Professional Bassoon Reeds - limited supply

Allow 10 - 12 weeks for delivery (life is busy again and I am a professional, reed-devouring bassoonist too)

Enjoy the same reeds that you hear on my recordings and performances.  I make a lot of reeds and sell my extras, but supplies are limited.  Available now in singles. Wrapped with cotton string and secured with natural beeswax... look ugly, sound great. When I have fewer shows, I have fewer reeds, so you'll just have to wait. When I have more shows, I use more reeds, so you have to wait. Same if you want many new reeds... ya just hafta wait.

more about the reeds:

Tube cane sources include Lavoro (robust!), Rouché (refined, mellow), Donati, Reiger (not sure who grows it), Ghys (mellow) and a few stray Danzi. And I have just started using another Turkish cane, Tchankaya (beautifully mellow also resilient). My current reeds are all sounding a bit trumpet-like. . . I seem to have left the demure, second bassoon world behind at least temporarily.

When you receive my reeds, here are some suggestions. Dip in water for no more than a minute, then let rest for a moment before playing. Keep wires snug, especially the second wire. Put on the mandrel to tighten. I rarely tighten the first wire, but if it is very loose, it is safer to replace it rather than risk squishing the cane. I include a piece of 21 guage wire for every reed since it is important to use this heavier wire on my big reeds. Once the wires are snug, light sanding can revive the reeds if they begin to get tight or dull after a couple of days of playing.

My shape has evolved to a wider tip and throat, which makes some of the reeds softer than you might expect. While the tips will open upon soaking, play them for a few moments before adjusting the wires. Generally, the scrape is tapered, heavier in the back and middle, tapering to the tip and sides. The tip is quite thin in the last millimetre.

The string is sealed with beeswax. Though a very clean and totally healthy sealant, anti-bacterial even, it always looks ratty when handled. Don’t be alarmed by that.  Appearance can be restored by heating again over a flame (not in flame), then letting it cool, and buffing it with a lint-free cloth or chamois (who knew!?).

I like to play brand new reeds and you will too. Or maybe you already do. It helps to know a bit about adjustment and heck, I might do a video about that someday.

Because these are handmade reeds and all have been played by me, I will send a character description of each reed. I know, I need to get out more.