As an amateur, playing the bassoon for many years, I now and then felt the need of a contrabassoon. Strictly speaking, a contra should belong to the outfit of every bassoon-player just as oboists have a cor anglais - were it not for the great expense. Besides, second-hand contras are hardly available.
The only remaining possibility for me to obtain a contra was making one. Since I had made other musical instruments (among them a bag-pipe and a harpsichord) I took up the challenge and began to experiment with glass fibre-polyester (the same material of which boats, fuel tanks, etc. nowadays are often made). This appeared to be a very suitable material. It is strong and tough and can easily be molded into the desired shape.
The contra model I had in mind consisted of 4 tubes and 3 U-shaped parts, and, of course, a metal crook. The total length should be about 5.40 m and the conicity 1:70.
The crook was made, as usual, of a brass strip hard-soldered into a conical tube and bent to shape. The tubes were made by using nylon foils, rolled up to the desired shape. They were wrapped with glass fibre which was impregnated with polyester (plus a hardening agent). After hardening, the foils were removed leaving conical tubes with smooth inner surfaces. The tubes were reinforced by two or more layers of polyester-glass fibre. The U-shaped parts were made in a similar manner by using moulds of clay and paper.
The parts were joined together by brass ferrules and epoxy cement. After the addition of each part, the pitch of the still incomplete tube was tested, giving an indication of the correct positions for the tone holes. After completion, the bell was gradually shortened until low B-flat was in tune.
The tone holes were made by boring openings and enlarging them until the correct pitch was attained. The keys were made of brass rods and other brass parts joined together with silver solder.
After completion, the positions of some holes appeared to be incorrect. These were repositioned and the corresponding keys were lengthened or shortened; so finally the instrument was in tune.
As compared to other contrabassoons, the home-made instrument has a number of differences: (1) the bell is upright so that the contra looks more or less like a big ordinary bassoon. It is held bassoon-wise, but as it is rather heavy (though lighter than other contras), it rests on the floor by means of a spike. In a way, it is a contra "tailored-to-measure" (2) the two octave keys work automatically like those of some oboes and the saxophones. (3) the E-flat key on the "wing" is coupled with the c# and c keys, like the c#/d# trill of the ordinary bassoon - though differently constructed. (I wonder why all contras do not have this mechanism) (4) the usual thick-walled portion of the "wing," which I consider unnecessary, has been omitted. (5) the contra is less expensive by far than a usual one. Apart from the time spent in making it, it cost me not more than about 20 guilders. (It must be conceded that a great number of the parts were made of remnants obtained from the factory where I am working). A "genuine" contra of first quality would cost 9500 guilders or more in the Netherlands.
Of course the appearance of the contra is somewhat rough and home-made. The outer surfaces are rather coarse. But the sound is quite satisfying and not at all inferior to other contras. Some people told me that it is even better than the contra of our provincial orchestra.
Finally, I am willing to give more information to anyone who wants to make this instrument himself. My address is: Robert van Cleeff, Roemer Visscherstraat 17, Arnhem, Netherlands.