cross your fingers for us...

[bloke]

I hate to say "pray for us", because - as little as most people pray - prayers need to go to those who are in dire need (and should be followed up by HUMAN help)...

...OK, but cross your fingers, please.

Mrs. bloke (in-between repair jobs) pulled out (has been sitting awaiting a restoration for several years) a beautiful (original finish/gleaming) maple German bassoon (no, not Heckel, but a nice West German/pre-Buffet Schreiber with a high D key, and with one of the bocals being a Fox bocal) slicked it out, and - just as she finished with it (happy coincidence - if it works out), a local school system (good customer) high school band director told us that they have extra dough and their middle school could use a bassoon. They were asking about plastic a plastic (no high-D) John Packer/JP, but we can sell this one for the same price as JP, and - as the JP's sell out from the warehouse quickly every time they are restocked - this one is here and ready-to-go.

If this is approved, it should cover our (relatively modest) monthly expenses, whereas everything else made this month (a good bit more) will go to savings and covid-era (propping up disabled adult offspring) debt-elimination.

[gocsick]

Good luck with the sale!!

Does anyone else think it is crazy that middle school programs have bassoons?? When my son started middle school they made him do a year on baritone because "tubas are too big for 5th/6th graders and can be easily damaged" but they had 2 oboes and a bassoon in the group...

[arpthark]

Good luck with the sale!!

Does anyone else think it is crazy that middle school programs have bassoons?? When my son started middle school they made him do a year on baritone because "tubas are too big for 5th/6th graders and can be easily damaged" but they had 2 oboes and a bassoon in the group...

In my school district in KY, double reeds were typically started in middle school. 5th grade band had no horns/double reeds/tubas/baritones. Kids got switched over from trumpet or trombone or flute/clarinet/sax in sixth or seventh grade.

I started tuba in sixth grade (trombone convert).

[bloke]

If they don't start them in 5th-6th grade, they'll probably not get started, nor be able to do much of anything with one by the 8th-9th-10th grade.

The problem is that they are delicate and unwieldy. Students have to be chosen cleverly (supportive/enthusiastic parents, not clumsy kids, etc.)

It's already difficult to get the joint corks just right for not-too-tight nor not-too-lose, but - with kids with small wrists - it's even a more delicate balance...and/but - if the bell joint tenon cork is too loose, kids (or an adult, for that matter) will stand up, rest the boot joint on the floor, the bell come fall off, and the bassoon will hit the floor.

They also trash bocals, and even "pretty good" bocals are REALLY expensive.

[Schlitzz]

I just saw a few people adjusting to bifocals, as I read bocal. I'm easily entertained. New bifocals and dog walking, I need a beer.