which is the best intermediate level bassoon?

January 08, 2007 at 07:03 AM by sigurdga | Posted in Blues

Q: I have played the bassoon for nearly a year and want to buy my own. I have tried several Adler bassoons, but I think I want something more than just a beginner's bassoon.

January 09, 2007 at 06:54 AM by Gavin P

A: Maybe try a Renard/Fox, or a Schreiber... I'd class them all about the same level as an Adler (to go up from there you're probably looking at Puchners or Heckels), but I guess personal taste is an issue too.

My slightly more long-winded answer:

---------
(1) I'd class an Adler as at least a mid-level bassoon (I think I slightly prefer the Adler that I used to play over my Schreiber), although...

(2) It depends on the model of bassoon - which includes things like whether it has a crook lock, high-E key, rollers on the keys etc. A lot of those aren't all that important - the Adler I used had a crook lock which I kept flicking on by accident then screwing up the high notes... very annoying and I never used it deliberately anyway. High-E would be nice though, especially when you have a really quiet high note (e.g. the start of the Rite of Spring)...

(3) Personally I have a Schreiber, and have done since 6th form at school (i.e. when I was 16-18 years old). I played it (admittedly very badly) in several university orchestras, and didn't feel it was much worse than any of the music students' bassoons (except the Puchner that the resident "bassoon God" got as he left uni to go pro).

(4) My understanding (and I'll certainly back down if anyone claims to know better) is that there are 3 very vague ranges of bassoons. Fox/Renard, Schreibers and Adlers are in the middle, with Puchners, Heckels and maybe Yamahas at the top. Not sure what classes as a bottom range. Maybe Monnig? Takeda?

(5) Without trying to sound silly, one fairly crude way to rank them is by their price when new. Go to a vender (e.g. the link below) and see how they compare.

Fox Bassoon - 9 items found


New*+* Full Set Bassoon Pads. For Fox, Renard. #1
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End time: 30-Mar-10 15:56:45 PDT
-- Fox Renard Artist Model 220 Bassoon SUPERB! WOW! --
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$4,200.00 Buy It Now: $4,700.00
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End time: 18-Mar-10 16:48:36 PDT
New*+* Full Set Bassoon Pads. For Fox, Renard. #1
$35.00 Buy It Now
Bids: 1
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End time: 07-Apr-10 09:59:21 PDT
NICE RENARD BY FOX MODEL 222 BASSOON
$2,900.00 Buy It Now
Bids: 0
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End time: 02-Apr-10 19:09:47 PDT
Fox Renard Artist Model 220 Bassoon EXCELLENT! WOW!
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$4,300.00 Buy It Now: $4,800.00
Bids: 0
End time: 18-Mar-10 16:48:39 PDT
New*+* Full Set Bassoon Pads. For Fox, Renard. #1
$35.00 Buy It Now
Bids: 0
Best Offer Enabled
End time: 30-Mar-10 15:54:48 PDT
Fox Model I Professional Long Bore Bassoon OUTSTANDING!
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Bids: 0
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End time: 22-Mar-10 23:48:38 PDT
NewFox model IV Bassoon, Brand New
$3,900.00 Buy It Now: $4,300.00
Bids: 0
End time: 18-Mar-10 17:39:44 PDT
New*+* Full Set Bassoon Pads. For Fox, Renard. #1
$35.00 Buy It Now
Bids: 0
Best Offer Enabled
End time: 21-Mar-10 09:13:02 PDT
View more items

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Mar 16, 417
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Source:

A. Vivaldi: Concerto for Bassoon in D-Minor, 1st Mov.

played by me. Excuse me for the squicking that is heard twice. I have an old bassoon , old fox bassoon and his c2, c2 sharp and d2 are bad bad ...

Up to 58% Off Top TV DVD from Buy.com! Exp 4/24/10

position of first and second wires on bassoon reeds

Well, in a random experiment after a discussion with another player and my slightly altered version of what she had been recommended by another pro bassoon player I discovered something rather odd about the first and second wires on a reed:
Moving the second wire up towards the first sharpens the overall pitch of the reed. It does on my shapes anyway (Fox 1 or Herzberg).
I have seen such a variety of wire positions and lengths of reed that I have long since departed from any set position as gospel. But slipping the first wire back towards the second also changes things and makes a slightly less resistant reed which is easier at the bottom but then not so supported at the top.
There are many other factors of course (variables) like the tightness of these wires and the scrape of the actual blade.
I was finding I needed to make a reed 25mm from shoulder to tip to be up to pitch on a Number 2 crook and couldn't work out how an ultra long reed like a Danzi would play at pitch. One of the factors is the wire position.
This is not the end of the search but just a bit of info that I couldn't find on any sites after a bit of googling so decided it warranted a blog post.

Source: music matters-bassoon