Merry Christmas

We have been so overwhelmed by the support we have received in the past year that we decided to commission this Christmas painting to say thank you! Painted by our own director, Alison Ludlow, this little Santa is really worn out :)

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

www.DoubleReed.co.uk

A Treasure of Rare and Interesting Bassoons at the Royal Northern College of Music Wind Weekend 2012

Double Reed Ltd. exhibited at the Royal Northern College of Music Double Reed Weekend on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th November 2012 just gone, in Manchester, UK. It was lovely to meet so many bassoonists and to hear some beautiful bassoon playing. 

We are a specialist bassoon company and as such we had some unusual and rare bassoons to show off on our stand, which caused much intrigue and delight. To start with we had three Heckel bassoons on our stand which, perhaps not surprisingly, were tried by most of the professionals and students at the event. Many students had never before had the opportunity to play on a pre-1945 Heckel, and so this was a rare opportunity to see for themselves how beautiful these bassoons really sound. Needless to say, all three Heckels are now reserved for customers to try on approval.

We also had a Soulsby bassoon, made by the British maker Jeremy Soulsby in 1988. Soulsby made about 80 bassoons, which gained a world wide reputation for their sound and quality, and then he retired and never made another bassoon. We have Soulsby bassoon number 41 in stock - a very rare instrument, in perfect condition, that produces a delightful sound.

Another special bassoon we had was an Ernst Riedl, made in about 1940 (a dark coloured bassoon pictured on a stand at the far end). Some of the professional players at the day (BBC Philharmonic and others) had heard of Riedl bassoons but had never actually seen or played one. The sound of this instrument is astonishingly rich and even throughout. I am an Ernst Riedl player myself, having an identical instrument with a close serial number, and I am a huge fan. Famously, Will Jansen was a Riedl player, writer of the well known five book anthology 'The Bassoon'. He is photographed with a Riedl bassoon just like this in his book.

You can see all these bassoons, plus many others, on our website here:

www.DoubleReed.co.uk

A special hello to everyone who was there on the day!

Oliver Ludlow - Director and Bassoon Specialist at Double Reed Ltd.

Amati Bassoons and Contrabassoons from Double Reed Ltd.

 

Amati bassoons are made in one of the main instrument-making centres in Europe, in Kraslice (Graslitz in German) on the Czech side of the Czech-German border, where instrument making has been going on for several hundred years. This area has a strong German influence, and is part of the famous European 'Music Cluster'.  Amati was established after the second world war as a co-operative of musical instrument makers including bassoon makers Puchner and Kohlert, and was nationalised in 1948, becoming one of the main makers of bassoons in Eastern Europe. After 1989 the company was privatised and is now a major European manufacturer of bassoons. Throughout its history the company has been renowned for making solid, durable instruments; and many have been of high quality with good intonation, good tone and easy playability. We at Double Reed, for example, have sold dozens of higher specification secondhand Amatis to satisfied customers in the last couple of years. However, more recently, the company's bassoons have improved further and new ones are now a match for many, more expensive European bassoons and make the perfect bassoon for students all the way from beginners to Grade 8 and beyond. And with their reputation for durability and reliability they hold their value much better than non-European bassoons comparable in price. The Amati contrabassoon is also gaining a reputation for being an outstanding instrument, capable of holding its own against much more expensive competition. Double Reed Ltd. is one of the select few UK retailers appointed by Amati to sell their range of bassoons and contrabassoons, and we will be pleased to help you select the right bassoon for you, from short-reach instruments for children through to high specification instruments for advanced students and contrabassoons for those looking for something a bit special. Have a look at our selection of Amati bassoons and contrabassoons here:  http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoons_New_For_Sale.htm For a bit more about the history of Amati and the instrument making in the region, please see the Amati web site here: http://www.amati.cz/o-firme/historie-spolecnosti-amati-denak

We Now Sell Amati Bassoons and Contrabassoons

Thought you would like to know that we now sell the full range of new Amati bassoons and contrabassoons. Amati's range of affordable but high quality, European-made student bassoons and contras are ideal for the student and schools, as they are well-made, durable and reliable bassoons with a great sound.

Amati have probably been the most popular student bassoon over several decades, and we have regularly sold them secondhand to many happy customers - under the various historic brand names of Boosey and Hawkes 400 and Corton (both of these available currently secondhand on our web site).

We will be getting stock in before Christmas, so order now in time for Christmas. See our web site for more details New Amati bassoons for sale

The Big Double Reed Day

We have a stand at this year's Big Double Reed Day, which is being held at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (Silk Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DT) on Sunday 28th October. Follow the Link to find out more and book a place. Come along and visit us on stand 18. 

