Bassoons For Sale

Fox Bassoon

Puchner Bassoon

Yamaha Bassoon

Moosmann Bassoon

Schreiber Bassoon

Heckel Bassoon

Selmer Bassoon

Choosing your first bassoon is a very personal experience with many things to consider along the way.

• The material from which the bassoon is made, the age of the instrument, its mechanical condition, your playing environment, frequency of use, price, resale value, your level of accomplishment just to name a few!

• While selecting a bassoon may seem like a daunting task, remember that our staff of highly trained bassoon specialists is always here with a bassoon buyer’s guide to help you through any questions you may have.

What To Watch Out For

• Whether you’re a professional, an aspiring professional, a college student purchasing your first professional bassoon, or the parent of an aspiring bassoonist, we hope that the following information will serve as a starting point for the process of selecting a bassoon.

• Remember, bassoons are just as individual as the people who play them, and there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ choice when it comes to selecting your instrument.

• If the bassoon for sale sounds good, plays well, and you feel comfortable with the purchase then gather your information and trust your own opinion; after all this is ultimately up to you!

Student Bassoons:

• Student or beginner bassoons are typically made of plastic or maple.

• These bassoons do not have all of the key work a professional would require and may or may not have a high D key.

• Fox makes a short reach version, which is particularly helpful for younger students with smaller hands that want to get started on the bassoon right away!

• If you have a player with smaller hands, but their reach is ok, look for models that have the left hand third finger plateau key instead of the ring key.

Intermediate Bassoons:

• Intermediate bassoons are a great choice for the developing student or serious amateur.

• Typically they often have a high D key, high E key, whisper key lock and sometimes a a-whisper key bridge. Most intermediate bassoons are made of mountain maple, but there are some plastic models.

• These particular bassoons will serve the intermediate player well for several years until they move on to the top level or head toward music schools or conservatories.

• They are also great bassoons for students pursuing a music minor, or amateurs playing in community bands and orchestras.

• Fox intermediate bassoons have excellent resale value should you decide to upgrade at a later date.

Professional Bassoons:

• These bassoons are fully equipped for professional orchestral, chamber, and solo playing.

• The most common material is mountain maple, however some manufacturers produce professional plastic models that are great for outdoor performances. These instruments can have a variety of key work, depending on the player’s needs.

• Some manufacturers allow for a full customization of key work, while others offer a standard key work option. Most pro bassoons will have extra rollers, trill keys, and other options.

Wood Bassoons and Plastic Bassoons: Pros and Con

• When deciding to get wood or plastic, there are a few things to consider. Will you be playing outside? Is the instrument for a young player or a school program where it may not be swabbed properly after each use?

• While considering your options between wood and plastic instruments, the most important factor here should be how well the instrument plays and what your needs are rather than what the instrument is made from.

• There exists in today’s market a variety of very high-quality plastic bassoons that are certainly worth exploring. Just because a bassoon is made of plastic does not mean that it will have a terrible sound.

• Fox plastic bassoons are a great option for young players, school programs, and outdoor concerts!

Wood: Bassoons:

• The majority of wood bassoons are made from mountain maple.

• This will produce a nicer tone than plastic bassoons, however, more care needs to be taken. If not cleaned properly, wood bassoons can develop boot rot.

• They also require a regular oiling of the bore during routine maintenance repair appointments.

Wood Bassoon Pros:

• Sound quality & projection

• Higher re-sale value

Wood Bassoon Cons:

• Much more sensitive to environment: ambient moisture, temperature, humidity

• Susceptible to boot rot/cracks in tenons

• Requires more maintenance

Plastic Bassoon Pros:

• Durability

• Will not crack – does not require a break-in period

• Less maintenance needed

• More durable for school programs and young students

• Withstands a variety of performance environments, i.e. – air-conditioning, heating, perfect for outdoors!

Plastic Bassoon Cons:

• Sound quality

• Lower re-sale value

New vs. Used Bassoons

• Purchasing a brand new bassoon may not always be an option, but the good news is there are a wide variety of used instruments that may be just as good as a brand new one.

• We have a wide variety of used instruments, ranging from student bassoons through professional bassoons in both plastic and wood.

• These instruments are professionally maintained and kept up to peak playing ability by our repair shop and are ready for trials. When considering the purchase of a used bassoon for sale

Things to consider when purchasing a used bassoon:

• Price of instrument compared to price of a brand new instrument of the same maker

• The age of the instrument

• What your playing needs are – Student? Amateur? Professional?

• Frequency in which the instrument was played – Does it need a break-in period?

• Quality of the instrument when it was new

• Repair work – How much is/was needed on the instrument and the nature of the repairs

We're Here To Help

• We here at Bassoon For Sale certainly understand that purchasing a new bassoon, for whatever your needs, can be an overwhelming task but we would like you to know that our highly trained staff of bassoon specialists are here to help when questions or concerns arise.

• We’ll be happy to help you every step of the way toward the purchase of your new bassoon!

How much does it cost to buy a bassoon?

• A new bassoon can have a list price ranging from under $5000 to over $20,000.

• Many popular models are discounted by dealers and a bit of shopping around can be worth the effort.

• Used instruments can cost from about $2000 to as much as a new instrument.

Why do bassoons cost so much?

• They're wood. Usually maple.

• Wood is far harder to work with than brass...you can't just mold and pound it into shape or manufacture the right allow...you have to select the right individual pieces of wood and then bore them... each piece will be slightly different.

How much is a beginner bassoon?

• Affordable: The starting prices may feel like a lot of money but when bassoon price options run from $2000-$40,000- this is the lower price end.

• Most families of bassoon beginners are understandably hesitant to spend over $5000 for a bassoon beginner who may not practice or want to play in 6 months.

Is the bassoon hard to learn?

• The bassoon is one of the most difficult instruments in the orchestra to play, but people just don't take it seriously.

• That's not surprising when you get a glimpse of the thing: It's a double-reed instrument that looks like someone turned a bong into a saxophone.

Are Moosmann bassoons good?

• With all of the beautiful tenor register in the middle, the Moosmann bassoon also possesses the best high register as well as the fullest low register of all new bassoons I have tried in the past several years.

Does Yamaha Make bassoons?

• Yamaha custom bassoons take after Heckel bassoons, and the quality shows. These bassoons are beautiful, both in terms of look and sound quality. Their model line is limited, but shows strong design choices and high quality.

When can you start bassoon?

• Most students don't start out on bassoon as their first instrument.

• I recommend playing another woodwind instrument for at least a year and then switching over to bassoon.

• Many young students don't have the finger length yet to be successful on bassoon until they're a bit older.

How much do bassoon reeds cost?

• It is possible to find a bassoon reed for $10.00, but the average cost of a bassoon reed will be around $20.00.

• If you are a serious bassoon player, however, you will want to invest more in your reed.