Schiller Bassoon Review
/Today's (brief) instrument review is of the second bassoon I purchased for my school: the Schiller Elite III wood bassoon.
I purchased a second bassoon right as I had a 7th-grade student who was interested in making the switch from flute. She learned how to play on the instrument two summers ago and has continued playing through today. It has also been played by a fellow teacher (and bassoonist in college) as well as the solo high-school bassoonist at my school. The student using it played principal bassoon in the Minnesota Junior Winds this past year.
In two years, there have been no significant issues with the instrument. The most significant annoyance is that the boot cap is somewhat loose and occasionally clatters to the floor. It went in for a tune up in March 2016 to fix some leaks and has played great since then (as well as before!). While in the shop, they made a new L-shaped piece to replace the one that had been lost for the joint lock.
The instrument plays in tune, the keys work smoothly, and the finish on the instrument looks good. It has sustained some scrapes and bruises, and I don't expect the case to last more than five or six years.
The price new was around $1300, and I don't think I could have found a better value.
If you have questions, email me or post in the comments.
