BUFFET - "Orfeo" excellent instrument. Has solid metal tenon on upper joint composite material- cracking (rare) still possible "Virtuoso" Composite or wood. Excellent instrument. Different bore from the "Orfeo" Lacking left C# - in my estimation an oboe with this level of mechanical sophistication should truly have a left C# key. Also, the "natural C" touch seems far too tiny to be of much use.The most recent wood professional model 3613 oboes tend to be excellent. Exquisite key-work. Impeccable scale. Lacking in the complexity, "character" department. The "composite" Buffet Greenline 3613 is, in my estimation, an unabashed "reed trumpet," extremely "brassy" sounding, lacking subtlety altogether. However, I did find one example at the 2011 IDRS convention that I liked. Perhaps best to try a bunch... The "Greenline" oboes can (and do) crack! Not possible to repair if cracked, except to have a new joint made at great expense if not still under warranty. AVOID any of the Buffet "student" model and "modified Conservatory" oboes - dreadful! The "Buffet" oboes from the 1960s and 1970s were in fact made by Marigaux- even having the Marigaux serial numbers- some good- some excellent oboes. Same as the "King-Marigaux" oboes.
CHAUVET - Excellent maker. Imported and sold by Laubin in the 1950s- serial numbers: numbers only. Ben Storch took over the importation of Chauvet instruments from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s- serial numbers: "BW" followed by numbers. Ben re-voiced the "BW" oboes to his own specifications. From the c. 1964 to the mid 1970s the Chauvet line was imported by Linx and Long in Manhattan - serial numbers: "AC" followed by numbers. The pre- Storch Chauvet oboes - not memorable. Some of the Ben Storch "BW" series Chauvet oboes may be described as first class, especially from about serial number BW100 to about BW330. I played on a sublime Chauvet "BW" as a primary instrument for some years, until I discovered Hiniker oboes. The AC Chauvet oboes- not as desirable as the BW oboes, though at times very good. Usually the "AC" oboes seem brighter in timbre. The BW series Chauvet oboe is darker in timbre than almost any of the other French oboes, comparable to the "thick wall" late "B" series Loree oboes model, or the present day Loree "Royale" model. Warren Sutherland used Chauvet BW oboes throughout most of his career as princpal oboe of the Indianopolis Symphony and Tucson Symphony. The Chauvet oboe was very well made. It is not uncommon to find Chauvet oboe still playing well even after 40 years of school/university use.
loree oboe serial number age list
HINIKER - MINNESOTA - In my estimation, the best of the best. The ULTIMATE professional oboe. Without peer in the realm of oboe. The Snakewood Hiniker oboe is THE single finest (and most appealing) oboe I have ever played. Hiniker oboes made after 2008 all have P.E.T polymer sleeve liners in the upper joint. The Hiniker clear Acrylic oboe is without peer in the realm of oboes entirely of synthetic, and impossible to distinguish the sound from an all Hiniker oboe made of African Blackwood. And the Hiniker oboe in Snakewood is, in my estimation, without peer in the realm of oboe. Tom Hiniker's attention to detail is without equal in the realm of oboe making. The ergonomics of the keywork is second to none. L--o--n--g waiting list. A second hand Hiniker oboe will often realize a higher price than new.
F. LOREE - The most famous maker of all, founded 1881. For chronological chart of serial numbers see Lars Kirmser serial number pages. About 80% of professional oboists in the US play Loree instruments. At present, Loree is making 3 different styles of instrument bore: "regular" bore, "ak" & "dm" /"German" bore. Loree makes all bore available in two models: "Standard" and the premium "Royale." The "regular" bore oboe is an "all around" instrument, excellent for most any musical endeavor. The "ak" bore oboe (introduced in the late 1980s) is designed for maximum projection in an orchestral setting. Personally, I find the sound of the "ak" oboe to be "brash" and overly "aggressive" - a "reed trumpet" perhaps. Sweetness and lyrical subtlety seem missing to great extent, though once in a while a will come across an "ak" with a tinge of sweetness, especially the early "ak" oboes from H-J series. I am very partial to the "dm" bore oboe. The "dm" seems to have more "sparkle" and "character" than the "regular" bore, with still an element of sweetness. I do not find the "dm bore to be in "darker" in sound than the "regular" or "ak" instruments. I find that the "regular" and "dm" bore seem to have plenty sufficient projection for orchestral solo playing. To me, the "late model" Loree oboes have a very "pretty" sound, though lacking "core" "depth" and "complexity" to the sound, skating over the surface of the "acoustical pond."