Bassoon Accessories now Available

We have added a select range of bassoon accessories to our web site. These include a range of products from the respected German company Kölbl (or Koelbl in English) including a case, neck straps, a harness and other items. See them here: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Accessories_For_Sale.htm

The case in particular is well worth considering - it is a high quality case which holds your bassoon securely, but with backstraps for ease of carrying. It is for sale for a very competitive price of £295.00.

We have also started selling reeds; have a look here:http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Reeds_For_Sale.htm

More on accessories and reeds to follow shortly, but if you would like any more information, please contact us.

Brand New Bassoons Now Available

To further improve our service to bassoonists in Wales, the UK and beyond, from October 2012 we have  started selling new bassoons to go alongside our secondhand ones.

We are starting with Oscar Adler and Gebrüder Mönnig bassoons and contrabassoons, but expect to add other makes over the coming months. We aim to have a full range of bassoons available, from ones suitable for beginners through to professionals.

Adler bassoons are suitable for everyone from beginners to serious amateurs and are priced at between £4,450 and £5,550 including VAT (see our site for prices excluding VAT) and include a short reach bassoon. Adlers are good, solid, well-performing instruments and have been one of the most popular brands over several decades.

Mönnig bassoons are aimed at the top end of the market - professionals and degree-level music students - with prices ranging from just under £11,000 to £21,000 (again including VAT). They are very well constructed and have a sound suitable for the most refined orchestral and solo performances.

We are also selling one contrabassoon from Adler and one from Mönnig - the Adler 1366 and the Mönnig Model 300.

Please see our web site for more details http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoons_New_For_Sale.htm

Bassoon crooks - Puchner, Heckel, etc.

We're building up our stock of secondhand bassoon crooks for sale, and have just added 7 Puchner crooks and 4 Heckel crooks. More to come in the near future, so check our web site out and keep coming back to see if there's anything you would like to try.

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Crooks_For_Sale.htm

Three Heckel Bassoons Now on Sale

We now have three Heckel bassoons for sale - two Heckel 4000s and one Heckel 6000. Both the 4000s are relatively late serial numbers, and one is very close to being a 5000 series. And the 6000 is close to being a 7000 series. One of the 4000s was restored by Guntram Wolf, and the 6000 was restored by Bernd Moosmann - both renowned bassoon makers.

The Heckel 6000 is the pick of the bunch with high D and high E (the high E was fitted by Moosmann) - although all three are outstanding Heckel bassoons in very good condition, and are suitable for keen amateurs, conservatoire students and professional bassoonists. If you would like to try them, just send us an email to oliverludlow@doublereed.co.uk

 Heckel 4000

 Heckel 4000

Heckel 6000

Bassoon practice - Less is Best! And Pick out the Naughty Bits

Am I practicing bassoon enough? How much bassoon practice do you do per day/week? According to this article, less is best:

http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/the_most_valuable_lesson_i_learned_from_playing_the_violin#.UBYgBmQX-Pc.facebook

 

'Keep practice sessions limited to a duration that allows you to stay focused. This may be as short as 10-20 minutes, and as long as 45-60+ minutes.'

Archie Camden, a famous British bassoonist, in his book Bassoon Technique (P.16, Oxford University Press 1962), writes rather wittily on the need to practice methodically:

There are many most earnest and conscientious students who blithely recount the hours they have spent at work each day, cheerfully believing that their progress will match the hands of the clock, speeding onwards. To listen to them practice is often to be very disappointed. Most of the time is virtually wasted effort. They will play through scales and studies many times, making the same mistakes each time. If they are aware of them and go back, they will play the whole thing again, instead of picking out the naughty bits and working at them with great concentration until they are correct. Other times they will pick out the bits they like to play and do these over and over again, while the tricky passage lurks round corner and trips them up almost unnoticed! Ten minutes hard work at a few little bits is worth hours of aimless 'playing'.

Let us know about your practising techniques. If you have any advice we'd love to hear it so do leave a comment.

New Heckel Bassoon Crooks / Bocals For Sale

We now stock a range of new Heckel bassoon crooks, including Heckel CC1, CC2, CD1 and CD2. These are the most sought after Heckel crooks and will improve the sound of almost any bassoon. If you'd like to know more take a look at them here on our website:

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Crooks_Heckel_For_Sale.htm

Heckel CC2 new and in stock!

Tears of a Bassoon - Bassoons in Pop Music

Hearing the bassoon in unexpected places! 

Have you ever been surprised to hear the bassoon in a most unexpected place? I came across 'The Tears of a Clown' by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (Motown, 1967) and was delighted by the opening riff which is played on the bassoon. It's quite a tricky part to play but sounds great. Who says the bassoon is restricted to the classical music genre?

Another Pop song with a prominent bassoon part is 'Puppet on a String' by Sandie Shaw. 

Have you heard any unexpected bassoon parts recently? Let us know either by leaving a comment or posting a link to the song. 

