Everyone! you can all be happy now! It was the reed. I think it was broken to begin with. I got a new one and presto -the bassoon plays perfectly in tune [(it plays presto as well) that was a joke] and quite well considrering its wooden and looks like its been bashed around

Well, well, well! I always maintained the reed was the most important piece of the bassoon (well, almost!). Glad to hear it worked out for you.

Well... wooden instruments are ideal... but good for you, yay!

Speaking about wooden instruments, tommorrow night I'm going to see the Australian Chamber Orchestra play Beethoven's violin concerto in D. The violin is a Guaneri worth AUD $10 000 000. That's what you pay for an intermediate bassoon right?

Why are wooden instruments superior to polycarbonate ones? Is it the resonance? If the bassoon warps its not going to have great resonance. Or is it the weight? because poly bassoons are soo heavy(not saying wooden ones are feathers either)

well... 10 grand is the higher end of an intermediate bassoon, and if a professional really likes an instrument they don't worry if it's cheaper than that, i mean, you get more money then! lol.

I don't think weight has got anything to do with it, but wood has a better resonance and tone than plastic - plastic instruments are almost always inferior to wooden instruments. Obviously, if you get a really rubbish wooden instrument it's different, but it's the case if you have standard fully working instruments.
You see it in other instruments too - i play flute and picc aswel, and I used to have one of those half plastic half metal piccs, and it was disgusting to play (all out of tune, the tuning cork NEVER sealed properly) but as soon as i got a wooden picc it was wonderful. Flutes are a bit different, because whether it's wooden or metal completely changes the sound it makes, but it's a beautiful sound either way.

But you're never gonna find a metal bassoon, so, i'd suggest sticking to wooden ones.

Guaneri Violins are really good! Obviously

With metal bassoons, there used to be sarrusaphones everywhere, but where does one go to find one now?

Actually, its the same thing with normal bassoons!