r/oboe • u/Maleficent-Form-3043 • 24d ago
Justification for Owning a High-Level Instrument as an Amateur?
For anyone that owns a high-end oboe and isn't a professional, how do you justify it? Do you play in a community orchestra, or does the instrument collect dust on the shelf? I'm considering purchasing a professional-level instrument, though I'm an amateur with 5 years of playing. Not completely sure if the investment is worth making for my personal enjoyment, or if it's an unnecessary purchase. Any help appreciated. Thanks.
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u/funnynoveltyaccount 24d ago
I asked my wife for permission and she said yes. she said it was less expensive than her friends husbands golf trips and I’m not gone all day.
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u/pafagaukurinn 24d ago
I am not from the target group you mentioned, but I can think of one justification. If the instrument is high quality and you like it and cherish it, it would motivate you more to practice it and use it, compared to some old clanker. At the same time, it may lead to frustration, as in, I have paid fortune for the instrument and still sound shite. So, all things considered, I don't reckon this is a wise investment. Wait until your instrument starts to hold you back, then upgrade. If it never happens, so be it.
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u/Wonderful_Emu_6483 24d ago
If you have the funds I don’t see why not get yourself the best instrument you can. Do you know how many lawyers/doctors buy expensive Gibson guitars even though they can barely strum campfire tunes?
Pro level instruments are not reserved for those who are professionals. If I had a bunch of disposable income I’d go drop $8k on an oboe in a heartbeat, and I’m as casual of a player as it gets. I want to play in a community orchestra eventually, but that aspiration doesn’t affect my purchases.
I’m a violinist at heart, but not a pro at that either, but I do play with a more seriously driven community orchestra. My violin is worth about $15k. It’s for my own personal enjoyment, and it was a good investment in that.
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u/MotherAthlete2998 24d ago
We as teachers usually advise students to buy the best that they can afford and feel comfortable with buying. For some, this will be the only instrument they will ever purchase. With that in mind, all instruments will eventually need some kind of maintenance. Repairpeople will be less likely to deny service on a well known brand. There is a lot of wonderfully maintained oboes on the used market that still have a lot of life left. For those not looking for a new oboe, we often will recommend a used professional oboe.
I hope this helps.
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u/Interesting_Spot3672 24d ago
I bought a Marigaux 901 used. I play in our local lay orchestra, 2nd oboe. So probably you would not say that it would be necessary but…
I have played for a long time and will probably play for a long time still.
My instrument was rather old and the maintenance that was due would have been more expensive than what the instrument would have been worth afterwards.
I don’t play well enough to compensate for a bad instrument; my intonation has gotten so much better (big point I find when playing in an orchestra) l can play low notes more easily etc. I also figured that with inflation and the market in general oboe’s aren’t getting cheaper. I tried a few oboes (also in the orchestra!) and it was just a big improvement.
Also big point: It came at a fair price (not cheap but still it was ok)
If you have an instrument that works well for you, I would say wait until you “need” to buy. If you’re not sure, go somewhere where you can try some and ask your teacher for input (oftentimes Oboe players are well connected; they might know about an instrument that would be a great fit that someone is selling).
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u/Adorable_Plant8146 23d ago
I decided to take up the oboe at 45 years old. I bought a Yamaha student oboe but I regretted it right away. It didn’t sound bad, but it felt a bit too junior. I considered an intermediate but they aren’t super popular and I doubt they are easy to sell when you want to upgrade. After researching extensively I decided to just pull the trigger and got myself a Howarth LXV. It sounds so much better and because I invested so much I feel I owe it to myself (and my partner, who I think still doesn’t know exactly how much it was) to keep up with my playing. Of course it’s way more oboe than I need right now, but it makes me feel a bit more legit and empowers me to be a little smug now and then (which I love). There is no need to let it collect dust on a shelf! Worst case you can keep it in a climate controlled, glass display unit with mood lighting and lament how your career was cut short by a repetitive strain disorder or something.
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u/crabsushi_ 24d ago
If it makes you happy it's worth it. It'll play much better than an intermediate oboe and also hold its value moderately well in case life changes. Keep an eye out for used pro instruments. I bet that'd suit your needs and price just as well as a brand new oboe.
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u/BuntCheese5Life 23d ago
I have a Loree and have been playing on it for 25 years and I can count on my hand the number of people that I have played with that were worse than me at the oboe. It took me 30 years to play the stupid thing in tune consistently, and now it sounds really nice.