Double Reed Ltd. will soon have new Heckel bassoon crooks in stock

At Double Reed Ltd. we are proud to announce that we will now be stocking new Heckel bassoon crooks. The first crook we will have in stock is the well known and much loved silver plated Heckel CC2 crook (awaiting delivery). Other types and lengths of new Heckel crook follow soon, including Heckel CD crooks.

The price of new Heckel bassoon crooks at Double Reed Ltd. will be £699 (British Pounds) including VAT.

A good quality Heckel bassoon crook can transform your sound. If you are interested in owning or trying a new Heckel CC2 bassoon crook then please get in touch and we would be glad to reserve one for you. Other types of Heckel crook are currently available to order.

A link to our contact details on our website can be found here:

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Contact_Us.htm

We Now Sell Cors Anglais

The first of what will be many oboes and cors anglais we'll be offering for sale in the coming months is an immaculate Lorée Royal cor anglais. 

Made in 2008 this professional cor anglais is suitable for an advanced student (or aspiring advanced student), keen amateur or professional. 

This instrument has been very carefully looked after and is in mint condition. To find out more, look at our web site: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Cor_Anglais_Loree_Royal_For_Sale.htm

The Royal is a higher specification instrument than standard Lorée cors anglais, and it is regarded as one of the most finely-made, beautiful-sounding cors anglais available.

We make instruments available for you to try using our approval loan scheme. See here for more information on how to borrow this Lorée cor anglais: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/approval_loan.htm

Bassoon Clearance Sale now on

We have now got an area of our web site devoted to bassoon bargains - bassoons sold at a much lower price than our normal range.

We currently have five bassoons in the clearance section ranging in price from £250 to £595. Between them, they provide an interesting range of opportunities, from starter bassoons in full working order from £395 to a couple of French system high pitch bassoons for the person looking for something a little bit different.

All apart from one are in full playing order with extensive work carried out on them to the same standard as our normal-priced bassoons. The exception is a Buffet Crampon bassoon which we are selling in an unrefurbished state.

All of them are available to be borrowed under our Approval Loan scheme and, apart from the Buffet, come with our standard 6 month guarantee.

Have a look at our Clearance Bassoons now.

Following Your Ear - What to Look For When Choosing a Bassoon Crook

A good rule of thumb when choosing a bassoon crook is to follow your ear and choose one that helps you to play in tune and to produce a sound that you are happy with.

Here are some crook characteristics which an awareness of will help you choose a crook you like:

1.     It is best to buy a crook that is in good shape. A dent or bend in the crook due to damage can change the shape of the bore and affect the air flow through the instrument. This can have a strangling effect on your sound and may affect your tuning. It is worth getting a good quality crook repaired, especially an old Heckel, but it is often preferable to replace a crook if it gets damaged

2.     Different makers produce crooks that have different types of sound. It is sometimes said that Puchner crooks produce a dark sound, for example, and Heckel crooks are said to be some of the best all round crooks. Heckel crooks made pre-1945 are well known for making a beautiful sound and are consequently highly sought after. Crooks by other makers are also good – Puchner, Fox, Adler, Schreiber, Monnig, Yamaha, Leitzinger and so on

3.     The type of metal the crook is made from affects the overall sound, so you may wish to try different types. Crooks are usually made from a copper alloy, often referred to as German silver, which is made up of a mixture of copper, nickel and zinc. Crooks can also be made in brass, gold, sterling silver, palladium and even wood

4.     The length of the crook – most crooks use a number one, two or three. These numbers refer to the length of the crook, 1 being short and thus raising the pitch slightly, 3 being longer and lowering the pitch slightly. If you bassoon plays flat or sharp a shorter or longer crook may help

Heckel bassoon crook for sale at Double Reed Ltd.

Because at Double Reed Ltd. we recognise that choosing the right crook is important, we have launched a bassoon Crooks for Sale page on our web site. The selection of crooks will grow steadily over time, so keep an eye out. If you have a crook you would like to sell then please get in touch with us, as we buy crooks and also sell them on commission. You can view our Crooks for Sale page, and our current selection of crooks, here:

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Crooks_For_Sale.htm

The Importance of the Bassoon Crook

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Crooks_For_Sale.htm

One of the most distinctive looking features of a bassoon is the crook. The crook is the curved piece of metal that extends from the bassoon to the reed, which goes into the mouth. So far so good – this sounds like a simple piece of equipment!

In actual fact, though, which crook you use on your bassoon can have a dramatic effect on the overall sound and playability of your instrument. A good quality crook can make a poor quality bassoon sound good, and can make a good quality bassoon sound even better. A poor quality crook, or a wrongly matched crook to your particular instrument, can have the opposite effect.

The reason for this is that any air flowing through the instrument must first go through the crook, and because the crook has such a narrow bore diameter, even the slightest adjustment to crook shape or material can affect the rest of the instruments tuning, intonation, sound quality and projection.

For this reason bassoonists sometimes spend a lot of time in search of the right crook for their instrument.

