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| Store Info |
1-800-540-4ABI
Retail Store Hours
| Tuesday-Friday |
10am-7pm |
| Saturday |
10am-5pm |
| Sunday-Monday |
Closed |
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Wait, where are the instruments?
If you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you may find some of our used, vintage, or closeout instruments listed. However, the majority of the instruments that we sell are NOT listed here on our website! If you're curious why that is, please click here for a thorough explanation. Otherwise, feel free to browse our buyer's guide below, or contact us for our current selection and pricing!
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Double Reed Basics
The double-reed family consists of oboes, bassoons, English horns, and related instruments. They are called double reed instruments because the reeds that are used to play them are made from two pieces of cane stuck back-to-back and cut to a very precise shape.
These instruments all have distinctive sounds that can be beautiful and are essential to filling out the body of an orchestra's or symphony's tone. However, the instruments themselves are notoriously complex and difficult to play. Double reeds are generally NOT a good choice for a first time player - we recommend at least a few years experience on another woodwind instrument such as flute or clarinet before attempting one of these.
Players considering starting to play a double reed instrument should be aware that these are some of the most costly instruments, both in the up-front cost and in the ongoing expense of maintenance and supplies. Because of this and the difficulty of the instruments themselves, talented double reed players are few and far between. Rumors of colleges and univerities going to extraordinary lengths to attract players has led to the nickname of "Scholarship Instruments."
| Student Oboes
Selling price for new: $1300 and up
Brands at ABI: Buffet, Fox, Yamaha
Beginning oboe players will typically start on an instrument that has a synthetic body made from some type of plastic/resin blend. This is because of both cost and concerns about maintenance - a synthetic body is less expensive and relatively easy to care for. Oboes at this level will usually have a simplified keywork mechanism that covers the basic notes needed to start playing, but without all of the optional keys that a more advanced player will eventually want. You may hear terms such as Basic Conservatory or Modified Conservatory used to describe these less complex mechanisms.
Advanced Oboes
Selling price for new: $2500 and up
Brands at ABI: Buffet, Fox, Yamaha
An advancing oboe player will undoubtedly choose to upgrade from a beginner instrument as their skills increase. Advanced instruments have more keys and key options than student oboes, such as an extended range to low Bb, a left-hand key to play F, and additional octave key mechanisms to improve tone and intonation.
It's important to note that advanced oboes do not necessarily need to be made out of wood. Wooden bodies are certainly an option on advanced instruments, and many players do choose instruments built that way. However, the physical design of the oboe requires that the wall of the instrument be quite thick in some areas. This makes wooden oboes more likely to crack or split than other instruments, especially when played in cold weather - the heated-up inside wall of the oboe tries to expand faster than the cold outside wall, creating extreme stress in the wood. Because of this, many manufacturers offer advanced level oboes with synthetic or partially synthetic bodies, giving players the ability to choose based on their playing circumstances.
Bassoons
Selling price for new: $5000 and up
Brands at ABI: Fox
No matter how you cut it, a bassoon is a substantial investment! Even a student-quality instrument may be as expensive as a used car, and the long-term upkeep costs may be just as high as well. Starting bassoons will typically have a body made from some synthetic compound such as polypropylene. More advanced instruments will be made from wood, commonly some variety of maple. In addition, there are MANY optional keys and configurations available for bassoons, often causing serious players to custom order an instrument built at the factory with the exact specifications they require.
Other Double Reeds
We generally do not keep the other double-reed instruments in stock here at ABI. However, we do have access to English horns, Contrabassoons, and others by special order. Please contact us to find out what options may be available for these instruments.
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