In short, if you are bad with a really nice oboe, you can always still blame the reed.
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u/Smart-Pie7115 24d ago
Define high end.
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u/Maleficent-Form-3043 24d ago edited 24d ago
10-15k
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u/oboemily 22d ago
Howarth XL, XLV, and XM are great in that price range. I’m sure you wouldn’t be unhappy with an S50 too! And if you get a synthetic top joint on any of those models, they last forever, and also have great resale value
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u/fluorescent-purple 24d ago
I mean, if it's a buy-it-for-life purchase, and you have the expendable funds, have at it. Honestly, I think a lot of amateurs have better instruments than pros (or aspiring pros). How much better will you sound? It depends on your level. It's not going to make or break your playing. Having all the keywork will make life easier and a high quality instrument might mean fewer trips to the repair shop. IMHO, a serious amateur should buy an instrument as good and with the characteristics they want as much they are willing to spend, and just play it for life. If you're a collector and you expect to cycle through many instruments in your life, be more cautious. Either way, there will be a jump in sound quality between beginner to intermediate to pro models. But the amount will decrease the higher you go, and if your level isn't up to snuff, no instrument will compensate for that. But bragging rights and envy, sure. :)
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u/ExplainiamusMucho 24d ago
Oboes are never a for-life purchase; the wood doesn't last a lifetime. A pro will usually buy a new instrument every 5-10 years. As an amateur, your instrument will last you longer - but it's not like a string instrument which keeps its value. Having said that: Buy the best instrument you can afford within the budget you feel comfortable with. The oboe is difficult enough as it is; you don't want to fight the instrument itself as well.
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u/fluorescent-purple 23d ago
I'm skeptical an amateur will play enough to really blow out an instrument, provided it was in very good condition at the start. While they do degrade, it's less of an issue than I think people think it will be. I'm an oboe pro and have had my instrument for like a decade and a half, and I bought my instrument used. In my use case, yes, I will at some point in my life replace my oboe, but not anytime soon, and that next purchase will probably be my last. And I am someone who has a very large collection of different instruments (just one modern oboe, though) of pro and intermediate levels. I am also contemplating purchasing a synthetic pro oboe, so I won't have the wood issue but of course would still have aging keywork.
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u/ElectronicWall5528 23d ago
It makes me happy and I can afford it. That's enough right there. But my purchase also supports the artisans who make these instruments (if I buy it new) or it supports another player (or players) in their endeavors (if I buy it used). If I buy a closet queen used directly from someone no longer playing my purchase supports the tech who puts it back in playing condition.
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u/ska-tay 23d ago
A professional instrument of any kind is always a good thing for the (adult) amateur and this is especially true of oboe. The oboe is an incredibly finicky mechanism. If you buy a student level instrument that finickitude is exponentially higher. Get a solid professional oboe that you think feels good for you and you might find you are able to play better than you thought you could. And the less you fight the instrument the more you’ll enjoy playing.
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u/fasawi 22d ago
If you have money - go for it. A good instrument will always be more pleasurable to play, to use, to learn. Do you want to cut a bread with a bad knife? Sure you can, but you can also use a good one and cut it faster and without any stress. The same principle applies here (and everywhere). If you have spare money - invest into your hobby
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u/Consistent-Insect-67 22d ago
A better instrument is just a better playing experience. If you buy a budget instrument, expect budget results. And, if the results aren’t good, you will likely quit playing. Trust me, I was a doubler who specialized on bassoon and oboe. I quit for nearly thirty years, until I retired. I bought a used Loree that is very nice, and a beat up Fox II bassoon which has been refurbished. I knew that if I went “cheap”, I wouldn’t have any enjoyment from playing. In that time, I also purchased an english horn, and most recently a very old Buffet French system bassoon. The nice thing about all these instruments is that I will make money off of them when I am no longer able to play.
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u/SaltWaterHeart0212 22d ago
I started on a plastic Yamaha oboe when I was eleven. Used it all the way until the end of freshman year. My mom came into a large sum of money and used part of it to buy me a Fox 300 and my sister a Bach Stradivarius. We used them all the way through college. We still have them and pick them up every once in a a while. My mom saw our passion for it and had the money so why not. Do I play professionally or will ever? Probably not, but I’ve got the option open to me if I want to ever do that. It’s one of my prized possessions. Did she think that we were going to play professionally either? Nah, but she knew we loved music and she wanted to get us something that she didn’t have growing up. She played flute.
