BASSOON MAINTENANCE

W. Hans Moennig, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1. Lubricate (oil) the mechanism - at least twice each year. (some players oil as often as every 4 months).
   1. all long rods: clock oil (Nye's brand is good).
   2. all pivot screws for posts: Vaseline (petroleum jelly) packed in rod ends.
   3. all rollers - clock oil.
2. The bore does not need oil replenishing very often. But, once or twice a year (depending on use of bassoon and to protect the wood from excess moisture damage: "dry rot") the boot cap and "U" tube should be removed, the bassoon allowed to dry for at least 1 full day, then oiled at bottom of unlined side of bore with sweet almond oil (or rape seed oil. Germany: mandrel oil).
3. Scratch marks on ferrule (band) at top of boot and wood at bottom of wing joint to allow consistent alignment of joints when assembling bassoon. Use sharp pointed tool and mark very carefully and accurately.
4. If the metal ferrules loosen in winter, they must be tightened by inserting paper. A repairer should do this as it necessitates removing the ferrule. Try different thicknesses of paper until the right tightness results: start with telephone book paper, then in the following thickness order - memo pad paper, envelopes, magazine tear-out coupon card, post card.
5. Use Dampits ('cello-size) to add humidity in North American winter (hot dry inside heat). For bassoons used in areas of excessive moisture, place bassoon (in its case) in a wooden drawer. The softer drawer wood will absorb most of the air's moisture.
6. If cork is fitted, use (drug store: small tube) vasoline to lubricate instead of commercial cork greases. The latter in winter tend to become gummy and cause the joints to stick together (sometimes causing a tenon to break when disassembly is attempted).
7. Allow free play in the mechanism of both F # keys.
8. Firm spring tension on low A-flat key - helps to avoid air leakage at this key.
9. Recommended swabs - diaper cloth material (lint-free) for tenor joint: 30" long tapering from 4" wide at one end to 2" wide at the other end. Hem around material to avoid fraying. Long shoe-string cord and weight; cover weight with cloth to avoid damage to wing joint lining. Long metal rod wrapped with diaper cloth for boot joint. Be sure to cover end of rod well (to avoid scratching) and build up a small ball of material to soak up the moisture at bottom of boot. Swab once, remove, reposition cloth to a dry area and swab once again. Try to avoid accumulation of moisture at bottom of boot near the A-flat hole (for this reason do not leave bassoon standing in a corner for long periods after playing without swabbing the moisture out).
10. To "train" the bore to avoid moisture (condensed from the breath) flowing into or across tone holes, causing the usual "gurgling" sounds, always rest the instrument on either its side edge or with the tone holes pointed up during rests in rehearsal and when laying the bassoon down at breaks in rehearsal or concert. The moisture will then flow habitually down parts of the bore not in line with the tone holes.
11. Distance of pads from tone holes on open-standing keys: a) not too open on the long (Bass) joint. b) each instrument requires its own balance of key heights - there is no set rule. c) in general, the pad above low G hole (F key) on boot should be well open to avoid a very flat low G tone. d) the A-flat key on boot (top of instrument) can be adjusted considerably without affecting other notes in the scale; more open if A-flat is flat in pitch, more closed if A-flat is sharp in pitch.
12. The whisper key pad should not be too open - at least 1/8" from the nipple on crook and not as open as 1/4". For temporary adjustment, bassoonists wrap tape around the lever at bottom of long whisper key rod. A good repairer can adjust the mechanism by bending both this lever and the one at the bottom of wing joint - connecting with the low E key - to achieve the correct operation of the whisper key mechanism and the correct pad opening at the crook.
13. I recommend cork pads for the octave vents on the wing joint. a) they are more air tight than leather pads. b) they are not subject to oxidation damage from the metal tubes in the holes (which deposit a green substance on leather pads causing either sticking or leakage.)

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