I've using a Yamaha 241 for quite a while. The oboe lacks a left-F and my instructor wants me to get another oboe. He said I should go for a full-automatic oboe instead of a semi-automatic... but most full-automatic oboes are really expensive and I don't think I can afford a full-automatic Yamaha or Marigaux. Buffet seems to be a lot cheaper but I have never tried a Buffet before... just wondering if anyone could give some comments on the quality of Buffet oboes.

I discovered from the Buffet website that there is a "Greenline" model. Those "Greeline" models are made up of granulated Grenadilla and carbon fibre. The design seems to make the "Greenline" models more resistant to damages due to humidity... but do they sound the same as the conventional ones?

There is very little difference in sound between the wood & Greenline instruments. If you get the chance find a store that stocks both & try for yourself.

Apart from in Germany fully automatic octaves are not generally favoured for two reasons - 1.The mechanism is more complicated & can be difficult to keep in regulation. The oboe is complex enough without adding this.
2. You lose some of the alternative fingerings for various of the higher notes which can make some music harder to play.

The message I get from the many good oboe players & teachers I know is to steer clear of auto octaves.
Maybe your tutor is not a real oboist but a sax player who is used to the auto octaves on that instrument so thinks it must be a good idea for oboes.

... indeed, my instructor is a sax player... he has over 30 sax students, but only 3 oboe students.

I'm almost 35 years old and I don't think I'll go to a very advanced level... and I think my fingers are too clumsy for anything too complicated... that's why my instructor wants me to get a full-automatic oboe.

Thanks for your advice!

I don't suggest getting a buffet. If you'd like a better instrument you could try the yamaha 441 (or whatever the higher oboe is...).

Maybe he has a valid point there.

Howarth are also good instruments - better than Buffet. The lowest spec model they do with auto octaves is the S40. http://www.howarth.uk.com/pic.aspx?pic=./wo/HowarthS40Auto.jpg&pid=35123
I don't know how the price compares to the Yamaha & Marigaux though.

Thank you very much for the post... YOB-441 is a semi-automatic oboe. I love Yamaha but the full-automatic oboes they offer are not something I can afford. My budget is around Euro 3500.

BTW, what's so bad about Buffet???

I checked Howarth and their full automatic oboe costs ~Euro 2910... sounds affordable but I really have no clue about how it sounds and I've never seen one. Any comments about Howarth's quality?

Yamaha's are semi auto aren't they? Are you looking for a full automatic? Is so try a used auto Loree I suppose. That's the only thing I can think of.

Howarth's are very nice instruments, they just have not really established themselves thus far outside of England. I would definately keep them on your list of things to see if you can try.

Another good brand which could work is Bulgheroni. I've heard very good things about these oboes and they come with auto octaves!

Thank you very much for your posts... they are all very useful to me! 8)

BTW, any brand/models that should be cast out of my list?

...(sigh)... I often ask: clarinet, oboe... they look very similar and made up of the same material.... why is it so expensive to get an oboe... why did I fall in love with something this expensive...