"I have been delighted to get to know Nick Thompson’s repair work over the last few years. His meticulous attention to detail with pad seating, tone hole facing, and spring regulation have made my instruments function with ease and reliability. I know that my oboes will feel better than new after Nick has had them. I would wholeheartedly recommend Nick’s work to anyone." - February 2023
Nicholas Stovall, Principal Oboe, National Symphony Orchestra
Washington, DC
"I’ve known Nick for over 20 years, he’s a great musician, repair technician, reed-maker and person! I’ve trusted Nick with my instruments many times; in particular he has revitalized my Laubin oboe and english horn. When he was finished they played better than ever before and looked pristine. Nick is among the best repair techs that have worked on my instruments." - September 2023
Jared Hauser, Oboe Professor, Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
"Over the last five years, Nick Thompson has worked on the maintenance of my Yamaha oboes and Laubin english horns. He is a technician of the highest skill, and I am really happy with the results of his work! He also did a beautiful job restoring the St. Louis Symphony's bass oboe to its original glory." - November 2023
Cally Banham, Solo English Horn, Saint Louis Symphony
Saint Louis, MO
“Nick Thompson does incredibly thorough repair and adjustment work. Nick is a consummate professional, he’s extremely detail-oriented, and my oboe plays beautifully after being worked on by him. We are lucky to have Nick Thompson in the Pacific Northwest oboe community.” - April 2024
Melissa Pena, Oboe Professor, University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
"Nick Thompson revitalized a vintage Cabart oboe I found that probably had not been serviced in a few decades. His thorough cleaning, polishing and adjusting brought this oboe back to life! I would highly recommend his services for any oboe jobs from a replacement cork to full overhaul. He is timely and meticulous in his work and is always a pleasure to communicate with. Check out his instagram too for great videos on his work!" - April 2024
Paul Chinen, Oboe Professor, Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL
"Nick has worked on both oboes and english horns for me, from crack repair to general maintenance and adjustment, and his work is excellent. It's especially nice to be able to trust that all of my auxiliary EH keys will seal properly, despite living in a tricky climate for double reeds! He also communicates clearly so that I know what to expect price- and time-wise. I definitely recommend Nick to other players, and I'm glad to have him nearby in the PNW." - May 2024
Rachel Becker, Oboe Professor, Boise State University
Boise, ID
"Nick is a top notch oboe and english horn specialist. I left his shop with my two oboes feeling and performing as good as ever. Beyond typical pad balancng and adjustments, Nick performed intricate tuning and key height changes absolutely to my satisfaction. You can trust Nick to make your oboe or english horn perform to its highest potential. He gets done in a timely manner, and with good cheer. It's good to know that I don't have to ship or travel beyond Portland for expert repair and modification work." - May 2024
Ryan Klein, Principal Oboe, Opera Idaho Orchestra
Boise, ID
"If you are a pro oboist or clarinetist and you live within driving distance of Nick Thompson's workshop, count yourself lucky! It's wonderful that I can take my instruments to him and know that first rate work will be done at a reasonable price. I know that Nick will tell me straight exactly what's going on with the instrument. Because he is a fine oboist, he can quickly diagnose any issues. Plus, my instruments are carefully play tested before I pick them up. I've been highly satisfied by the routine repairs done by him, as well as emergency work. But best of all, he made some very nice refinements to my 30 year old english horn that has made me fall in love with it all over again." - May 2024
Karen Strand, Associate Professor of Music, Portland State University
Portland, OR
"I recently had the pleasure of entrusting my oboe to Nick Thompson for some much needed repairs, and I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with his work. From the moment I reached out to him, Nick was professional, responsive, and clearly knowledgable about the intricacies of oboe repair. His attention to detail and commitment to quality were evident in the finished product. I particularly appreciated the care he took in communicating with me throughout the process, keeping me informed of his progress and any findings along the way. In short, I wholeheartedly recommend Nick for any oboist in need of oboe or english horn repair services -- his experties and dedication are second to none!" - May 2024
Selina Greso, Principal Oboe, Tacoma Symphony
Tacoma, WA