Hi, I`ve been playing oboe for over four years now, but all the while on a crappy little plastic Selmer. I`m part of the school band, and a woodwind group, but I`d like to upgrade. Would I be better off with an English horn? They`re beautiful, I think they are easier to play, but would that be the right choice?
Or perhaps should I upgrade to a nice wooden oboe, what kind? (I`ll only refuse suggestions of a Fox, sorry).
Thank you!

personally i`d go for the wooden oboe, seeing as in the future you`ll be wanting to put depth and warmth in the sound that you just can`t achieve on a plastic instrument, and in school bands it would be nearly impossible to play cor exclusively.
i also love the cor, and in some ways it can be easier, but, particularily in wind band music, they don`t always tend to have that many parts for cor. Seeing as you`re playing in f you can read a french horn part, but it`s not the same.
As to what type of oboe, it depends what you want, student, intermediate or professional, and what your price range is.
i have a professional yamaha, which is gorgeous - was very lucky to get it for a hugely reduced price in an assisted purchase scheme the county runs.
Used to play on a 2nd hand howarth`s student, which was a perfectly good basic instrument, and had a fairly nice tone.

hope that`s some help

Also, what price range am i looking at?

what country are you from? i know some of the prices in britain, but not the going rate anywhere else.

the U.S.
are the prices actually different, or can they just be converted?
(I wouldn`t be surprised if they were cheaper in other places, we lack that thing, culture.)

My daughter has been playing for several years, and she was looking at getting either a Buffet or a Howarth- what price range would I be looking at, and is that too little/too much to be getting for a 3-year player, to be in the high school band next year)? It is her primary instrument.

You should probably read this thread...and then ask any further questions you might have.

http://www.8notes.com/forum/27_39304.asp

GO WOODEN OBOE.....I would look at Loree and Yamahas.

I would definitely consider buying a wooden oboe, as you will probably notice a difference in the quality of tone that you are able to produce. I think you would be better off to work on your oboe skills for a few more years before you try to tackle the English Horn because to play the horn well requires good oboe skills. It`s true that the horn is similar to the oboe, but you have to remember that it is a unique and different instrument in its own right. I`d definitely reccomend upgrading your plastic oboe before you start thinking about the horn!

As to brands, i think Howarth oboes are great, but they are big in the UK mostly, so i am not sure of their standing in the US. I play on a Howarth and i can highly reccomend them

Good luck in making your decision!

Thank you for all of your help!
I`m hoping to get a used oboe, but if I do have the option, what type of wood is best? Grenadilla is common, but there is also rosewood and violetwood. Would one of those be better?

( Thank you! )

According to Nora Post, rose wood has a higher tendency to crack

ok rose wood/violet wood doesn`t preject as much, cracks easier,but has a little sweeter sound.grenidilla projects more and does not crack or expand/change as easily.I would suggest going to Cygnet Studios.com and buy a used loree. they also have fox,gordent,howarth,laribin,larilee,cabart,buffet,and english horn and oboe d`amores,a bass oboe and a hechelphone. hope I helped bye!!!

I play the oboe too but I`ve only been playing for about 2 years...I started on a crappy plastic from my school but I bought a wooden one this year and I`m going to Laguardia high school to continue. I think you should stay with the oboe, because the fingerings for both instruments are almost exactly the same, so you could continue with oboe for a while and see if you like it and try english horn or stay on oboe. My teacher does both, but he`s in an orchestra. They`re both beautiful instruments.

I played for six years on a crappy old selmer and only this year did I upgrade to a wood F. Loree. I could not believe the change. My tone improved more than I could imagine, and the overall playing became much easier. I highly recomend upgrading to a good brand of wooden oboe. When switched, I felt like a totally new musician.

Hi. I`ve played for some time now and I hope that I can help you.

If you are planning to major in music, your best bet will be with a Lorée. They make a model called the "AK" bore, and it is what most US players have. I have one. They have a nice dark tone that fits most American Standards. A normal Lorée oboe, new, is about $4,595. Most oboes (new) are in this price range.

I got my Lorée used, for $3100. (check www.oboes.com, www.usedoboes.com, www.mmimports.com for new and used Lorées) Used oboes have a nice sound, depending on how old they are, and don`t have to go through the breaking-in process. Lorée does not have a website.

Fox oboes (even though you said you would reject them) are quite nice. They play alot like a Lorée but have very large keywork, which I do not like. (www.foxproducts.com)

Fossati oboes have a distinctly bright tone. They tend to come out of adjustment easily, though. (www.fossati-paris.tm.fr)

Covey oboes are very nice. They play alot like a Lorée and are made here in the US. (www.oboes.com)

Howarth Oboes are British, and therefore will have a British tone quality.. which is only good in Britain. (www.howarth.co.uk)

I would not recommend Yamaha. I just don`t know that I could trust an oboe maker who also make ATV`s and Motorcycles. Also, Selmers are no good, no matter what.

The English horn is a solo instrument and is usually only orchestrated when playing a piece for Orchestra, or a solo for Band. I have only seen one actual English Horn part for Symphonic Band in my entire career. I have also never seen an E. Horn part for chamber groups, unless it is for E. H. and strings, or double reed ensemble. The only thing similar between the Oboe and E. Horn are the fingerings.

As for the different woods: Grenadilla is the most dense, and therefore cracks less easily. It has a Dark tone and projects well. Rosewood is the less dense. It doesn`t project very well, but has a beautiful sweet tone. It cracks quite easily. Violetwood is the least dense, and has a lovely tone with very little projection. It cracks very easily. Because of the projection problems, Rosewood and Violetwood are only good for small chamber groups or solos. Marigaux makes a "glass" oboe. It`s quite interesting. (www.marigaux.com).

I hope my insights have helped you. I also have good resources for handmade reeds if you need them. Contact me!

Eric