"Playing the cello could be an expensive undertaking!"
It's true. All of the violin family instruments run into a lot of money at the professional level. Prominent musicians, meaning anyone in a major symphony orchestra, all have tons of money tied up in their instruments. They couldn't make the sounds they make without it.
That's why a violin, viola, or cello that can live up to the standards of these musicians is so costly and so rare.
It's not exactly the same situation with most of the other instruments. I was an oboist. Finding an oboe that suited me ended up costing me about $5000, and that was back in the 70s. I tested about 24 seemingly identical oboes of the same brand and model before choosing that one. Even though they looked identical, there were tiny differences between them. There are no benefits to an antique oboe, though, like there are with the stringed instruments like violins. In fact, the technology in wind instruments keeps making better and better instruments possible.
Worse, with things like oboes, which are made of wood, is that they have to be protected from drastic changes in temperature or humidity. A mistake in handling will crack the instrument, ruining it. Mine was never played outdoors, and traveled in an insulated, airtight case to keep changes to a minimum. For outdoor performances, I had a second oboe. It was a nice one, but was expendable.
And I was just a semi-pro musician. Professional musicians, particularly those at the top of the game, have enormous investments in their instruments. For example, an oboist in a major symphony orchestra will have three or four primary oboes. Each is used for a particular period of music, or for different conductors who require a slightly different sound. They also must own an English Horn, and most own an Oboe d'Amore. At that level, they are buying instruments directly from the company that makes them, typically in France, and go there to test instruments, trying dozens of them, and having modifications made to the one they buy. Very spendy stuff.
Saved my starter model flute for that endeavor.