Because we understand how important the right crook is in allowing you to get the most out of your bassoon, at Double Reed Ltd. we have just started a bassoon Crooks For Sale page. We will be listing more and more crooks on there in the near future. You can take a look here:

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Crooks_For_Sale.htm

The Bassoon Band First Meeting

The first meeting of The Bassoon Band takes place in Newport on Wednesday 27th June 2012. Come along if you live reasonably locally.

For more information see: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/bassoonband/index.htm

We now sell crooks / bocals

As from today, we sell bassoon crooks (or bocals as they are also known). We have a selection on our web site of mostly secondhand, but some new, crooks. All are in very good condition.

If you buy one and return it in 14 days you get your money back - ensuring that your selected crook is the right one for you and your bassoon. Our initial selection includes crooks made by Fox, Heckel, Puchner and Yamaha.

See http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Crooks_For_Sale.htm for more information on the crooks we have for sale and how to buy them.

Schreiber 5071 "Artist" bassoon now available

Continuing our theme of Schreiber bassoons, alongside our Schreiber 5020 student bassoon, and our almost-new top-of-the-range professional Schreiber 5091, we are now offering a Schreiber 5071 "Artist" to fit between them in our range of bassoons for sale. This bassoon is in top condition, and has been very carefully looked after throughout its life. It is currently awaiting a service.

The Schreiber 5071 "Artist" is a professional level instrument and, despite its outstanding condition, we are offering it at a very competitive £4,950. Please contact us if you would like to be the first to try it.

For more information, see our web page: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Schreiber_30040_For_Sale.htm

Ever wondered what makes bassoon keys shiny?

One of the most obvious cosmetic differences between secondhand bassoons is the shininess of the keys. Some have very shiny keys; some do not. So what are they made of and what makes them shiny?

Generally bassoon keys, like most woodwind instrument keys, are made of nickel silver. Nickel silver doesn't actually contain any silver, though - it's a copper alloy, containing copper, nickel and zinc. Nickel silver has a naturally shiny appearance very similar to silver; hence the name. In fact, it is rather shinier than silver (this is one of the ways you can tell if a key is silver coated or not).

Nickel silver is quite a tough and corrosion-resistant material; however, it can tarnish over time and can become pitted in extreme situations. Tarnish is a problem which can be remedied; pitting isn't so easy to fix.

Many bassoons have their nickel silver keys plated with silver. Silver tarnishes easily, first becoming dull and then showing black deposits. This black substance is silver sulfide, which can be hard to remove.

Silver tarnishes more quickly if it comes into sustained contact with the oily salts left on it by fingers, so it is important to wipe keys clean on a regular basis - especially if you store your bassoon for any length of time. It is always better to clean keys with appropriate materials and methods regularly, rather than letting the tarnishing go too far, making it a major job to deal with.

Please bear in mind, though, that silver plated keys should not be cleaned with materials designated for cleaning nickel silver, so make sure you know whether your bassoon has silver plated keys before cleaning. And be very careful when using any liquid or similar cleaners not to get them onto the pads, as they can ruin the pads' effectiveness, necessitating a trip to your repairer. A proper clean really requires removal of the keys from the bassoon and the pads from the keys, which is something only a repairer should ever attempt.

The worst cases of tarnished keys which we see are on bassoons that have been put away uncleaned and left untouched for a long period. It is a problem we have seen even on bassoons only a few years old (on professional bassoons as well as student models), whereas a bassoon regularly played and cleaned can last for decades without appearing tarnished at all.

 Schreiber 5091 key guard

While dull keys don't affect playability, dull or tarnished keys will affect the value of your instrument, because everyone likes to buy a shiny bassoon, so it is best to keep tarnish at bay by regular cleaning, and by giving your bassoon keys a quick wipe over every time you play it.

A Contrabassoon Concert to Remember

The contrabassoon is one of the lowest instruments in the orchestra. Reaching down to the lowest notes on a piano it produces a uniquely rich, thundering sound which can be beautiful or fearsome, depending on how it is played, and sometimes even humorous! Although this a very low frequency instrument, it is capable of great agility and can be played very quickly - the fourth movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, for example, has a well known fast and demanding contrabassoon part.

If you'd like to see the contrabassoon in all its glory then take a look at this video of a contrabassoon band. Here you will experience the joyful sound of twelve contrabassoons thundering away together!

This recording is of The Contraband at the International Double Reed Society in 2010.

At Double Reed Ltd. we currently have a lovely old Heckel contrabassoon for sale which you can see below.

You can find this contrabassoon for sale on our website here:

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Heckel_Contrabassoon_For_Sale.htm

Pristine condition Adler bassoon just available

We now have for sale an as-new Oscar Adler 1357 for sale. This bassoon has been completely overhauled into perfect condition. The metalwork has been re-silvered; all pads, corks and felts replaced; and the mechanism adjusted throughout. In addition, the wood is in perfect condition, and we have added a brand new Adler case to give the finishing touch.

