Buy Maple Bassoon for Child | Should I Buy from eBay?

[Ms Music]

I need to buy a bassoon for my daughter, and don't want to spend a lot since she is a child. She is tired of the school provided plastic bassoon, so wants to see if she can find a decent maple one so that she can practice at home. So I am stuck with ebay...

My question to anyone out there that really knows instruments, is there any reason why I should NOT buy this bassoon? And why?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330350844589&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"

 

[brewnog]

I'm not saying don't buy it, but here are the reasons I wouldn't.

- I haven't tried it
- I don't know whether it sounds any good, fits me (or even works)
- It has no manufacturer's name (is it a cheap Chinese import?)
- Seller has no feedback
- It's a grand!


Why are you "stuck with ebay"? What's wrong with a music shop?

 

[turbo]

Have you considered renting her a decent bassoon? You'd probably have to pay several thousand dollars for a refurbished student-grade instrument, which is tough to justify for a child who might move on to another instrument in the future. Renting might make more sense in this case.

 

[Ms Music]

Brewnog, I have heard an mp3 of the instrument, and I think it sounds very nice. But I have never heard a Chinese bassoon to be able to compare to tone wise... But for a grand (USD) isn't that a good price for a nice sounding (no name) instrument? Well, as long as it doesn't fall apart... :D I just can't understand why a bassoon would have no stamps on it... But I am not the most knowledgeable on that. This guy owned a Heckel in the past, and is going back to a Heckel to see if he can get back into the symphony. My gut wants to say he is being honest about the quality and tone of this instrument...

Turbo, I have looked into renting, but there aren't any bassoons locally to even be rented. They told me if they had one, they would have to charge 150 to 200 a month. By the time she graduates from High School, I could have bought a brand new Fox Renard for that amount! There just are NO bassoons locally to be found.

I know the word "affordable" and the words "maple bassoon" are rather oxymoronic... But I do wonder if this instrument would do well for her through high school. And it is ready to play, no repairs needed. Even if it IS Chinese?

Thanks for your responses!

 

[Proton Soup]

you might want to ask if it needs maintenance, like corks, pads...

no, i am not a bassoonist.

 

[Ms Music]

It needs no maintenance, but I just looked at all the pictures again and noticed it has a hygrometer in the case. <sigh> Its Chinese... (the Chinese bassoons apparently are the ONLY ones with hygrometers in the case)

 

[Moonbear]

I know nothing about bassoons, but I know a little about the ephemeral interests of children/teens when learning to play instruments. That seems like a very expensive purchase for what still might turn out to be a passing interest. Perhaps the lack of availability can work in your favor here. Instead of rushing to purchase the first one available on eBay, you could explain to your daughter that they are hard to find at a reasonable price (true). Let her know you'll keep looking and will check the local music stores every once in a while to see if they have found one, and if she continues to improve her playing and is still interested in it when you find one, you'll buy one then. But, there's no point buying another poor quality instrument if she's really interested in finding one with better quality and better sound. Patience is a good lesson to learn too.

 

[Ms Music]

Thanks all for the information and help in deciding! I opted out of that one. We found a local one that cost a lot more, but at least we get to see and play it first. And I know this one is NOT Chinese.

Thanks again!

Back to reading science stuff...

 

[turbo]

Thanks all for the information and help in deciding! I opted out of that one. We found a local one that cost a lot more, but at least we get to see and play it first. And I know this one is NOT Chinese.

Thanks again!

Back to reading science stuff...

Good luck with this one! If it doesn't work out, find a college with a decent music department, and post want ads in the student union and whatever building(s) house their recital halls. There are lots of students that swap and "trade up" with others, and you might be able to find a well-maintained student-grade instrument for a reasonable price. I worked my way through college buying and selling guitars and playing parties on weekends, and it's surprising how many really hot deals would pop up on campus.

 

[Ms Music]

Hey, that is a GREAT idea! I hadn't thought of that. Admittedly this one IS a cheaper model, so it doesn't have the best tone (although the maple IS gorgeous!), but it is good and should get her through high school. Unless she gets big into the youth symphonies... Then if she continues, we can upgrade at that time, and I will remember to try that way, since I DID buy from a student. But unfortunately bassoons are not very popular, so it may still be a difficult avenue, but I will try that. (ps - the sour cream and brown sugar on strawberries was amazing!)

Moonbear, I didn't mean to not acknowledge your post! I was in a hurry I guess and didn't see it. I had thought about holding off on buying her the instrument also, but she has had only the school provided instrument for two years, so has not been able to practice at home. She is doing so well with it she now has aspirations of playing in symphonies, and also needs home practice simply since she has moved up to high school. Yes, it is still possible she will not continue band all through high school, but by me not providing her this bassoon, I would be holding her back from even a decent grade in band. It was a tough call to make, but I think it will be worth it. She is a great kid, and its better than buying her a car. (ugh, don't remind me of THAT)

 

[Moonbear]

The school doesn't let them take their instruments home to practice? How do they expect them to practice? I thought that's the whole point of having school-provided instruments, so you don't have to shell out big bucks for a kid to learn an instrument or find out they don't like it.

 

[turbo]

Hey, that is a GREAT idea! I hadn't thought of that. Admittedly this one IS a cheaper model, so it doesn't have the best tone (although the maple IS gorgeous!), but it is good and should get her through high school. Unless she gets big into the youth symphonies... Then if she continues, we can upgrade at that time, and I will remember to try that way, since I DID buy from a student. But unfortunately bassoons are not very popular, so it may still be a difficult avenue, but I will try that. (ps - the sour cream and brown sugar on strawberries was amazing!)

I have bought and sold lots of instruments (mostly guitars and related) with college kids because the kids would get great instruments from family, lose interest, etc, and decide to turn them into $$$$. I was a ratty-looking hippie in college, but I never had less than $500 in my pockets because I needed to be ready when some dilettante decided (s)he no longer needed that high-end guitar that their parents sent them to school with.

I hope others try the sour cream and brown sugar on strawberries. A close friend of mine had retired as the commissioner of the labor board, and started truck-farming. He always kept some chilled sour cream and brown sugar along with chilled strawberries at his farm-stand. He would offer free samples to anybody who stopped in, and probably sold thousands of extra baskets of berries by doing so.

 

[BobG]

I think buying your child a bassoon might be a mistake.