My favorite Loree vintages: "Classic C" series late 1960s, early 1970s lyrical, with a most appealing "core" to the sound. Paul Covey remarked: "The Loree C series is unlike anything else Loree has ever made." According to Tom Hiniker, the C series oboes have more undercutting of the tones holes than the B series oboes. Expect to pay premium prices for a fine examples of a Loree C series. "Classic B" series circa 1960-1969 a most appealing "majesty" and core" to the sound. Expect to pay premium prices for B series oboes, especially serial numbers BK-BP. The (rare) late B series oboes with the heavy wall- much sought after- very "dark" sound
BUFFET - 'Orfeo' excellent instrument. Has solid metal tenon on upper joint composite material- cracking (rare) still possible 'Virtuoso' Composite or wood. Excellent instrument. Different bore from the 'Orfeo' Lacking left C# - in my estimation an oboe with this level of mechanical sophistication should truly have a left C# key. Also, the 'natural C' touch seems far too tiny to be of much use.The most recent wood professional model 3613 oboes tend to be excellent. Exquisite key-work. Impeccable scale. Lacking in the complexity, 'character' department. The 'composite' Buffet Greenline 3613 is, in my estimation, an unabashed 'reed trumpet,' extremely 'brassy' sounding, lacking subtlety altogether. However, I did find one example at the 2011 IDRS convention that I liked. Perhaps best to try a bunch.. The 'Greenline' oboes can (and do) crack! Not possible to repair if cracked, except to have a new joint made at great expense if not still under warranty. AVOID any of the Buffet 'student' model and 'modified Conservatory' oboes - dreadful! The 'Buffet' oboes from the 1960s and 1970s were in fact made by Marigaux- even having the Marigaux serial numbers- some good- some excellent oboes. Same as the 'King-Marigaux' oboes.
CHAUVET - Excellent maker. Imported and sold by Laubin in the 1950s- serial numbers: numbers only. Ben Storch took over the importation of Chauvet instruments from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s- serial numbers: 'BW' followed by numbers. Ben re-voiced the 'BW' oboes to his own specifications. From the c. 1964 to the mid 1970s the Chauvet line was imported by Linx and Long in Manhattan - serial numbers: 'AC' followed by numbers. The pre- Storch Chauvet oboes - not memorable. Some of the Ben Storch 'BW' series Chauvet oboes may be described as first class, especially from about serial number BW100 to about BW330. I played on a sublime Chauvet 'BW' as a primary instrument for some years, until I discovered Hiniker oboes. The AC Chauvet oboes- not as desirable as the BW oboes, though at times very good. Usually the 'AC' oboes seem brighter in timbre. The BW series Chauvet oboe is darker in timbre than almost any of the other French oboes, comparable to the 'thick wall' late 'B' series Loree oboes model, or the present day Loree 'Royale' model. Warren Sutherland used Chauvet BW oboes throughout most of his career as princpal oboe of the Indianopolis Symphony and Tucson Symphony. The Chauvet oboe was very well made. It is not uncommon to find Chauvet oboe still playing well even after 40 years of school/university use.
HINIKER - MINNESOTA - In my estimation, the best of the best. The ULTIMATE professional oboe. Without peer in the realm of oboe. The Snakewood Hiniker oboe is THE single finest (and most appealing) oboe I have ever played. Hiniker oboes made after 2008 all have P.E.T polymer sleeve liners in the upper joint. The Hiniker clear Acrylic oboe is without peer in the realm of oboes entirely of synthetic, and impossible to distinguish the sound from an all Hiniker oboe made of African Blackwood. And the Cocobolo Hiniker oboe is 'over the top' amazing. A new model, the 'Hiniker/Ferillo modified Loree B series' is absolutely PHENOMENAL. HUGE sound that can cut through in a large orchestra, though without losing lyrical subtlety or 'soul.' This would be a dream instrument for a principal oboist. Tom Hiniker's attention to detail is without equal in the realm of oboe making. The ergonomics of the keywork is second to none. L--o--n--g waiting list. A second hand Hiniker oboe will often realize a higher price than new.
F. LOREE - The most famous maker of all, founded 1881. For chronological chart of serial numbers see Lars Kirmser serial number pages. About 80% of professional oboists in the US play Loree instruments. At present, Loree is making 3 different styles of instrument bore: 'regular' bore, 'ak' & 'dm' /'German' bore. Loree makes all bore available in two models: 'Standard' and the premium 'Royale.' The 'regular' bore oboe is an 'all around' instrument, excellent for most any musical endeavor. The 'ak' bore oboe (introduced in the late 1980s) is designed for maximum projection in an orchestral setting. Personally, I find the sound of the 'ak' oboe to be 'brash' and overly 'aggressive' - a 'reed trumpet' perhaps. Sweetness and lyrical subtlety seem missing to great extent, though once in a while a will come across an 'ak' with a tinge of sweetness, especially the early 'ak' oboes from H-J series. I am very partial to the 'dm' bore oboe. The 'dm' seems to have more 'sparkle' and 'character' than the 'regular' bore, with still an element of sweetness. I do not find the 'dm bore to be in 'darker' in sound than the 'regular' or 'ak' instruments. I find that the 'regular' and 'dm' bore seem to have plenty sufficient projection for orchestral solo playing. To me, the 'late model' Loree oboes have a very 'pretty' sound, though lacking 'core' 'depth' and 'complexity' to the sound, skating over the surface of the 'acoustical pond.' 2ff7e9595c
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