How to Care for a Bassoon

The bassoon is the rarest of the woodwind instruments. Because it is rare, finding a technician to make repairs or give advice may be difficult. A beginner bassoon is often made of plastic, while most others are made of maple. The bassoon is the longest lasting woodwind instrument but requires daily care to keep it in top condition. Follow these steps to care for a bassoon.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Remove moisture from your bassoon after playing by using a weighted swab. Be sure to swab the wing and the boot joints. You may have to purchase different sized swabs. It isn't necessary to swab the bell or bass joints.
2. Dust under the keys with a small, natural bristle, one-inch wide paint brush. Wipe oils from the outside of the instrument with a clean soft cloth.
3. Rub a cake of paraffin wax onto the cork or tenon wrappings. You can use cork grease for corked tenons.
4. Add some cotton thread to tenon wrappings if you have loose tenons. If your tenons are too tight, these need to be fixed by a technician.
5. Use a fairly heavy oil to lubricate the hinges of your keys several times a year. It's best to remove the keys first. Also oil the rollers.
6. Oil the inside of your bassoon annually with a light mineral oil. It's best to remove the keys to do this and use as little oil as possible. Consider letting a technician perform this part of the annual checkup. Clean off any excess oil that doesn't soak in.
7. Clean bocals monthly with running water and a bocal brush. Then lubricate the cork with paraffin or cork grease. Finally, polish the plated surfaces with a polishing cloth. Polishing cloths usually contain fine abrasives to make the keys shiny.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't use Vaseline on your tenons.
• While oiling your instrument, take care to keep oil off the pads or they will have to be replaced.