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Five Bassoon Maintenance Essentials

4th December 2019

The bassoon isn’t the most common instrument, and it can take a while to really get the hang of it! Making sure it’s working it’s best and is comfortable to use is the first step to helping yourself tackle this unique instrument. We’ve got a few bassoon case ‘must haves’ for care and maintenance.

  1. The cork tenons on the joints of your bassoon should be secure enough to have no wobble. But it should also be easy enough to put together and take apart without worrying about damaging the instrument! A little bit of cork grease will go a long way, and at such an affordable price it’s easy to stock up with a few at a time.
Windcraft Cork Grease

2. Keep those keys looking shiny and new! An in-store favourite, the Denis Wick Silver Cloth is a soft microfibre cloth impregnated with silver polish. A quick once over now and you can be sure your bassoon keys will continue to look as they did on day one.

Denis Wick Silver Cloth

3. We’re cheating a bit here by putting a few items into one … but it’s essential to keep mops, pull-throughs and brushes for each part of your bassoon. Keeping each part of the tubing clean is an essential part of maintenance, as it will prolong the life of your pads and keep the wood free of debris and moisture. Wood handled mops will help move moisture out of tone holes, and using a pull-through will absorb the excess from the tube. Remember to brush through the crook too, as such a narrow tube is particularly prone to build-up.

Helin Crook Brush

4. The reed is the ‘noise maker’ of your instrument! If your reeds aren’t in their best condition, it will be difficult to produce a good tone – or even play at all in some cases. Use a reed case with enough space for your rotation of reeds. Ensuring it has ventilation means the reeds will dry properly after use, in turn keeping them playable for longer. The case must hold your reeds securely so they aren’t in danger of being damaged when travelling.

6 Capacity Reed Case in Natural Wood

5. Our final essential is perhaps more about the player’s care! Use a suitable sling or harness to distribute the weight of the instrument evenly and comfortable. It is not recommended to play without some kind of instrument security, as playing without a sling puts the instrument in danger of being dropped. Some people prefer to use a seat strap when sitting. Most prefer harnesses as this takes the instrument’s weight off the neck.

The BG Bassoon Harness comes in a number of sizes to suit different bodies

Jesse – Woodwind Specialist

Any questions about these products? Or anything else we have to offer? Drop us an email at sales@dawkes.co.uk / info@dawkes.co.uk – or give us a ring on 01628 630800. We’re ready and waiting to help you with any enquiries to do with anything woodwind and brass!