Bernd Moosmann


Background Information

Moosmann bassoons are manufactured by Bernd Moosmann in Waiblingen, Germany, which is located just outside of Stuttgart. The roots of these bassoons can be traced back to the Kohlert Company in Czechoslovakia before World War II. After the war, the Kohlert Co. moved to Winnenden, Germany and Albert Moosmann, Bernd's father, became the first German apprentice of Kohlert. In 1966, Albert Moosmann started his own woodwind manufacturing company building German system clarinets, oboes, flutes and bassoons. Bernd Moosmann started as an apprentice in 1972. After three years as an apprentice under his fathers watchful eye, Bernd Moosmann completed his examination and began work as a full fledged instrument maker in his fathers shop, specializing in the bassoon. In 1981, Bernd Moosmann took his Masters examination and became a Master craftsman!

Bernd Moosmann, along with the Kruel's of Tublingen, bought the Kohlert Co. in 1982 and located the company in Waiblingen. There they started making the Moosmann bassoon. He took the basic Kohlert bassoon and with what he learned from his father and through years of his own education and experience, he transformed the Kohlert bassoon into the Moosmann bassoon. In 1987, Bernd became the sole owner of the Moosmann Company. Over the years, he has made many changes to his instruments with the assistance of Georg ter Voert and Manfred Sax.

The Moosmann Company produces six products, the "Fagottino", developed by Bernd in 1992, so that his daughter could learn how to play the bassoon, the Model 98 Beginner Student Bassoon, the Model 100 Student grade bassoon, the Model 200 Professional grade bassoon, the Model 222 Artist grade Bassoon and the Model 300 Contrabassoon. They also produce two series of bocals, the "Standard" and "Excellent" series. All of Bernd Moosmann's products are a result of over 50 years of experience and research, and are carefully crafted in his modern facility in Waiblingen. They are built by a team of 12 German craftsmen, dedicated to produce the finest instruments available in the world today!       

American Models

The new American models are a result of extensive refinements to the basic 100 and 200 models. American professional players and repair technicians have looked at every aspect of these bassoons and made recommendations to Bernd. He has incorporated these changes and the results are bassoons that have the qualities that American bassoonists demand!       

Wood

Each Moosmann bassoon is manufactured out of mountain maple. The wood that Bernd selects is grown in Yugoslavia's Bosnia region. The maple grows very slowly in this high altitude region, giving the wood a very compact and dense structure. Because of this, bassoons made out of this wood have excellent resonance and projection. It is rough cut and stored for aging in a temperature controlled room for approximately 5 years. It is then roughed into the four basic parts of the bassoon and stored for an additional 2 years, When it is time for manufacturing process to begin, the wood is soaked in a oil based solution until every pore is thoroughly saturated. This oil bath protects the bassoon from deterioration.

One very important distinction between the Model 100 and the Model 200 is the use of the "Riegal" variety of maple in the Model 200. This variety is made up of alternating rings of soft and hard sections of wood. It is extremely difficult to work with but provides the bassoon with much more volume and projection characteristics. It is so difficult that Bernd is the only manufacturer to use this variety and he has to keep a toolmaker on staff in order to maintain the types of tools required to work with this wood. This is exactly the type of wood. used in the 7000 a nd 8000 series Heckels that are prized today.

Finish

The Model 98/100 is finished with a standard type of lacquer finish. First the color is applied, then a thin water based sealer coat is applied to close the pores and harden the surface and then 5 coats of lacquer are applied giving the bassoon the protection and the rich, deep gloss shine.

The Model 200/222 is finished with Bernd's special " French Polish" lacquer finish. This is the same type of finish used on the 7000 and 8000 series Heckel bassoon, which are noted for their response and projection, The color is applied first, then an oil based sealer coat is applied 20 times and finally a finish coat of a shellac type mixture. This finish provides the ultimate in sound with a distinctive satin gloss finish that provides an extremely durable and renewable finish.      

Lining

The Moosmann bassoons are fully lined in the tenor joint and both sides of the boot joint with a rubber-like material. What makes this unique is the process by which the bassoons are lined. Instead of gluing a rubber piece in place, the rubber material is heated and poured into the joints, allowed to cool and then the forming mandrel is removed. This provides the benefit of a "bonding" of the rubber material with the wood that means it will never come loose and provides for better response and projection.

All of the critical tone holes are lined in nickel silver for stable pitch and focused tone. They protrude into the bore, thus preventing water from entering the hole. These linings and the lining of the A Flat hole with a rubber-like material aid in the prevention of deterioration of the wood and provides a better seating surface for the pads and corks!

Pads

All Moosmann bassoons are carefully fitted with special waterproof leather pads manufactured in Italy. These extremely expensive pads are made of the finest leather available and are treated with a special process that waterproofs them and maintains their natural soft and pliable characteristics. There are two benefits from these pads, one they seal better, enhancing response, without the "waxing" treatments popular today and two, they are more durable, contributing to a much longer pad life.

Bocals

The "Excellent" series are provided with the Model 100/200/222. These are individually hand crafted works of art, which have a soldered seam ensuring a constant thickness. This painstaking process produces bocals of uncanny quality deserving of the name "Excellent".

All of the bocal are available in either different materials and / or different lengths. The "Excellent" series are also available in different thicknesses.

General Information

All of Bernd Moosmann' s bassoons come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty offered by Bernd himself. If at any time, there is a manufacturing defect, Bernd will repair the instrument at no charge. Freight back and forth to Germany is the responsibility of the purchaser.

Each bassoon is shipped with cases, covers and accessories and in the case of the Model 200/222, the premium GEWA case is provided!