The Wooden Bassoon Bocal

[Seattle_Bassoonist]

I order all of my products for my bassoon from forests music.com. they provide prompt service and a good selection. I was browsing through their catalog and found a wooden bassoon bocal. I was most intrigued by this and was wondering if anyone knew anything about it. Information about it can be found here: <http://www.paraschos.gr/pwsite/bocals.htm> it is hand made in Greece from a specific hardwood found in Africa. I would love to hear feedback about this most interesting product. Thanks!

Sincerely,
Derek F. Methot

 

[pete]

Welcome to the Forum!

Sorry to say that I don't know anything about their bocals, but they do make a saxophone neck that has received some pub. Not necessarily "good", but still.

My experience with bassoons is limited, but I don't recall hearing of a wooden bocal from any other company. Evar.

A wooden bocal might not necessarily be a bad idea. The comments against the saxophone neck are in the areas of moisture/condensation, temperature issues (which you probably have experience with, as does anyone that's played a wooden instrument, so no real additional issue there) and the comment that the neck material should match the body material (again, something you probably don't have to worry about, as your bocal never matched your horn's material, anyhow).

Of course, sax != bassoon, anyhow.

My opinion is that it might make your tone reedier. Or do absolutely nothing at all.

 

[pmfbsn1]

Paraschos bocal

I have one of the palisander bocals and it works very well on my Puchner and my Heckel. I have one of the earlier ones, without the reinforcements. It does play a bit lower than my pre-war Heckel CC1 bocals.