Buying or renting an English horn, Oboe D’Amore, Bass Oboe or Musette
Buying or renting an English horn, oboe d'Amore, bass oboe or musette
There are a variety of professional English horns and some student models available for purchase. English horns can also be rented from some double reed stores, though this is generally fairly expensive, and only on a weekly basis. Professional oboists usually own an English horn, as they can often be called to play it, though some tend to specialize in it more than others. Some professionals share instruments.
Oboe d’Amores, bass oboes and musettes can be sometimes rented from double reed stores, but more likely need to be rented from professionals that own them. It may take some time to find an available instrument.
Instruments with a plastic top joint (and with no chance of cracking) may be a great choice for a school or organization that purchases an instrument to be shared by many players and/or that is played outdoors.
English Horn
All instruments below have a full French conservatory, semi-automatic, key system unless specified. As with the oboe, student models do not always have a full conservatory key system.
Loree
Options include: Gold-plated keys, Synthetic material (top joint only),
Removable extension to play both B3 and Bb3
Laubin
Only available used.
Fox
Student models
555 (Also called Renard. The keywork is not full conservatory)
Professional models
520 (all plastic)
510 (plastic top joint)
500 (grenadilla)
580 Tristan Model (Made of maple wood which is 25% lighter than grenadilla)
Howarth
Student models
S20C (grenadilla. Intermediate)
S40C (grenadilla. Graduate)
Professional models
S5 (grenadilla)
XL (Bore like XL oboe. Grenadilla)
XL (Bore like XL oboe. Cocobolo)
Oboe D’amore
The Oboe d’Amore is only available in professional models.
Loree
Grenadilla
Howarth
XL (Bore like XL oboe. Grenadilla)
XL (Bore like XL oboe. Cocobolo)
Bass Oboe and Heckelphone
Very few companies manufacture the bass oboe, and most professionals rent or borrow instruments as they are used so rarely. The bass oboe is only available in professional models.
Loree
Bass oboe n+3 (special order. Optional extension to low Bb)
Mönnig
Bass oboe 190LF
Rigoutat
Hautbois Baryton
Heckelphone
Can only be purchased used.
Musette (Hautbois Piccolo)
The Musette is only available in professional models.
Loree (in F)
V+3
Marigaux (in Eb)
904 (classic or baroque bell)
Fratelli Patricola (in Eb)
PT.M1