I played bassoon for my school band from 6th grade until 11th grade in highschool, and should have carried onto college with my music scholarship, however i didn't. I've regretfully not picked up a bassoon in few years. But since then, I can't stop thinking about playing it, so I've finally decided to buy a bassoon and get back into performing, otherwise I might explode. So, I was hoping that I could get some input on what kind of bassoons are the best out there. I played on a heckel and i really liked it, but I'm hearing about schreiber, puchner, and some other adler or something, and was wondering which bassoon would be best more geared for professional play. i'm pretty confident that once i get one in my hands, i'll be able to fall back into it comfortably, so i really don't want a beginner or intermediate style bassoon. so thanx for any feed back i can get!!

I am jealous that you can play an Heckel.
I've never try that.

I didn't try many professional bassoon.
I tried Fox 601 a week ago. I gives me a deep impression.

How much input to the bassoon = what the bassoon output.
very stable and projected sound. I love it.

the marked price of a fox 601 is about USD 20,000.

well i really didn't know how good i had it being able to play on a heckel. now that i'm older i realize how expensive they are. but yea, it was a really awsome bassoon! i'm definately going to get put on the waiting list to have one made for me, though i'm still not quite sure where i'll get the $30,000 for the bassoon but i'm sure i'll figure something out. But, i'm looking to buy a schreiber, but i can't seem to find any, is it the same for schreiber, u need to order one, or can you find them online to buy somewhere?

i cant believe that you need to be put onto a waiting list for a bassoon!!! arg... ive only ever played student models and dodgy ones at that!

A new heckel 41i bassoon cost 23100 Euro + 10% and the down payment is 5100 Euro in 2006. Have to wait for about 48 to 50 months.
A student model heckel CREST bassoon Cost 17000 Euro and you have to wait for about 10 months.

I'm in Hong Kong, I've tried one Schrieber (model 5071) from a dealer. However the quality is not really good. Sound is not focus at all. However It cost about 8000 USD. I think it is just an exceptional case.

I'm not saying Schreiber is not a good bassoon. One of my mate owned a 5016 and the sound is excellent and it got a warm tone.

So I suggest to try before buy for a Schreiber.

You could try to contact howarth UK to see if they can help.

<Added>

[URL=http://www.howarth.uk.com/products.aspx?id=1]http://www.howarth.uk.com/products.aspx?id=1[/URL]

<Added>

http://www.howarth.uk.com/products.aspx?id=1

Hi Dreamer25,

you want a really professional bassoon and not such a cheap beginner or intermediate bassoon??? ;-)
O.K., that's great! :-))
Here my advise from a "German sight of view" ;-) :
The Heckel bassoons are still the most high respected bassoons. If you want to buy a new one you have to wait about 3 years for the 41i modell (it's the "original" Heckel, the Crest model is a cheaper one). You can order the bassoon in nearly infinite different configarations. It's really custom made. The prize for a new one is nowadays starting at about 35,000 Euro, I think. If you have the money, go for it!!!
But nowadays there are also a lot of other also really professional bassoons, from some German/European Bassoonists the same or higher respected. They are also played of a lot of famous top bassoonists in Europe:
There is the old rival: The Püchner company with the Superior model or the 23 model. It has a different tone than the Heckel.http://www.puchner.com/
There is the Walter bassoon. It's also a really custom made bassoon. It's a very little company: There is Mr Walter and his daughter and only a few worker. Waiting time about 2 years. http://www.walter-fagott.de
Another one is the very new Leitzinger bassoon. Very new and so not so established yet. It seems to be very good. http://www.leitzinger.de/
Some bassoonists like the Moosmann professional bassoons like the 222 or the cheaper 200 model. http://www.b-moosmann.de/
And last but not least the very high recommanded Yamaha bassoon. It's not German of course, but they started copying the Heckel bassoon. The first ones were not as good as the Heckels, but the newer ones are really great.
Greetings, Martin