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Post by arcticiceburg on Jul 8, 2006 0:53:55 GMT -5
How far would any of you drive your bassoon to the repair shop? In two weeks, I'm driving to Seattle (a two-to-three hour drive from home) to get my three year old bassoon into Keith Bowen's shop. I'm so excited, since his wait list is about two and a half months and I'll get to visit a friend that just graduated from UW before she goes to grad school in London. Sure, this means taking the day off work and driving in massive amounts of traffic that I'm not used to, but it will be well worth it.
Besides, if I took my bassoon to a local repair shop, they would merely ship it to the Seattle-area and take several weeks to repair it before sending it back in nearly the same condition and charge high prices. I wouldn't trust the local shops as far as I could spit a rat.
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Post by bassoonist88 on Jul 8, 2006 11:18:19 GMT -5
I use Chuck Levins for all my repairs. The drive is LONG but the prices are amazingly affordable. The work they do is very quality. Thus far my bassoon is in pristine order, so I have yet to put it in the shop, but I've taken my saxophone various times and been very pleased with what Chuck Levins does.
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Post by alrec on Jul 8, 2006 18:56:01 GMT -5
The guy around here.....i could run my bassoon over 3 times, and he could probablly fix it.
He took a baritone that was so destroyed that no one would even touch it. And fixed it. Unlike most repairmen, he also knows how to craft the horn. His rates are alright. Highest i should ever pay to get a horn fixed is 150, and thats if it is destroyed.
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Post by arcticiceburg on Jul 9, 2006 0:18:00 GMT -5
^those are really impressive rates, if it only costs $150 to bring an instrument back from the grave.
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Post by alrec on Jul 9, 2006 18:18:56 GMT -5
he still advises that we just buy a new horn.....thats becuse he is the only repairmen in the area.....and as such would rather not spend forever fixing them. Also it depends on the measure of the damage. Wood winds get higher rates becuse its more then a matter of undoing dents, and such. But it is comforting to know. Also mending wood, and mending metal are different things.....I never have asked him how much it would cost to fix a totaled wood wind......maybe i should.
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Post by bassoonist88 on Jul 9, 2006 19:13:36 GMT -5
I shudder to think of the bill for a destroyed bassoon. You can't really pin together wood on the large scale a bassoon would require and expect great results. You'de probably end up buying a new joint (or several) and then you're intonation would be weird because of the different wood and resonance and everything.
If I had a dead bassoon I would buy a new one. If I had money. If not... *flinch* I would do without.
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Post by alrec on Jul 10, 2006 10:05:01 GMT -5
which is why i protect my bassoon like i would my own child. Believe it or not i am a guy who dosent cringe at the thought of being a father.
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Post by bassoonist88 on Jul 12, 2006 10:48:23 GMT -5
Nor am I, I want some kids... I think I would protect my children slightly more than my bassoon though...
(I know you would too)
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Post by alrec on Jul 12, 2006 21:44:30 GMT -5
true. Then again making new ones doesnt require 45000 dollars XP
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Post by bassoonist88 on Jul 13, 2006 9:57:03 GMT -5
HAHAHAHAHA!
True, True...
Eloquently stated.
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Post by alrec on Jul 17, 2006 22:09:58 GMT -5
I have a question, does anyone hear use german ringed bassoons? I know that me and attrice Burg use french ring.....unless she has had hers modified......
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Post by bassoonist88 on Jul 18, 2006 12:28:48 GMT -5
I use a german ring out of nessesity, it's the only good bassoon at the school. When I get the funds for a bassoon of my own, I'm going with the french ring. A Renard 220, if I can manage to get the money for one in time for college...
I am correct in stating that the german and french bells are purely cosmetic, right?
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Post by alrec on Jul 18, 2006 15:40:42 GMT -5
As far as practical application goes, i have never really played an a good bassoon with a german bell ring. You shouldnt be using an acctual french bell on a heckel system bassoon..........just saying..
A french ring does something to the sound. As it stands will have to ask my instructor as soon as i get some cash flow. I do belive the effect is minimal, and unimportant at all but proffesional levels.
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Post by bassoonist88 on Jul 18, 2006 21:18:00 GMT -5
Wow, I never would have known the ring actually affected the instrument... I suppose the timbre of the lowest register would be thrown to question... I am curious to learn more, if you are willing to delve into it, and I will as well...
I by the way do find the french bell more attractive than the german bell, the german bell is more traditional as the german system bassoon goes I suppose but if the bell of the instrument truly does effect the instrument's tone you would think the german bell, being very cumbersome when compared to the french ring, would dampen vibrations and cause the tone to be... I guess shallower is the word, in the lower register at least.
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Post by alrec on Jul 19, 2006 0:23:33 GMT -5
I dont recall much on the subject. I think Atriceburg knows the details........but the french bell is supposed to help the sound
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