The shop has finally given me a quotation of a bunch of oboes... and now I'm left with two choices:

Buffet Student full-automatic BC4057: less expensive, an authentic oboe made of grenadilla.

Yamaha YOB-432M full-automatic: more expensive; new design makes it more resistant to cracks; grenadilla body with ABS resin inner layer and resin joints. This one costs around US800 more. I live in a very humid environment so I think it's worth the money to buy one that is more resistant to any damages... but I dunno how it sounds and I think it's a fairly new model.

Please.... anyone using a YOB-432M???

Unless they've changed recently the Buffet top joint is also lined.
Why are you going for fully automatic rather than semi?

I've only played on Yamahas and Lorees but even the student Yamaha 241 is a pretty good beginner oboe. I have a few friends who play on the 441 and they love it.

I have not tried a buffet but many people around here do not like them. I'm not too sure why, but that's just he way it is.

The best solution is to try both options & decide yourself if the extra is worth paying - nobody else can make the decision for you. They are both good quality instruments.

Thank you for your advices...

I used to play a YOB-241... I think it's one of the best ABS resin oboes. Of course, it doesn't sound as good as my instructor's Marigaux... and it lacks a left-F and I have to play forked-F plus an Eb key... such key combination is too difficult for me... a oboe learner over 30 years old.

I've decided to go for a YOB-432M, which costs around US$4,000... hopes it can take me to another level...

A lot of people say the 241 doesn't have a left F. I had a 241 which had left F and all the other 241's I've seen here in Canada have had Left F's. I'm not sure if this is a Yamaha Canada/Yamaha USA thing or something else, but I would only get a 241 WITH left F.