Adler 1357s are still sold, and these bassoons retail for over £5,000 new; so this is an opportunity to buy one at a huge discount which is just as good cosmetically, will last just as long and be as easy to maintain as a new one.

Furthermore, in our opinion, this bassoon has been very little played in its life, as the woodwork doesn't show any signs of wear which virtually all bassoons show if they have been played regularly.

 

See http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Adler_96325_For_Sale.htm for more information on the bassoon and how to try it out.

Schreiber 5091 Professional Bassoon Now on Sale

Just added to our web site: Schreiber's professional bassoon, the 5091 (also known as the S91), on sale for a bargain price of £7,450. This bassoon retails new at around £13,000; this example has had 8 months use since sold new, and has been very carefully looked after so it looks like it has come straight from the factory. 

The Schreiber 5091 has a very high specification and sounds impressively rich. This example was one of the last made in the Schreiber factory in Germany before the take-over by Buffet. Buffet have confirmed their support of the the Schreiber bassoon line, and the 5091 is continuing to be made by Buffet as their top professional bassoon.

For more information, please see: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Schreiber_5091__37881_For_Sale.htm

Can a Dalek play a bassoon?

Here's the answer:

This Dalek is exterminating its enemies with the beautiful sound of a Heckel 4000, now available from our web site entirely unsinged by the experience.

More pictures of the Dalek playing the bassoon over on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.256265007813744.57982.216198785153700&type=3

The Dalek is a real one as far as we can make out; we found it lurking in the stables at Tredegar Park, Newport, in the dark, all alone and abandoned, and covered in dust. Possibly left over from filming Dr Who, some scenes of which were filmed at Tredegar Park.

The Heckel 4000 can be found here: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Heckel_4000_For_Sale.htm

Heckel 4000 Superbly Restored by Guntram Wolf of Germany

It is rare to have the privilege of offering for sale a bassoon such as this late-series Heckel 4000.

This Heckel is in superb condition, indicating a much-cosseted instrument over its life of 101 years so far. And it has been completely restored by Guntram Wolf, the bassoon maker of Germany, at a cost of €2000. As well as all the work one would expect from a prestige company such as Wolf, they have re-silvered the keys and added a crook/whisper key. We received it straight from Wolf and are now offering it for sale.

This example more than lives up to the reputation of Heckel bassoons: it has an amazing, sweet sound; and it blows very freely throughout the range, making it a really easy instrument to play. It comes with two Heckel crooks, one of which looks as though it is probably original.

The bassoon was made in 1911 and, like other very late 4000 series, has a modern round profile to the long joint, unlike earlier models which had the "flat top" profile seen on 3000 series as well as most of the 4000s.  

Here's a picture of a flat top profile long joint from a Heckel 3000:

 and compare it with the round top from this Heckel:

For more information on this wonderful bassoon, see here: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Heckel_4000_For_Sale.htm

Launch of The Bassoon Band

We also publicised the launch of The Bassoon Band at the BDRS Convention last Sunday. Although not a Double Reed Ltd venture, Oliver Ludlow is one of the two initiators of The Bassoon Band along with Shaun Roderick, an ex-professional bassoonist, so we thought we'd mention it here.

The Basson Band will meet once a month in South East Wales starting in June 2012 (venue depends on location of participants), and is a bassoons-only ensemble for all levels of bassoonist. The Band has secured the services of a professional conductor, and we aim it to be a fun and interesting get-together for anyone keen to practice their bassoon playing and where we can learn from each other as we play. We have created a web site for The Bassoon Band here: The Bassoon Band

Full contact details are available on the web site, or contact Oliver via our own web site.

If you would like posters to put up, or leaflets to hand out, just let us know, as we have some available.

BDRS Annual Convention 2012

Thanks to everyone who visited our stand last Sunday at the British Double Reed Society Annual Convention 2012. It was a great event for us and we had the pleasure of meeting some old friends and past contacts and plenty of new ones.

As the only secondhand bassoon supplier at the show, we had a lot of interest. A fair number of visitors were coming across us for the first time and didn't know that we specialised in secondhand instruments - and a number of them didn't guess our bassoons were secondhand even on close inspection (all down to the rigorous selection of  the best bassoons and our preparation of them, of course).

Among others, we were pleased to see Clive Fairbairn, Editor of the British Double Reed Society Magazine, who mentioned that one of his pupils had recently bought one of our bassoons and was very happy with it.

Here's a picture of our stand just before the show started.

BDRS Convention 6th May Preview

We're really looking forward to seeing everyone at our stand at the BDRS Convention on Sunday 6th May in Cardiff.

We'll have a really exciting line up of bassoons on show, from a superb, completely restored late 4000 series Heckel made in 1911 through to a mint condition Fox 201D from 2008. This Heckel 4000 is the best we've ever seen, and the Fox has hardly been used.

