I know that sometimes we (as Americans) are a bit hesitant to buy Chinese made instruments. Sometimes that are cheaply made, right? That is NOT the case here. Yinfente is every bit as good as Western manufacturers; in fact, they may be better in some ways. And in the case of this Oboe, it's unbeatable. Extremely high quality design and build. For reference, I bought the rosewood version of this Oboe.

Absolutely PERFECT. Yinfente are miracle workers, producing a professional ALL WOOD Oboe for less than a thousand dollars! An equivalent western manufactured Oboe of this quality would typically cost 4,000 to 8,000 dollars, but here we have it for a fraction of the price. Not to mention it's available in rosewood, which is almost unheard of from western manufacturers. The rosewood is AMAZING, especially in conjunction with the gold keywork!

The sound on this Oboe is wonderful. Absolutely bright and warm, thanks to its rosewood body and bell. Remember, this is an $8,000 dollars sound you're getting, for less than a thousand dollars! The key action is snap action quick, all keys work as expected. The first octave key and mechanism is initially a little stiff, and will stick shut a lot at first. But after a few hours of playing, and manually opening the valve with your fingers, it will loosen right up and operate perfectly from then on. This is because the tension spring is initially a little stiff, but once you start using it, it begins to loosen up a little and then operates normally.

The case is really nice, and the case cover is great. Normally I buy a Protec case for My instruments, but it isn`t even necessary with this instrument. It comes with a neck strap if you need it, as well. And a reed, if you want it. The reed is pretty decent, though not as your primary player. I kept mine as a spare.

Yinfente is amazing. My only complaint, is that they don't engrave their name on the bell of the instrument like most manufacturers do. I wish they did, so my Oboe could wear the Yinfente name with PRIDE! Love this Oboe. Love Yinfente! 5 stars!! Worth every penny! I can't wait to show it off and proudly say it's a Yinfente!

I've only been able to play a few times and it's been several years since playing so user issues definitely factor in.

It comes with a decent reed and some of the items for maintenance. I wish it came with any cork grease and a rod to clean. Aside from that, very nice quality Oboe.

Wow. I'm incredibly impressed. After 35 years away, I started playing in a community band. I played in college and professionally, and have struggled for the past year on a crummy rental oboe. I can't believe it's here so soon - the shipping was nearly immediate, arrived 2 weeks sooner than promised. I opened the package, the instrument is absolutely gorgeous, beautifully packaged, and as soon as I unpacked it (they even include a reed!) and put it together, it played so easily, and has a rich, warm tone. I greatly appreciate the extra keys, the actual cork (my bassoon has wrapped string instead of cork which I find to be a pain in the behind) with cork grease, cleaning cloths and gloves. Doubt I'll use the gloves, but it's a nice touch.

I would highly recommend this instrument to anyone who cannot afford to buy a Loree or other instrument. The keys and pads are solidly constructed, and for the price, I doubt anyone is making one this nice. So pleased with my purchase. Not many people give much consideration to Chinese instruments, but I find this one to be just about perfect. I will most likely move to replace my bassoon soon, and i'll definitely be checking this company out a bit more.

Very happy with this purchase!!!

The first thing I had to do was throw away the Roffee V3 reed that it came with and used a Fox reed (and other reed makers since). Having done that the sound is beautiful, sweet and warm. Using tuners I have checked the range from low Bb to high C (anything above that is a bit beyond my current novice skill level) and found the oboe to be in tune throughout. It is loaded with things you'll only find on professional (i.e. $8000 plus) models. For example, the low Bb key, 3rd octave key, f key and split f tuning key, various trill keys et al. you don't find on oboes even in the 2-4 thousand dollar range!

If you buy this for your child be sure to show them how to safely assemble and disassemble (check YouTube, books, online pictures). When it's new the cork may cause it to be a bit snug so be sure to have them use cork grease. The bell to mid section has one key linkage but there are two for the mid to upper section. All of the links have curved tabs to make the attachment easier. However, if you grab onto keys without looking at what you're doing (often something children tend to do) it's possible to make the link that's supposed to be underneath raise up enough to snag on the other part. If the child twists it together like that it's possible to bend the links out of adjustment.

The tenons are reinforced with metal without which there would be a chance of cracking (as with the standard less expensive oboes). Be sure they swab it out after each playing to get their saliva out (which over time causes wood rot). Remind them that anything they eat without brushing their teeth afterwards will wind up inside their reed and inside their oboe (gross). And every few months show them how to use a feather with good bore oil to help nourish the wood. Buy a thumb rest (clarinet one will work) to help the child properly hold it and they can use the strap that came with it to help support it.

This oboe came complete with a substantial case, carrying strap and case cover, cork grease, cleaning cloths. The inside of the case looks quite elegant with the rosewood and gold-colored keys and the sound matches its looks.

I found this oboe to be much better than the student's version I first worked with (different brand). All the expected keys were present and located where they are pictured in the instruction books. The first and third octave keys aren't set up as ergonomic, but they get the job done. Since I'm a beginner, my playing sounds awful, but every now and then I'm able to get everything just right and the oboe seems to sing.

The only downside is both the case and cover have a heavy-duty mildew infection going on. I tried airing them for a few days, but the cover's pocket still smells horrible. I've added desiccants to both case and cover, inside and out, but the odor in the cover pocket is still strong. I have since replaced both case and cover, so storage is no longer an issue. I also work to keep the oboe as clean as possible, especially its pads. I must also keep the pads in enough humidity so the oboe's pads won't dry out completely. It's difficult to do, but considering how great the instrument sounds, I think it's worth the effort.