We are interested in purchasing a used oboe or renting one for a few months for my daughter to start learning to play the oboe in her grade 7 elementary band. We do not have a large budget and so we were looking for a student model around the range of $300-$450 (USD). I've seen a few used oboes on our buy/sell websites in our local area for this cost but because I do not know much about oboes I wasn't sure which might be the better choices.

I've seen Yahamas:
Yamaha YOB-241 ($750 USD)
Yamaha YOB-211 ($750 canadian)

some Selmers:
Selmer (with no F key) $550 (canadian)
Selmer 1492 (I could rent one of these)

and a Bundy:
Bundy Student Oboe (only $200 canadian)

example:

a selmer
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/van/msg/1318560696.html


a yamaha
http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/msg/1370798469.html


In my market area the Yamahas and Selmers are popular at this price level. Which brand would be recommended?

For a beginner oboe player which keys/features should I look for and which features would be unnecessary for someone starting out?:
left hand F
or E-flat
resonance key - what is that?
D/D# split ring
Bb with C#
third octave key
low B flat
trill keys
low B-C-sharp banana key


Thank you for any advice,

Mike

It's a bit difficult to make recommendations to someone in the US from here in the UK as makes and models tend to be a bit different. Over here popular beginner models would include Buffet Artiste, Ward & Winterbourn TW1 and Howarth S10 (v. good but pricey). One thing I'm sure we can agree on is that Yamaha are a good make and you wouldn't go far wrong there. A highly regarded make in the US is Fox but they are hardly evident in the UK.

Interestingly you mention the Selmer 1492. Now over here I suspect most people would say "what?" or "yuk". However, I won't because I got one (cheap off ebay) as my first oboe just to mess around on to see if I would get on with it. When I started having lessons I rushed out and bought a secondhand Buffet because it's reckoned to be a better instrument and has a few "extras". Also the Selmer was a "conservatoire" model and over here we tend to use the "thumbplate" system which my Buffet has.

Now I actually think the Selmer is pretty decent for what you pay. It hasn't got a bottom Bb or left hand F and Eb (see comments below) but it does (oddly) have some of the trill keys. It's plastic (which some people won't touch) which means it's ideal for a youngster who might not be terribly careful about swabbing out after use and it's robust. The keywork is good and solid and it actually makes quite a decent sound.

left hand F - not necessary
or E-flat - not necessary
resonance key - what is that? - It's a side vent connected to the small F key between fingers 2&3 on the right hand. It's the normal F fingering, so yes, it's a must have.
D/D# split ring - No. These only come on top end oboes anyway.
Bb with C# - I think you are referring to a link which allows you to play bottom Bb whilst fingering C# (as opposed to having to move your little finger to C). You won't get this on a beginner instrument and the Bundy doesn't have a Bb anyway.
third octave key - not necessary. These start to appear on (some) intermediate and professional models.
low B flat - You can get away without this for starters but it will be required after about a year to two years depending on progress.
trill keys - not necessary.
low B-C-sharp banana key - An intermediate to professional addition and even then very rarely used.

So coming back to the oboes you have listed.
Yamaha - very good but above your ideal price range . The models you mention though are simple beginner models comparable with the Selmer 1492.
Selmer with no F key - definitely no.
Selmer 1492 - pretty good for a beginner. Might get sniffed at by some for having no bottom Bb and being plastic but good and solid.
Bundy - this IS a Selmer, but I don't know what model.

Now the Yamaha might be the best long term choice, but as a beginner that might not be what you want. I've been playing for just over 18 months and I'm on my 3rd oboe OK the Selmer was only ever going to be for a brief tryout. The Buffet was OK but I got a really good deal on a superb Howarth S40 which I have now and I'm sure will last for a good while. When it cropped up I had gained that bit of knowledge to allow me to make an informed choice. It has all the bells and whistles I will probably ever need (the LH F and Eb, Bb/C# link, banana key, etc.), bearing in mind I'm an adult learner and don't have my sights set on anything other than being a decent amateur. Then again, I have to accept that I have a reasonable disposable income for such things.

Bottom line? In my opinion, rent the Selmer 1492 for now. See how your daughter gets on. If she likes it then I reckon in 6 months or so she will probably appreciate something a little better - an intermediate model Yamaha or perhaps a Fox or even a Howarth (plug for an excellent UK maker there) if you can find one. At that time it may then be worth looking to a couple of extras - definitely bottom Bb and LH Eb and ideally LH F.

Do bear in mind these are the views of one (pretty inexperienced) amateur.

If you know nothing about oboes buying a used oboe is a gamble since you won't be able to tell if it needs work on or not. (Unless you are buying it from a shop which has serviced it beforehand).





I'm not sure this is true. What I have heard is that Yamaha are very good for brass instruments and flutes but not particularly for oboes.


I agree with this (my older professional Marigaux doesn't have one) BUT if you look on American teachers' websites they all seem to say it is necessary right from the beginning.

A left-hand E-flat becomes necessary as soon as you start playing with more than three sharps or flats and I think is important. Particularly if your daughter is going to be playing in a wind-band where lots of the music will have several flats.


Not strictly true, you can vent using the E flat key but it definitely makes life easier.

I agree with all these points.

I too would be inclined to rent to start with. Ideally your daughter's teacher would then be able to help her choose an oboe after a few months but I'm not sure from your post whether the band actually has a specialist oboe teacher.

If you're going to be playing in a wind band, then you will need a left hand E flat. I use it all the time in wind band playing as most of what we play is written with 2/3/4/5 flats.

As for the rest of the bells and whistles, well I have them on my new/old oboe - I am using the trill keys now, but rarely need the left hand F and I've never touched the banana key.
Hope all this helps, and that you find your oboe

Fair point from Kerioboe. Having got home from work and dug out the old oboes for the first time in ages I find they all have LH Eb anyway - even the Selmer. I've put a photo on the internet showing all 3 oboes for what it's worth. It gives some idea of the increasing complexity of the keywork.
files.me.com/royparrish/naked2
Left to right Buffet Artiste, HowarthS40, Selmer.

By the way, the Selmer is in a case with "Bundy" on it. As I said, I'm pretty sure the Selmers and Bundys are the same.

Thank you for the pictures pushpull ( I did tentatively follow the link despite the 'naked' word in the title ! ). At home we also have a Buffet Artiste and HowarthS40 and I also have a very old Rudall and Carte oboe which has even less keywork (but does have LH Eb) .

I occasionally browse through the oboe price list of our local woodwind shop. I'm always intrigued that some oboes are described as "semi-automatic" or "automatic". What does that mean? I have this vision of the instruments playing themselves. That could be ideal for me!

Er yes, not my choice. That was the name automatically assigned to the link when adding the photo to my mac "Mobile Me" account.



It refers to the octave key mechanism.
Simple - there are 2 octave keys and when using the 2nd octave key the 1st octave key needs to be released.
Semi Automatic - When pressing the 2nd octave key a mechanism automatically closes the 1st octave vent even if you leave your thumb on the 1st octave key.
Automatic - Only one octave key for 1st and 2nd octave vents. A fancy mechanism determines which vent to open depending on the note you are playing.

Automatic is popular in Germany, but has a reputation for unreliability (though if it's properly maintained I doubt if it's any more unreliable than some of the other weird and wonderful links on the oboe). Apparently it doesn't offer as many fingering options for high notes and harmonics.

Many thanks for your explanation!

Pushpull, thanks for the helpful overview about all the oboe key options and which options are recommended as well as for the helpful photo! And thank you to all who posted such helpful advice!
Mike