We also have a range of other bassoons to show, including an Adler, a Schreiber, a Moosmann 222 "Gentleman's" model and a really interesting 60-year-old Buffet French system bassoon which is in superb restored condition with a new Buffet crook.

Come along, have a look and have a try on them...

Improvement to Double Reed's Buy Back Scheme

From 1st May 2012 Double Reed Ltd. has improved and extended its Buy Back Scheme for its student bassoons. The Buy Back Scheme enables  purchasers of our bassoons to get back up to 90% of the price paid if they change their minds about the bassoon bought.

This gives peace of mind to budding bassoonists (or their parents) who may decide that a bassoon isn't quite right for them after a few months of playing.

Previously, 90% back was available for the first month of ownership; this has now been increased to the first three months. And we have also increased the period in which a purchaser can return a bassoon under the Buy Back Scheme from 6 months to 2 years.

Now, if you or your child wishes to move on to another instrument altogether, or upgrade to a better bassoon, you have an easy means of returning your bassoon for a large percentage of the purchase price in the first two years of ownership, helping to take away some of the worry about purchasing a bassoon for the first time.

Our Buy Back Scheme is unique in the industry for secondhand instruments, so now not only can you save money by buying secondhand, you can also have a sure and easy way of selling your bassoon on for a good price when you decide to part with it. 

You can find details of our current bassoons for sale here: www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoons_for_Sale.htm

And you can find details of our Buy Back Scheme here: www.doublereed.co.uk/Buy_back_scheme.htm

A Brief History of the Bassoon – from Baroque to Modern

I recently watched this helpful video, by Sally Jackson (historical bassoon player and specialist), giving an overview of the development of the bassoon from Baroque, to Classical and then modern. Although this is a very short video, it helps to give an idea of where our much loved modern bassoon comes from, and the great thing is that Sally plays each instrument in turn so you get to compare the sound of the instruments through the three different periods in time. Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykjHPZDj9uU&feature=related

Enjoy!

How to lose money buying a bassoon in three easy steps...

1. See a really good value bassoon on the internet
2. Believe everything the seller tells you while suspending your critical faculties
3. Pay for the bassoon without seeing it

More seriously, we regularly get fraudsters stealing our pictures and copy, and then offering our bassoons on various internet sales sites using our pictures and copy (for a fraction of the real price, of course).

We never sell via third parties, so always check with us if you see a bassoon on our site which is also advertised elsewhere - it is probably an attempted fraud. The latest fraud attempt is based on our Fox 201D, which has been displayed on a number of music sales sites around the world without our permission.

We can't imagine that the sort of people who buy bassoons would fall for this sort of scam, but nevertheless, we will always help the police with their enquiries and subsequent prosecutions if our help is needed.

But if in doubt, please talk to us first.

Bernd Moosmann Factory and the Fantastic 2006 Moosmann 222 Bassoon

We currently have a 2006 Moosmann 222 bassoon for sale, which I decided to take to orchestra to get an idea of how it sounds and feels to play. This is the top of the range professional Moosmann bassoon, so I had high expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and character of the sound it produces. This resonance of sound was quite obvious when playing at a fortissimo dynamic, as you would expect with a modern professional bassoon which has been designed to hold its own in the large modern symphony orchestra, but I was most impressed by the instrument's ability to retain this resonance at the pianissimo dynamic. The refined nature of this bassoon means there's no need to have sleepless nights worrying about that isolated quiet note in the next day's concert! This is an adaptable bassoon which can be relied on by even the most demanding professional.

Here is a picture of our Moosmann 222 bassoon:



To conclude, I have found this to be a refined bassoon that's a testament to the fine craftsmanship of Bernd Moosmann and his team. If you would like to see something of the inside of the Moosmann factory in Waiblingen, Germany, then please follow the link to this photographic tour on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOREW--hcwg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Our Moosmann 222 bassoon is here:

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Moosmann_222_5738_For_Sale.htm

March 2012 Report on Musical Instrument Retailers

IBISWorld, the major market research organisation, has just published its March 2012 report on Musical Instrument Retailers in the UK. Key findings are that the musical instrument retail sector saw an average decline in revenue of 3.7% per year over the last five years. The report also found that an increasing share of the sector’s revenue being taken by online retailers.

Other recent IBISWorld reports found that over the last five years online retailing grew by 8.9% per year and the secondhand goods retailing sector (including musical instruments) grew by 7.2% per year.

In our view, these market research findings show that musical instrument purchasers now feel very comfortable buying musical instruments online, and also feel happy to buy secondhand instruments rather than just opting for new as they may have done a few years ago.

Double Reed Ltd., as an online secondhand musical instrument retailer, is right at the heart of these changes in musical instrument purchasing habits.

