A. Laubin
Encyclopedia
A. Laubin, Inc. is an American
maker of oboe
s and English horns, located in Peekskill, New York
. The first Laubin oboe was made in 1931 by Alfred Laubin
, a performing musician
who was dissatisfied with the quality of instruments
available at the time. The creation of oboes began as a home project, but soon Mr. Laubin was able to make oboes which met the demands of his own playing career. These instruments impressed his professional oboist friends, many of whom began playing Laubin's oboes during this time. Eventually, oboe-making developed into a full-time occupation, beginning in the mid-1950s. In 1956, Alfred's eldest son Paul Laubin joined the business, doing repair work and eventually learning every aspect of oboe-making before taking over the business
when Alfred died in 1976.
Today, Paul Laubin who was born about , his son Alexander who was born about , and longtime repairman and instrument finisher David Teitelbaum, continue to produce just under 20 instruments per year. While other oboe manufacturers have moved to a largely automated process, using computerized milling machine
s and standardized parts, Laubin still does everything essentially by hand, using belt-driven lathe
s, drill
s, and hand tool
s.
In spite of their relative scarcity, Laubin oboes are played by a significant number of highly-regarded oboists, including some in the New York Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
maker of oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
s and English horns, located in Peekskill, New York
Peekskill, New York
Peekskill is a city in Westchester County, New York. It is situated on a bay along the east side of the Hudson River, across from Jones Point.This community was known to be an early American industrial center, primarily for its iron plow and stove products...
. The first Laubin oboe was made in 1931 by Alfred Laubin
Alfred Laubin
Alfred Laubin was an American oboist and founder of A. Laubin.Alfred Laubin was born in 1906 in Detroit, where his father Carl was a charter member of that city's orchestra, playing the oboe and the clarinet...
, a performing musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who was dissatisfied with the quality of instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
available at the time. The creation of oboes began as a home project, but soon Mr. Laubin was able to make oboes which met the demands of his own playing career. These instruments impressed his professional oboist friends, many of whom began playing Laubin's oboes during this time. Eventually, oboe-making developed into a full-time occupation, beginning in the mid-1950s. In 1956, Alfred's eldest son Paul Laubin joined the business, doing repair work and eventually learning every aspect of oboe-making before taking over the business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
when Alfred died in 1976.
Today, Paul Laubin who was born about , his son Alexander who was born about , and longtime repairman and instrument finisher David Teitelbaum, continue to produce just under 20 instruments per year. While other oboe manufacturers have moved to a largely automated process, using computerized milling machine
Milling machine
A milling machine is a machine tool used to machine solid materials. Milling machines are often classed in two basic forms, horizontal and vertical, which refers to the orientation of the main spindle. Both types range in size from small, bench-mounted devices to room-sized machines...
s and standardized parts, Laubin still does everything essentially by hand, using belt-driven lathe
Lathe
A lathe is a machine tool which rotates the workpiece on its axis to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.Lathes are used in woodturning,...
s, drill
Drill
A drill or drill motor is a tool fitted with a cutting tool attachment or driving tool attachment, usually a drill bit or driver bit, used for drilling holes in various materials or fastening various materials together with the use of fasteners. The attachment is gripped by a chuck at one end of...
s, and hand tool
Hand tool
A hand tool is a device for performing work on a material or a physical system using only hands. The hand tools can be manually used employing force, or electrically powered, using electrical current...
s.
In spite of their relative scarcity, Laubin oboes are played by a significant number of highly-regarded oboists, including some in the New York Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.