hi everyone just want to know if theres any Oboe players on Grade 5 or similar out there, out of 1600 pupils at my school theres only one Oboe player- Me! so i just wanted to ask- does anyone play an oboe because i get lonley sometimes being the only player in the school Also does anyone know where i can buy a low price Oboe im leaving school next year and i need one for college. please reply xxx

I'm an oboist, hence the name... you're even worse off than me, I'm one of 2 real oboists and 2 other occasional oboists in a school of 1300!

Have you had a look at the Howarths' website? To be honest, decent oboes won't come cheap, but have a look anyway.

I played the oboe for about 6 months and passed grade 4. I was the only oboist in my school too!!! Thats why i decided to learn it because i always got my own part in wind band!! I cant play it now as i play the sax and clarinet and the embouchures are so different. I still have my reeds though!!

Welcome to these forums oboe angel. There are quite a few oboists here unlike the real world!

There have been quite a few threads recently on buying oboes: I warmly recommend as suppliers Howarth in London or John Myatt in Hitchin - do a Google search and you'll find the contacts. Both are very experienced outlets, dealing in new and second-hand instruments and they do a mail delivery service if you can't get there personally. I would advise spending as much as you can realistically afford - really cheap oboes are not easily found and, when they are, usually aren't up to much.

Best of luck with your playing.

Oboist

I would also recommend Howarth. I've not had any dealing with Myatt, so I can't really make comment there. As oboist has said, spend as much as you can possibly afford. If you pull out the financial stops now, a really good secondhand oboe will last a very long time, if not indefinitely, depending on your playing aspirations. Professional Gillett system oboes can be purchased secondhand for the same amount as a new student oboe, so shop around. If you look at instruments for sale privately, do get them checked before parting with your cash as they may need money spending on them in the form of servicing or re-padding. If you buy from a shop, secondhand instruments will have been checked and serviced before they are sold.

Myatt's is nothing special, to be honest.

Maybe not the "Rolls Royce" of Howarth but they do have some reasonable second-hand instruments in quite often and also a range at the cheaper end of the market if cash is a problem. I'd agree though, if you can get to Howarth or be in touch with them, for an oboist that's the place!

I'm at a school of about 1500 and their are only 2 other oboists other than me, One is an amazing grade 8 sixth former and the other is like a musical prodigy and can just pick up any instrument and play it. He is a sixth former as well, so they both play first Oboe and I have to play secound because they are older and better (I am year nine) and the parts are normaly quite boring.

I really want a new oboe ( I am renting a begginers Boosey and Hawkes; it is made of plastic and has mising keys) . But my parents won't buy me one and their is no way I could afford one............. they are sooooooo expensive.

Yay, I'm doing Grade 5 oboe too! Well, I'm taking it next term, as I'm doing a violin exam this term. What pieces are you playing? I'm doing:

Cimarosa - Siciliana
Cui - Orientale
Brod - Study (was going to do the Hinke but this one is more fun to play)

Fay - cheer up, your sixth formers will be leaving school soon and then you will get to be first oboe!! I'm sorry to hear that you can't afford your own oboe though, that really sucks. It's the reason I couldn't take up the oboe when I was at school - I simply couldnt afford an instrument. I'm making up for it now though

Thanks Oboebunny. I have calmed down a bit now! I got to play first at orchestra today any way as the others had a biology exam to revise for.

I am doing grade 3, is anyone else around that sort of standard?

Hey guys
I'm after an oboe, lol!
For the last 5 years I've been playing my Mums old one which is about 30 years old and now my new teacher (super dooper awesome oboeist man!) is more or less forcing me into buying a new one!
as in new, second hand!
trouble is he wants me to get a good one, such as a howarth's S20, .... but have u seen the prices?!?! even second hand ones are the 1500 quid mark i can't afford that!
i've tried searching the internet for second hand oboes and have looked on a few sites, such as howaths, secondhandoboes.com, etc etc. know any other places worth looking?
please help!!!

milly