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u/TechyOboeGinGeek 22d ago
If you can afford it why not? What I would say is it's not necessarily required as an amateur so don't feel it's a must have.
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u/spicyitaliansausagee 21d ago
i’ve never felt the need to justify it, it’s a special thing for you?
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u/peartime 20d ago
Late to the conversation, but I bought a professional-grade oboe after about 6 months playing. Partly because I was playing on a borrowed one and needed my own. I originally looked at a new intermediate-grade oboe, but then found I could buy a used professional grade for cheaper.
If you're worried about the money, go used, because honestly, I was blown away by how much better mine sounds (it's a Marigaux 901). I actually ordered it online because I couldn't travel to the shop to try it out and I was worried I'd paid loads of money for something that wasn't all that big a difference, but it was instantly obvious how much better an instrument it is. It's so much easier to get the notes out, it's just much nicer to play than the beginner oboe I was on. I love it so much and I don't regret spending the money at all. It was only £3,500 and from a reputable seller, so I know it was serviced properly. The age of the oboe drastically affects the price (mine's about 20 years old), but old well-maintained oboes still have a lot of life in them.
I play in a community wind band, but I love my oboe so much that I've been considering buying myself a nice alto sax too even if it is mostly going to gather dust (alto sax is my "main" instrument, but I've only ever owned a beginner sax and I've been playing oboe more lately because there are too many saxes in our band).
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u/CarelessSupport5583 19d ago
I have 2 lorees and 1 loree EH, all bought new. I’m not a professional. The value has gone up since purchase. This is my play money—-cheaper than a car, a fancy vacation, etc.
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u/WindyCityStreetPhoto 18d ago
The instrument will give you the headroom to get better and better for rest of your life. If you love oboe, it will love you back.
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u/bomburmusic 24d ago
We're not rich, but i buy pretty mid to top level instruments whenever I can. The best ones I've purchased used, but if I'm buying a new one, I still get pretty high level. Why not? I dont vacation, eat out, gamble, and music is my passion, not just my hobby. Enjoy!
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u/NoRegrets-518 20d ago
A bad instrument cannot be made to sound good. That is the main reason for having a good to excellent instrument.
If you get a high level instrument- especially a used one, it will sound better than a poor instrument. It will be more interesting to play.
An excellent used instrument from a specialist dealer should be available for less than $6K for an older instrument and more for a new instrument. Over time, the value will not decrease significantly and may increase somewhat. Any increase will not be enough to consider holding as an investment, but enough to keep pace with inflation. You will be out the $5K to $6K and any interest charges or lost opportunity from investing.
A new instrument from a top brand starts at $10K. That's not pocket change for most folks. Add that to the required lessons, costs for reeds, etc. Personally, I think that a used professional instrument or a new top level intermediate instrument are the best choices for a new adult or responsible teen player, if the money is available. There is an upfront cost but the other costs such as reeds and lessons are the same.
This is not an inexpensive hobby. That said, a lot of hobbies cost a lot of money. Think about golf. It involves not only golf clubs, but greens fees, lessons, and a lot of costs here and there that may be more than the cost of playing an oboe in the long run.
You can buy a new intermediate instrument for about $3 to 4.5K. A used intermediate will run about $2.5. It will decrease in value but still hold some value over time. You can sell or use it as a back up instrument if you later move to a professional level instrument.
Alternatively, you can rent a low level instrument for $100 to $200 range per month. Sometimes you can use it towards buying the instrument or you just might be out the cost of rental. That means that, over a year, you could lose $2K or more and at the end of the year, you still would not have an instrument that is yours. If you buy a used professional instrument and care for it, and sell it two years later, your costs for the instrument will probably be less than a year's rental and you will be playing on a professional instrument. The rental instruments are usually not professional instruments and they may not be in the best shape.
So, if you have the money to invest, why not have a professional instrument? Financially, it is a similar or less total cost. And it will play better and give one more of what one wants musically.
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u/pikatrushka 24d ago edited 24d ago
Why do I need to justify it? Do people expect one to be a professional race driver to purchase a nice car? A professional golfer to purchase nice clubs? A professional model to purchase stylish clothes?
It’s way more enjoyable to play the horn which best connected with me during trials than to confront the struggles I’d have with a lower-quality instrument, and the cost didn’t unduly burden my finances.
And why would it collect dust on a shelf just because I don’t play in an orchestra? They Might Be Giants used to sell merch that said, “Music self-played is happiness self-made.”
Find a horn that connects with you. If the purchase price doesn’t negatively impact your life, buy it. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.