- A high-end professional oboe can cost almost $14,000.
- The price of the oboe is reflective of how complex the keywork is.
- The rare African blackwood is often the base wood for oboes, and it’s at risk of endangerment.
A specialized woodwind with a wistful yet powerful tone, the oboe is one of the most expensive instruments you can buy. Professional-grade oboes can sell for almost $14,000. That’s more than four times the price of some professional flutes. So what makes oboes so difficult to make? And is that why they’re so expensive?
