Evans Bassoon: Repair and Restoration Studio

Dobbs Ferry, NY

(914) 478-0946

Declarations for Yearly Regular Maintenance

This yearly care for your bassoon is strongly recommended. It’ll maintain your instrument in reliable and stable playing condition throughout the seasonal changes. Bore treatment helps to maintain the dimensional stability, the overall sealing of the bassoon, as well as enhance the resonance. Also, and most importantly, the proper mechanical lubrication will avoid erosion of the mechanisms that would eventually cause a long list of anomalies in the playability of your bassoon. Your playing can be more consistent without making reed adjustments to compensate for loss of proper regulation. (i.e., pad heights which severely effect tuning and voicing, etc.) If warranted work has been put off till this annual service, it’ll be taken care of during this visit.

  1. As delivered, bassoon is play tested for reference, and to reproduce any problems stated by the owner. Your comments are welcome at this time.
  2. All keywork removed, and any regulation materials replaced as needed.
  3. Check for moisture damage throughout: U-tube removed to inspect large bore for moisture damage. All moisture damage is attended to as needed.
  4. Joint tenons checked for fit and possible binding, and corrected as necessary.
  5. If applicable, check previously repaired cracks for stability.
  6. Wood bores oiled. (This is an overnight process)
  7. Excess oil removed from tone holes and wood body cleaned.
  8. Finger and tone holes cleaned including all tenor joint vents.
  9. All keywork assembled using special grease and oils as appropriate. Any binding and interference in the mechanisms (including all rollers) is attended to at this time. All pivot screws, arbors, and pushpins tightened.
  10. Whisper key mechanism, including locks and high ‘A’ link synchronized to preferred bocal. Note: If you’ve made a “bocal change”, it’s important to adjust the whisper key mechanism to the new bocal. Some are very different in their setup. I suggest calling before.
  11. Pad seal is tested and adjusted as necessary to maintain the same high vacuum as when delivered. All leather pads treated as needed.
  12. Adjustment as necessary to maintain the original setup (*) as purchased and or maintained at Evans Bassoon Studio. Periodic upgrades are included during this time.
  13. Bocal cleaned
  14. Case vacuumed.

* The “setup” is the myriad of adjustments that optimize the playability of the bassoon. As a player acquires additional experiences, the setup is optimized periodically. It’s a work in progress personalized for each individual.

NOTE: The above work description is reserved for those bassoons purchased from Evans Bassoon Studio, having undergone a complete servicing. (i.e. New bassoons, Overhauled, Rebuilt or Restored) The service is provided with the intension of maintaining an optimized bassoon on a yearly schedule.

Regards, Nicholas Evans