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