We owe our success to offering:

• the best aspects of online retailing - easy purchasing without travelling, competitive pricing and low overheads, etc.; combined with

• the best aspects of traditional retail outlets - personal service, expert advice, the ability to try instruments in your own home, confidence in your purchase, and so on; and

• superbly prepared secondhand instruments which offer very good value for money with no compromise on playability, reliability or longevity.

The IBISWorld report may be found here: IBISWorld Musical Instrument Retailers March 2012

Fox Bassoon Manufacture

Fox in America have produced a highly informative video, which can be found on YouTube, on the production of Fox bassoons. It includes a tour of their factory and a step by step guide to some of the complicated processes which are used to make a Fox bassoon, from the storing and ageing of specially selected maple, right up to the finished product. You can view this video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig4_foyo8RM

The video is in seven parts and takes about an hour in total. Well worth a watch!

We currently have a stunning 2008 Fox 201D professional bassoon for sale, which can be viewed here on our website: 

http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Fox_201D_For_Sale_44531.htm

See you at the BDRS Convention May 2012?

We have just booked a trade stand at the British Double Reed Society (BDRS) Annual Convention on Sunday 6th May in Cardiff. This will be the first time we've had a trade stand at the Convention, and are really looking forward to meeting everyone. If you haven't already booked your place, here is the web page at which to do it BDRS Convention 2012.

We are based in Newport, just 12 miles East of Cardiff (and 2 minutes off Junction 27 of the M4), so if anyone is travelling to/from the Convention on the Saturday or Monday (or thereabouts) we would love you to drop in - just email or phone beforehand so we are ready for you.

Unique Buy Back Scheme for Secondhand Bassoons

Today we have introduced what we think is a unique scheme for secondhand woodwind sales - up to 90% buy back on the price of a bassoon you purchase from Double Reed Ltd. if you return it within the first 6 months.

We have introduced this scheme because many parents tell us they are concerned that their child may not persist with their instrument after a few months. Now parents (and anyone else buying our beginner- and student-level bassoons) can return the instrument to us and, as long as the instrument is in the same condition as that in which we sold it, we will refund a large proportion of the purchase price: the exact amount varying according to the length of time you have had the bassoon.

See here for more information: Bassoon Buy Back Scheme

Twist and Turn

The idea of putting a bassoon together can seem bemusing. However, once you've got the right technique, you'll always know how:


 
• When inserting the wing joint into the butt joint, turn it to the side slightly so that the crook key link isn’t being pushed against the low E post or the top of the butt joint. It can easily get bent! Small twists are best. If you can’t easily push the wing joint into place, use some cork grease. Once the wing joint is in you can rotate it to the correct position by lining up the crook key link with the corresponding low E crook key link

• You should put the long joint on after the wing joint is in place. Again, small twists are best as the left hand little finger keys can scrape against the D tone hole on the wing joint and cause damage to the varnish

• The bell joint can be put on after the wing and long joints are in place. When carrying the bassoon do not hold it by the bell joint, as it often comes off and leaves your treasured instrument crashing to the floor

• The crook can go on last. Hold it just above the cork and lightly press into place with some gentle twists. Don’t hold it by the reed end as it will bend when you try to insert it

• When taking the bassoon apart, do the above but in the reverse order, starting by removing the crook, and watching that the vulnerable keys on the wing and long joint are not bent by over twisting

• When you have taken your bassoon apart after playing, always swab out the butt and wing joints. Use a silk pull through – Hodge pull throughs work well. This removes excess moisture from the bore and keeps the wood in good condition. It is best not to keep the pull throughs with your bassoon as they will cause damp in the inside of your case and your bassoon. Pull throughs are best stored in an outer pocket of your case.


 
That’s all folks! This is intended as a basic guide to using your bassoon on a day to day basis, and so I haven't included everything. If you would like to add some more advice then please leave a comment or email me at enquiries@doublereed.co.uk

Meet Your (Bassoon) Maker

Considering buying a bassoon can be a daunting experience. However, with a bit of guidance it is possible to make a well informed decision and end up with a really nice bassoon that will bring you many happy years of bassoon playing. I thought it would be useful to set out some simple guidelines for you to consider when buying a bassoon. After all, buying a bassoon can and should be an enjoyable experience.

1. It is useful to think about where you wish your bassoon playing to take you in the long term. If you are aspiring to be a professional bassoon player it is best to buy a professional bassoon sooner rather than later, so you can obtain the benefit of a superior instrument as you progress.

