Dial-in Your Musical Ability With One of the Best Oboes
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Fox Model 800 Oboe -
Buffet Crampon E11 Bb Silver Plated Keys Oboe -
Fox Model 300 Student Oboe -
Buffet Crampon 3613 Professional Oboe -
Buyer's Guide
The oboe is a double reed instrument in the woodwind family and an essential member of large ensembles such as orchestras, bands as well as smaller chamber ensembles. The best oboes in 2022 recommended here are all manufactured by reputable brand names, built from high quality materials to facilitate great sound production, accurate tuning and smooth key response. For more help selecting the right oboe for your needs, check out our buyer’s guide provided below.
The Best Oboe Models of 2022 in Detail
Fox Model 800 Oboe - Best Oboe Overall
The Fox Model 800 features a wood body with metal-lined tenons where the pieces of the oboe fits together; these make for a durable design resistant to cracks or damage to the delicate wood between sections of the instrument. This oboe has a handmade, full conservatory key system including a split ring E-flat-E key, F-sharp key tab, low B-flat vent, alternate C, and articulated C-sharp keys for making trickier key passages easier to play based on player preference.
An adjustable thumb rests allows individual players to alter the oboe to fit their hand for optimum comfort and better key facility. The Fox Model 800 oboe is hand adjusted to ensure accurate intonation, great projection and exceptional resonance.
Buffet Crampon E11 Bb Silver Plated Keys Oboe - Runner Up
The Buffet Crampon BC4011 oboe features a wooden body for an exceptional tone. The bell of the instrument features a resonance tone hole to enhance the oboes sound while a simplified conservatory key system streamlines the key system for young students. The key placement has also been adjusted for smaller hands (especially in the plateau keys and spatulas) to fit hands naturally. Octave key vents are designed to be sturdy and damage resistant.
Double fish skin pads are used on the larger keys to ensure the keys seal completely and avoid any leaks. For added durability, the body of this wooden instrument is lined with a plastic resin for added strength and helps prevent cracking. With all the comfort and durability needed for student musicians, the Buffet Crampon BC4011 delivers a great sound while also being one of the most affordable instruments on this list.
Fox Model 300 Student Oboe - Honorable Mention
The Fox Model 300 oboe stands out thanks to a hand finished bore for rich sound projection as well as a handmade, full conservatory key system, usually reserved for higher level instruments. Keys included on this instrument are a third octave key, split ring E-flat-E key, F-sharp key tab, low B-flat vent, alternate C, and articulated C-sharp keys for making trickier key passages easier to play. While most of these keys are often omitted from student-level instruments, their inclusion means this oboe will be suitable for students beyond in initial learning phases.
Like its higher grade counterparts, this Fox oboe is hand adjusted to ensure accurate intonation and great projection and resonance. The instrument body itself is constructed of a plastic resin to ensure a durable instrument for beginners. It’s a great choice for the student musician and can be purchased with an adjustable thumb rest allowing each individual player to adjust the oboe to fit their hand for comfort and better key facility.
Buffet Crampon 3613 Professional Oboe - Consider
Buffet Crampon’s 3613 oboe is designed to have an open sound and features a full conservatory system including a double D trill and A-flat/B-flat trill keys to make tricky note combinations easier to play. The tenons between each piece of the oboe are metal capped with wooden tenon protectors to enhance durability and to prevent damage or cracking. Gore-Tex pads are used on the lower joint and bell keys to ensure the keys seal the tone holes completely.
The Buffet Crampon 3613 oboe allows for several customization options. This includes an oboe with either the more standard semi-automatic octave key system with a side octave key or an automatic octave key system featuring a single key to operate all three octaves. An oboe with gold plated keys can also be purchased for a different feel and sound.
Buyer's Guide
The oboe is a fun and rewarding double-reed instrument. However, there are various instruments to choose from and finding the right one can often feel like a daunting process. Therefore, testing out a variety of oboes to find one which fits a player’s personal preferences is essential. In choosing an oboe, especially at the professional level, the final decision often comes down to personal preference in terms of tone and feel to the player.
Oboe Levels
Student/Beginner
Oboes for students focus on affordability, reliability, and ease of play. They’re typically constructed with a plastic body since this material requires less maintenance. Additionally, these instruments may use a modified conservatory system which removes optional keys, such as a low B-flat, to make playing less stressful for new players.
Intermediate
A transitional instrument, intermediate-level oboes provide some upgrades from the student models such as a wooden body and low B-flat key to extend the pitch range. However, for those seeking a long term investment, avoid the intermediate category and invest in a professional oboe.
Professional
These are the highest quality instruments, having all the extra features standard for upper level performance such as a wooden body for excellent tone quality. Professional oboes use a full conservatory key system which includes the low B-flat key to extend the lower range of the instrument which is necessary at higher levels of performance.
Manufacturing at this level focuses on optimal sound, response, accurate tuning, and swift key action. If well-maintained, an oboe from a reputable manufacturer can last a musician their entire career and passed down to future generations of musicians.
Features
Body Material
Oboes can be constructed from several different materials, based on the level of the instrument and desire of the oboist.
Plastic
All-plastic construction is typically reserved for student instruments since it’s more durable and affordable. Since plastic requires less care than wood, beginners don’t need to worry about their instrument cracking due to weather changes unlike real wood.
Wood
Grenadilla wood or a similar dense wood like violetwood or rosewood, produces a dark, desirable sound which is standard on instruments above the student level. These clarinets require extra care because their wooden body swells or shrinks with changing temperatures and humidity. Without proper care and attention the wood will crack, completely ruining the instrument.
Optional Keys
Left-hand F-key
This especially useful key allows oboists to play the F-key with either the right hand (standard) or the left hand, making tricky note passages easier to play.
B-flat and/or F Resonance Keys
These keys can be used to manipulate the tone and tuning on certain pitches for a better sound.
Other options
Additional auxiliary options may come standard or optional on many oboes such as left-hand C/D trill, split ring D-sharp trill, G-sharp trill, articulated B to C-sharp mechanism, and B-flat trill keys.
Reeds
The oboe is played by blowing into a double reed, two thin pieces of wood tied together. When air passes between these reeds, they vibrate against one another which creates the oboe’s signature sound. Oboists will want to make sure their reeds soak in water several minutes before attempting to play them as reeds produce a better response when properly hydrated. Because of their delicate construction, double reeds are fragile and need to be replaced regularly; in fact, a dedicated oboist should always have several on hand.
While pre-made reeds are fine for beginners, players generally learn to handcraft their own reeds using specialized tools and reed blanks cut in the proper size/shape; double-reed players typically report better tonal quality using handmade reeds. There are also specialized reed makers who sell high-quality, handmade oboe reeds for those still learning the craft of reed making or individuals without the time to make their own.
Price/Value
In general, the quality of an oboe is reflected through how much it’s priced. Be wary of instruments which are significantly less expensive than their peers, as cheaply crafted oboes may have poor tone quality and faulty tuning requiring costly repairs or even premature replacement. Sticking with a reputable oboe manufacturer or consulting with music educators and professional oboists will ensure you a solid, long-term investment.
