$550.00
Everyone,
To be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first if the bore work could make that much difference on my oboe. I own a “C” series Loreé and have always felt like it was a superb instrument. Every year or so, I would get a feeling that perhaps there was a better instrument out there. I would play my friends’ oboes and try new instruments. I knew that the newer Loreé were made differently than mine, but ultimately never found one to convince me to switch away from mine, because of its scale and sound.
I had already experimented with oboe bells (AK bore, regular bore, non-Loreé) and actually found a non-Loreé bell that worked so well, my original Loreé bell had sat on a shelf for a couple of years. Rather than gather any more dust, I decided to send it David to see if there was anything he could do to improve it. If it did, great. If it didn’t, I still had my setup I was comfortable with. Nothing venture, nothing gained. Right? Read on.
From the first test play with the “new” bell, the results were there. You could hear the difference, the tuner showed the difference. Everything David mentions which could be improved happened for me. I actually had a Royalé on trial at the same time. I also had a rehearsal that day and was thinking of test driving the Royalé. No way! Off I went with my new bell instead, and a grin, wondering if my colleagues would notice. Oh yes! All I could say was WOW!
I had the opportunity to then meet David in person at IDRS in Austin. After a test play of my instrument, David felt that more improvement was still available. I decided to go ahead and get it done.
The results are unbelievable. The connectivity between notes is amazing. Tone quality is unified and homogenized. The one-and-one C is beautiful, in tune and in the same color as the notes around it. Tuning is amazing. Blending with other oboes and other winds has never been so easy. The bottom register is absolutely secure, resonant, rich and in tune. The low B-flat is absolutely stunning. There is a “ping” between jumping octaves since the tuning and overtones feel like they line up so well. The overall sound is amazing—rich, full, round, big, resonant, colorful and HUGE. Compared to the Royalé, my “C” series is, without a doubt, the winner.
When you push on the air, the sound simply swells out of the instrument. If I could afford it, I would go back to the recording studios and re-record everything I’ve ever recorded!! Other oboe players are trying to steal my bell when I’m not looking!!!
Long story short….no more shopping for a new oboe for me. I am one very, very, very satisfied customer. For the first time, I now have an instrument that truly expresses what I’ve heard in my head for years.
Thanks David.