2. The obvious advice is that you should aim to buy the best bassoon you can afford. You should consider your purchase of a bassoon as a long-term investment into your own life and as something that will bring you pleasure on an on-going basis. It is also a reliable financial investment. Bassoons are almost infinitely repairable, and with a minimum amount of care they should hold their value exceptionally well (in-case you ever decide to sell or upgrade)

3. Consider the state of repair of the bassoon before you buy - Unless you are an experienced bassoon repairer, it is often difficult to spot minor or major problems with a bassoon before you buy it. It can be possible to play a bassoon for many months with leaky pads or any number of minor (or major) faults and never even notice. It is much harder to play like that though! At Double Reed Ltd. we pride ourselves on having our bassoons professionally serviced or overhauled before we sell them. This may include sealing and levelling tone holes, oiling the bore, changing some or all of the pads where necessary, and so on. We don’t take risks - our professional repairer makes sure all our bassoons are in excellent working order before we offer them for sale. You also get a receipt and warranty from us!

4. Which make and model of bassoon to buy is also important. Since there are a number of bassoon makers out there I thought I would write a list, in alphabetical order, dividing them into student, intermediate and professional level instruments. This should give you an idea of where to start the search for your perfect bassoon. The bassoon maker’s list is as follows:

 Student bassoon makers

·         Oscar Adler/Sonora - Sonora bassoons are also made by Oscar Adler and they are identical bassoons.

·         Amati - These bassoons are made in the Czech Republic

·         Huller - The factory closed in 1991 and no more bassoons were made

·         Gebruder Monnig - In 1990 Monnig joined forces with Adler. Monnig currently concentrate on making professional bassoons and Adler make the student level. However, it hasn’t always been like this, and there are a lot of nice older Monnig student bassoons around which are similar to Adler student bassoons

·         Post-war Kohlert

·         Bernd Moosmann

·         Renard by Fox - Fox make a range of good quality bassoons for students, including plastic polypropylene bassoons and maple (Fox 222D for example). These instruments are extremely popular in the USA, where they are made, but are also well respected and widely played in the UK

·         Schreiber - They produce a student and professional range of bassoons

·         Guntram Wolf

Intermediate and professional level bassoon maker’s

·         Benson Bell - Canadian maker

·         Fox - Double Reed Ltd. have a 2008 Fox 201D professional bassoon, in fantastic condition, available to try now here: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Fox_201D_For_Sale_44531.htm

·         Heckel - professional level

·         Pre-war Kohlert -  Intermediate bassoons made out of fine quality wood with a rich sound. Double Reed Ltd. currently have one in excellent playing condition for sale here: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Kohlert_243503_For_Sale.htm

·         Leitzinger

·         Gebruder Monnig - their new bassoons are professional level

·         Bernd Moosmann - At Double Reed Ltd. we have a top of the range 2006 Moosmann 222 bassoon for sale here: http://www.doublereed.co.uk/Bassoon_Moosmann_222_5738_For_Sale.htm

·         Josef Puchner - Specialise in professional level bassoons, but also make some intermediate bassoons

·         Schreiber - Specialise in student bassoons, but also make some professional level bassoons

·         Rudolf Walter - professional level

·         Yamaha

If you would like to give me some feedback on anything I've said I would be glad to hear from you. You can email me at enquiries@doublereed.co.uk

Ernst Karl Riedl - Mystery bassoon maker?

Hello and welcome to the official Double Reed Ltd. bassoon blog. The aim of this blog is to share my thoughts on a number of bassoon related topics. Hopefully these will be of use to those of you interested in bassoon playing! Your feedback and comments are welcome.

As a director of Double Reed Ltd., I get the opportunity to regularly try out different bassoons by different makers, and I will partly use this blog to give feedback on the particular bassoons I try. We currently have a 2008 Fox 201D professional bassoon, which I am looking forward to unleashing at an orchestra rehearsal soon.

My own bassoon is a pre-war instrument made by Ernst Karl Riedl (1896-1967). Riedl was trained as a bassoon maker at the Kohlert factory in Graslitz, but he set up his own manufacturing business in 1924. He ran a small workshop, making only one or two top quality bassoons a month. By doing this he was able to make bassoons to the highest standard without going into competition with Kohlert, who were making bassoons on a larger scale. Under the Riedl name he produced bassoons between 1930 and 1945.

I use a post-war Heckel CC2 crook, which has been cut short at the large and lengthened at the reed end. This is peculiar! But it seems to like my bassoon. The key-work is original and quite basic by modern standards (no high D key etc), so it takes a bit more effort to play, but it has a beautiful sound and I think well worth the effort. It plays well in tune, has excellent projection for a pre-war bassoon, and most of all has a richness of sound that rivals the finest pre-war Heckels.

If you own a pre-war Ernst Riedl bassoon, or have some information about pre-war Riedl bassoons that I have missed, or have a question, then please feel free to comment!

You can see a picture of my pre-war Riedl bassoon here:

Welcome to Double Reed Ltd.'s new bassoon blog

Over the coming weeks we will discuss a wide range of topics related to bassoons and the things you need to know when you are thinking of buying a bassoon, whether it is your first bassoon or your 10th. In the meantime, have a look at our website at Double Reed Ltd.