Last Updated 14/10/26
Used Oboes:
The keywork on some oboes, usually in a green colour case, can look a bit ‘yellow’. This is just my camera trying to colour correct (I’ve no idea why).
- BUNDY – £400
- Made by the Selmer Company of USA.Plastic bodied with silver plated keys. Covered hole, thumb-plate system. The silver plate on this oboe has started to ‘pit’ but it plays as it should and would make an ideal starter oboe for someone on a budget or just wanting to see if they get on with playing the oboe.
- BUFFET 4121 – £700
- The Buffet 4121 is an excellent, wooden bodied, entry level oboe, suitable for taking players to grade 5 or 6. The wooden body has a plastic liner to the bore, making it very suitable for younger players who might not be quite so conscientious about drying out the oboe after use. This one is in excellent condition having been recently serviced and owned, from new, by a caring adult player.
- MALERNE – £850
- A very beautiful ring-system, thumb-plate (dual system) professional oboe from this fine French maker. This oboe offers an awful lot for the money with features only found on more expensive instruments.
- HANS KREUL – £850
- This true thumb-plate ring system model, probably from the 80’s, is in very good condition and plays beautifully. As with most Kreuls of this period, it features a left-hand C# key which can be useful in certain passages and an unusual ‘articulated F key’ enabling the left-hand F to be held while being overridden by the D key. Typically German, it is built to last.
- BUNDY WOODEN INTERMEDIATE – £1100
- I don’t see this model very often, made by the Selmer company of USA, this thumb-plate model, offers the intermediate player with semi-automatic octave mechanism, and both C/D and B/C# trill keys with the C/D trill touch duplicated for the right hand. Being a wooden bodied instrument it helps reflect the players ability to achieve tonal variations and is aimed at those grade 4 and above. Selmer Bundy oboes are always slightly over engineered and hence are generally very reliable instruments.
- BUFFET 4151 – £1400
- This is an excellent intermediate level oboe with the benefit of a thumb-plate with the conservatoire system and a left-hand F key. This will take a player to grade 8 and beyond. It is in perfect playing order and comes with a hard case with a case cover.
- HOWARTH S20 – £1800 – on approval.
- (Picture to follow)
- This oboe (serial number M579) is in excellent condition and has all the advantages the S20, thumb-plate model, offers the intermediate player with it’s vented bell key, semi-automatic octave mechanism, and both C/D and B/C# trill keys with the C/D trill touch duplicated for the right hand. It is, of course, manufactured to the normal, excellent, Howarth quality and is suitable for taking the player to grade 8 and beyond.
- RIGOUTAT RIEC – £2500
- This is a fine example of their ‘graduate model with thumb-plate and left-hand-F. The RIEC is the same acoustics as their professional model, but with machine finished (rather than hand finished) key-work.
- RIGOUTAT CLASSIQUE _ £2500
- The Rigoutat ‘Classique’ was the chosen oboe for top soloists for decades due to its flexibility and projection. Players like Heinz Holliger and Maurice Bourge were perhaps the best known. This one is probably from the 70’s (not sure – serial number 471AB) and is in excellent playing condition although the silver-plating is showing signs of age as reflected in the price.
- HOWARTH S5 – £3000
- This S5, serial number 2707, has all the qualities that you would expect from this brand. It is in excellent, cared for , condition and having just been serviced, plays the way that it should.
- LOREE C+3 – £3000
- This Loree (serial number FA55) is possibly from the 80’s but is in fantastic condition. It’s current owner, I believe, has had it from new but now, alas, no longer plays. It clearly has been carefully looked after and having just been serviced plays as it should and would rival any Loree of this model.
- HOWARTH Cocobolo XL – S O L D
- This beautiful cocobolo Howarth XL oboe has been played and cared for by its current owner since it was new in 2005. Howarth manufacturing was probably at it’s best during that period and this oboe reveals that quality when you play it.
- MARIGAUX Model 2001 – £6000
- Marigaux have always listened to players requirements and comments and will either evolve a current model or develop a new one. The 2001 model brought together many design requests mainly featuring repositioned and redesigned keywork making the oboe more ergonomic and comfortable in the hands. The sound is clearly Marigaux but the playing experience improved. This has just been serviced and hence is in excellent condition
Used Cors Anglais
- CABART – £1800
- This ring system cor is made from rosewood which was dyed black (I believe in the factory). It is approximately 100 years old bit is still in good playing order and would be a great introduction for someone wanting to start playing a cor without the normal cost. It comes with two crooks and the original, wonderful, leather, double case with a protective (but well worn) cover.
- “Lucerne” Professional Cor – £4,000
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This cor anglais does not have a maker’s name, but does have a stamp on each joint that says “Lucerne Paris Detroit”. I think that it is an early ’80’s instrument and has been used by a professional player until she recently retired. It has recently been serviced and plays as it should. The two crooks with it are made by Suitbert Walter, a German repairer whose handmade crooks “are valued for their precise response and balanced sound”. the No 1 crook is silver plated and the No 2 gold plated. There was a small crack in the top joint that was repaired and pinned about 30 years ago and has been stable ever since.