ok im in 9th grade and i want to buy a an oboe what type do u think i should get i heard about fox and one that starts w/an l that r really good but i just dont know help thanks amanda

I use Howarth and its really good.

Buying a new instrument really depends on what you want to do musically; do you want to be a music major in college (ie., an oboe major like me next year!!) or just play for fun.
However, if you`re seriously considering music as a career choice, I`d recommend a Loree or a Fossati. I play on a Fossati F01 and love it. Fox oboes, though, are the best choice for anyone who can`t afford a Loree or need a good, but simple upgrade. Just remember, with oboes, it`s the instrument that picks the player. I hope that this helps.
~Chris

Lorée aren`t that good. They are just some fashion brand and cost much because of that.

I have a Fox 330 which is a pretty good Oboe. I actually got it right before my Freshman Year and I am a Junior in High school now. THe only reason why I am kinda looking for a new Oboe is becuase I want a wooden one hehe. I am very happy with my Oboe. Before this one I had a Selmer student model so it was a HUGE upgrade. My former private and band teacher had the same model since she was a Junior in High School and she still played on it so they last for a very long time. Just keep in mind whether you want to bother with being careful with a wooden one, or just stick to plastic. And it really does depend on if this will be your last Oboe and if you are planning on playing beyond High school. Good Luck in finding your new Oboe

Actually, Ossur the Loree`s have been getting better(I guess Gourdon thought he was gettin behind). But I would recomend either a Loree or Yamaha professional model (majoing in music). If not I totally recomend the Fox 330.

Amanda - if you do buy a new one, give me a holler, I may be interested in buying your old one.

I`m in 9th grade also and I occasionally play the oboe for my school`s band. Since oboes are extremely expensive I play my school`s which is a professional wooden Yamaha. It has a nice tone, though I`m not sure of the series. Do you already know how to play the oboe? If not, then you might want to try borrowing one and trying it out before you buy! Hope that helps.

Hi! )
I`ve been playing the oboe for exactly two years now. Whew- that`s interesting lol. Sorry. (I`m on 4th grade YAY)
I used to have a really shotty school oboe that never worked when it needed to
(eg. I had a gorgeous 2 line solo to play the first went to the top c, the second was a semitone lower. Of course the top notes didn`t come out properly coz the oboe didn`t have a second octave key. Also, while recording an audition tape to send for the Vienna festival this year, my oboe stuffed up and not a sound came out :S)
For Christmas this year, I got a Buffet professional and I love it- my mum is amazed- she never knew I could practice for so long!!
I also tried out a Buffet student oboe, it was very good also.

They`re the ones I can suggest. :P Not much, but I can say they`re beautiful. Good Luck.

~*Bobo*~ (who plays the oboe :D)

i love my new bulgheroni, i highly recomend it. i tried it and a fox and a yamaha and a buffet, and something else... but it was definatly my favorite. it is also cheaper than the fox 330 and has all the keys except the bannana key, but i have the 3rd octave key and the fox does not. it is a smaller brand, but look into it.

It all depends on what you like and what you`re going to do with it.
I`m 15 and I`m going to buy an oboe myself in a few months, a professional Green line oboe from Buffet (My mind`s set on becoming a musician so I`m buying the best (in my opinion)). I have a student oboe from Buffet and I like it, my teacher says it has the best sound she`s heard from a student instrument. I think Buffet is very good, especially because of their new "green line" instruments, they`re made of wood, but it`s chopped up and mixed with something (I`ve read about it but can`t remember), and that all means that the instrument WON`T CRACK! (which is of course very important) Besides, I`ve asked quite many people about what brand to buy and everyone says Buffet, because of the new instruments that won`t crack. So that´s what I`m going for, but of course I`m going to try it first, one can never be too careful.
I`d recommend you look at the Buffet website http://www.musicgroup.com/Instruments/buffet/FrameBuffet.htm (if you`re interested) and get as many people as you can to tell you their opinion before you decide what to buy! Good Luck!

I`d recommend finding a company that will send you several at a time, preferably several brands, and try them all out. I personally play on a rigoutat and find them superior to everything I`ve played on, but some people can`t get anything good to come out of them. As for what brands you should be looking for loree, laubin, rigoutat, marigaux, yamaha, fossati, howarth, and renard fox are all good ones, but like I said the best thing is to find out what works best for you.

The Renards are pretty good actually. If you`re going for moderate priced oboes, I think you should try the Patricola semi-pro model or the Bulgheroni. They`re really good and worth the money.

I will second the suggestion of Howarth. If you cannot afford a pro model (an S5 or XL), any of the student models are lovely also. When my year-old XL cracked for the second time, I was forced to send it away for repair and use my backup, an S45c or p, I think, and when I used it in a performance of Handel`s Messiah, no one noticed the difference (well, except me!).

Even the plastic Howarths are good: they use a much higher-density resin than Yamaha and Selmer, so it feels more like a "real" oboe and less like you`re playing a Barbie.

One more thing--if you`re committed to the instrument, you should consider getting on the waiting list for a Laubin oboe. The waiting list is for about eight years now, I think. Laubins are American, and when played right they will produce a spooky, dark, covered tone. Howarth, as I mentioned before, are from the UK and make a lovely, bright, round sound. Loree, in my experience, is somewhere in the middle.

All three of these brands are commonly played in professional orchestras, all are high-quality and will all play an even scale. Your teacher can help you make a reed to suit your oboe.