Bassoon Bocals

Bocals are integral to certain woodwinds including bassoons, contrabassoons, and English horns. They serve as a mouthpiece and are available in various lengths and materials which alter the tone and response of the instrument. For bassoons and other double reed instruments, the bocal connects the reed to the rest of the instrument. It has a cork sleeve at the lower end which connects to the instrument and then the reed is attached directly onto the other, tapered end. A variety of materials are used to construct bassoon bocals including nickel silver, sterling silver, gold, and brass. The Woodwind and Brasswind provides bassoon bocals from Fox and Wilhelm Heckel. An assortment of sizes and types of bocals are provided enabling you to find the perfect one to meet the size and specifications of your instrument and reed.

One of the oldest and most established manufacturers of bassoons is Wilhelm Heckel. Based in Wiesbaden, Germany, the company originated with Johann Adam Heckel and Carl Almenräder in 1831. These renown instrument makers were committed to consistently improving their designs. After Almenräder passed, Heckel began working with his son Wilhelm. During this time, their acquaintance with composer Richard Wagner led them to design the Heckelphon. Their design of a Heckel System Bassoon competed for recognition with other systems of bassoons including a Boehm-like style and an instrument designed by Joseph Sax (Adolphe Sax’s father). The superiority of the Heckel System was gradually recognized and by the turn of the 20th century it was exceedingly popular. It remains the most popular form in most of the world today.

From The Woodwind and Brasswind, Wilhelm Heckel bassoon bocals are made from silver and are available in four different bores and two different lengths. These bocals are among the best in the industry and are a complement to any professional musician’s bassoon. The prominent bassoon manufacturer, Fox, supplies numerous bassoon bocals for a variety of needs and levels. The Fox Company, based in Indiana, dates back to 1949 when Hugo Fox began developing bassoons after performing as the principal bassoonist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for seventeen years. Today, this company is one of the most established and admired manufacturers of double reed instruments.

When considering a bassoon bocal from Fox, choose from among the Fox CV Bocals, the *CTX* Bocals, the CVC Bocals, and others. The CV bassoon bocals are designed for a C bore and are typically preferred by players who use extremely soft reeds. The Fox *CTX* Bassoon Bocals are higher pitched, excelling in upper registers. These Double Star models offer increased flexibility and are compatible with many older models of bassoons. The Fox CVC Bassoon Bocals are designed for bassoons with thicker walls such as the Fox 601 and Fox 660. This design’s nickel-plated, nickel silver tube contributes a focused and full tone to the instrument.

Browse The Woodwind and Brasswind for the full selection of bassoon bocals and find the ideal bocal to enhance the voice, tone, and resonance of your bassoon.