i'm in the process of purchasing a bassoon, and i've been having some issues with dealers and tone hole inserts. is it best to have the inserts on all 19 wing and boot holes, or just on the 5 without keys?

Guess I'm not too up on this but didn't want you to think no one would answer your question. I only know that my bassoon - a 40 year old Adler - doesn't even have inserts in some of the basic keys, so I don't know if it's really necessary. Why would you want this? Is it for moisture protection? I think this is an option with Fox, and maybe with other brands, so perhaps it's not strictly needed, but you have decided you want it. This wasn't really an answer, as you can see, just a bit of a ramble.

I find those inserts help as they somehwat prevent "condensation" to get into the hole and make clicking noises.

I guess it also prolongs the life of the hole as it doesn't get affected by the moisture as much over time.

I have read about owners of new bassoons that they would direct some drops of water through the wing joint and maybe also the boot joint to establish a path the water would flow so it won't run into the holes. I'm not sure though how this would last if you pull through your swab after playing anyway.

Cheers
James