a 3-digit number (which is currently Jxxx).

Though the Howarth built entry level oboes - S10 or S10B - are very different instruments to the recent Orsi-built 'B' models - though they're all basic covered hole thumbplate models with simple octave keys.

http://howarth.uk.com/pic.aspx?pic=./wo/HowarthS10.jpg&pid=35101

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2007-03-02 22:34)

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