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I've borrowed an ophicleide from my local university for years for a few gigs, but I'm finally ready to finally purchase an ophicleide of my own.

I'm fine with purchasing one in either the key of C or Bb. It can be a reproduction or an original as long as it is in playable condition. I'm not interested in buying one that needs a lot of work to make it usable.

Thanks!

I'll make a plug for the Schiller C ophicleide. When I was first getting started last year, I was fortunate enough to have a face-to-face session with Dr. Richard Demy (a very, very fine ophicleide player himself). He told me then that this Schiller model is based on a 1905 French design, very late in the development of the ophicleide, and so incorporates some slightly more modern innovations and intonation improvements. I've never played the Bb, so I don't know if it has the same advantages. (The Schiller Bb is pretty hard to find, for some reason.) It gets a rich sound and is responsive, even in my amateur hands.

I am a huge fan of Wessex instruments and will undoubtedly buy more from them in the near future (I'm coveting the Bb helicon at the moment), but I have to say, last spring I had the opportunity to play the Wessex Bb ophicleide, and while it was LITERALLY the most beautiful instrument I've ever seen (with a gorgeous antique lacquer), I have to confess it was not an easy instrument to play, ergonomically speaking, and the sound it produced in that cursory play-through was not great. But I'd like to spend more time with it to see if the problems were with the instrument or, as I suspect, with me.

Thanks for the input! I've only learned C ophicleide so far anyway so I'll definitely be keeping an out for Schiller model for sure.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/9-key-C-Bass-O ... %7Ciid%3A1" target="_blank

Schiller Bb:

https://reverb.com/item/15454861-schill ... of-bb-gold" target="_blank

https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/op ... -saxophone" target="_blank

Thanks for the links and help! Definitely have some options to consider here. More links are always welcomed though! I really appreciate it!