The Ab Key on my moosmann won't go down unless I push it down (No force is needed really). I think the culprit is the rod that goes through the middle of the boot joint onto the other side, becuase it won't move. Any ideas how to fix this, other than by getting a repairman to fix it (Which I may have to do)

Is it that, the spring is still in place, but the mechanism is so stiff that it cant push it back down again? If so...

OMG my bassoon KEEPS doing that! It's done it with 3 different keys now! It's really irritating!

Ok, if it's the same problem i'm having... that mechanism is binding. basically, the screws have to be tight enough do they don't fall out, but if they're too tight then everything will become really stiff and stuff like that happens. Another sign is that if you hold a rod that's part of the mechanism, try and move it up and down to see if there's any play in it. If it wont budge at all (there only needs to be a little bit) then it's too tight. If you're comfortable enough doing it on your own (not a massive job really), get some oil (proper key oil from a music shop, teeny bottle of clear stuff) and put ona reeeeeally small amount, and open and close the key yourself fora while to work in the oil. then get a screwdriver and try and loosen a screw, just a little bit. preferably a screw pointing down so it's less likely to fall out and get lost.

With all my keys, the last person to give it a service did all the keys quite tight, and glued them like that. In one lesson my teacher was literally lying across the floor with the long joint of the bassoon trying to free up this key. took him half an hour. nightmare!

As you initially said the push rod could be tight in its hole - so you will need to remove the key & enlarge the hole slightly with a small round file.

Other reasons for sticking keys -
A post has come loose & rotated a bit.
A key has got bent or knocked (Oil will not cure these).
There is no oil on the rod & it has rusted.
The wrong sort of oil has been used & it has solidified over time.
All very common problems - the last two usually due to not getting the bassoon regularly serviced.

If a key is too tight between pivot screws undo the screw a bit & wind some thread around the screw shank close to the head. Then retighten the screw & it won't go so far into the post. This will do until a repairer can ream out the socket in the rod a bit.

Sounds like you need to find a new repairer Ruth. And phone the guy who worked on it previously & tell him that you are not happy. He may not be experienced with bassoons - many aren't - & doesn't realise that problems can be caused by fitting keys too tightly on larger instruments ... & as for gluing screws in!!

I dunno... because it's my teachers instrument, he got it serviced just before he gave it to me, and he's one of the top bassoonists here so i'd presume that he would have a good repairer. I dunno who it is or how experienced they are with bassoons, but it's not uncommon for them to put the gluey stuff in to stop the screws falling out. And i'd think that if they didn't know much about bassoons then my teacher would probably just do it himself or find someone that does.

I dunno.

Being nosey - who is your teacher?

I have a slightly different problem. From time to time, my 3rd right hand key (G-key) and the big right thumb key (E-key) will stick DOWN. For the former, it usually sticks when I hold the bassoon too far back, for the latter it usually sticks when I hold down the whisper key. It's a pain.

Could be any of the problems in my previous post plus weak springs or sticky pads.
Plenty of possibilities there for you

Yeh, it could be anything really. Use a process of elimination - check the spring, then the pad...

My teacher is Laurence Perkins. 1st bassoonist of the Manchester Camerata, and teaches at the Royal Northern College of Music. Lovely guy.

I've met Laurence a couple of times - as you say a lovely guy.

Ian

Oh really? Where? Didn't know you were near manchester.

I'm not - I live just outside Oxford. Laurence gets about a bit.

Small world. Both on the same forum. Both know the same bassoon teacher. Interesting.

I just saw Perkins will be performing in the Cumberland area with, I think, the Clarion trio - or maybe he just did. It's great to have a teacher who's so well known. Are you enjoying it, Kate?

Who's kate? :s

Yeh it's good having quite a high profile teacher. But that's what I pay 3 grand per year tuition fees for! hehe. He's performing Vivaldi's bassoon concerto at my college tomorrow night, but i'm home in birmingham for mid term recess and didn't know when i'd be back so missed out of a free ticket

Which of Vivaldi's 36 (or is it 38) concertos?