WILHELM HECKEL 7212 BASSOON, GOOD PADS,,VERY ORIGINAL, HISTORY, GOOD WOOD

Description

WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY
2525 East Douglas Avenue
Wichita, KS 67211
ORIGINAL BASSOON FROM THE BIEBRICH WORKSHOP OF WILHELM HECKEL, COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER OF 1930.
Long story….
We acquired this fine instrument in November of 2019, purchased for an overseas customer.
The previous owner is a friend and client whom we’ve known for more than forty years.
Over the decades, we’ve sold him a handful of rare double-reed instruments and have purchased from him an equal number.
Our friend has informed us that he’s been the owner for many years, it being part of his small collection of winds.
I first viewed that collection, including this instrument, in the early 1990’s.
The name of the previous owner is not a secret and we’re happy to eventually relay contact information to the new owner, after the sale has been consummated.
I hand-carried the instrument to the States 23 months ago (to avoid possibility of shipping damage), did some minor adjustments to the pad work and promptly dispatched it to my customer.
Regretfully, the bassoon was delayed by the shipper and was, in fact, lost in transit for several weeks.
Which means our buyer, who had purchased the bassoon to sell to one of his customers, lost the sale. Simply said, his client got tired of waiting and decided to buy a (yawn…) new Yamaha.
#7112 was offered back to us, but at a price that we thought a bit optimistic.
The fellow who’d bought from us then decided to consign the instrument to another reputable American dealer.
Where it has been since.
It was, still is, our opinion that his asking price was simply too high.
Our customer has written us with his comments that “the sonority was not bright enough due to the keys being silver-plated, not nickel…”
Right…
So now this fine bassoon is now back in Wichita, ready to be play-tested by one and all.
It’s quite original, save the fact that the varnish has had touch-up ( said to have been done at Heckel’s shop in Biebrich).
And the price has been lowered to a figure that we believe to be quite reasonable.
TRADE-INS are possible.
Fox or Schreiber bassoons , vintage Selmer or Conn saxophones, 19
th
. century silver French flutes.
Come to Wichita, if you have the time, to try it.
We’ll meet your plane!
OR….European delivery is possible for a small extra fee. “Hand to hand” means no possibility of shipping damage!
Please note the condition of the instrument.
Bell:
354 mm to the end of the ring. No cracks or wood damage.
99% original Heckel varnish.
Original Heckel stamp plus “made in Germany” No wear to the silver plate.
The bell ring is also original.
Long Joint:
661 mm, end of tenon to end of tenon.
No cracks or wood damage.
99% varnish.
Previous ownerner has related that
Heckel (only Heckel) did some varnish touch-up decades ago.
Original very sharp Heckel stamp plus “1831 – 1931”.
Both tenons are original, sharp and without cracks, but no brass tenon caps.
No rollers anywhere. Based on sharp corners to the pad-cups and key-arms, we believe the silver-plate to be original.
Key-arm for the B-touch shows some bubbling to the silver-plate.
A re-plate to this one key would make the long joint look very close to perfect.
Or perhaps the new owner would prefer to keep the instrument original. We’re happy to offer either choice.
Wing:
519 mm, end of tenon to top of joint.
No cracks or wood damage.
99% varnish, again reputed to have had touch-up to the finish, at Heckel, quite some time baack.
Original Heckel stamps (2), not as sharp as on the bell and long joint.
Tenon is original, with original brass cap.
One nickel tone-hole liner, third finger, perhaps not original..
Original left-hand whisper key lock.
Finger-wear showing to the ring key and the attached rod-screw.
Metal band at top of the joint shows 50 – 75% wear to the plating. Bore is very clean, no scratches, cracks or damage.
Boot:
376 mm, top of socket-end to the start of the U-tube.
No cracks or wood damage.
99 % varnish, again said to been touched-up by Heckel, many years ago,
Original Heckel stamp, not as sharp as on the bell.
Small socket is brass lined, no liner to the large socket.
One original (?) ebonite tone-hole liner that does extend into the bore. One (only) roller, on the F. Pad-cups all in fine condition, all key-touches show no wear to the silver plate. Serial number and “ 0
“ on the brass U-tube.
Original strap-ring.
Boot cap is original, has 100% silver plate. Hand-rest appears to be original, no, evidence of newer hand-rest having been fitted to the instrument. Some plating wear to the top metal band, by the strap-ring.
One
Heckel C1 bocal, in fine condition, said to be pre-war.
See photos and decide for yourself.
One additional BD-0 bocal in good condition, but note tiny ding just above the numbers.
Also said to be pre-war. See photos and decide for yourself.
Case appears to be more modern, perhaps from the sixtdies,
supplied to Heckel, as I remember, by GEWA.
Please note that there is no evidence that any sort of previous “re-tuning” has been done to the instrument.
It left Biebrich on February 14, 1956, has been in professional use since.
Clients should please be aware of the fact that we do not pretend to be the world's premier expert on Heckel bassoons. Checking our records, I note that more than three dozen Heckels have passed through our hands over the years.   We see to get two or three examples every year, sometime more.   When the time of delivery was only a few years, we imported several new instruments, direct from Heckel.  We've visited the workshop in Biebrich half a dozen times, am pleased to say we are on cordial terms with the owners.
As for repairs and restoration, our goal is to always maintain the instrument, as closely as possible, to its original condition.  We do not add keywork or water tubes, we do not "re-tune" or alter bore dimensions.  It's our contention that such work should be left to the original manufacturer.  Having said as much, I have no hesitation in recommending the services of our woodwind repair staff, the foreman of which is my older son.
Simply said, and with apologies to my ex-wife, #7112 is somewhat of a “plain Jane”.
Minimal rollers, wood in fine condition, no mechanical or tuning issues of any kind.
Pads are not new but are also not ancient.
The bassoon is tight, plays the low B & Bb with ease.
Our small Wichita firm has been in business since 1953 and have, we believe, a sterling reputation for ethical dealings.
We always have new Fox bassoons in our warehouse, often have Schreibers that we’ve cleaned and padded.
Aside from the occasional historical instrument or “repairman’s special” we sell nothing “needing repair”.
Regretfully, we do not accept items for repair that we have not sold.
Simply said, we are not possible to be “the repair shop for the big mail-order firm”.
More photos coming soon.
The instrument is ready, now, to be play-tested/
“ALL new and all used instruments sold by Wichita Band Instrument Company come with our 24 month service warranty. It’s in addition to any factory guarantees. For two full years, we will repair or replace (whichever in our estimation is the more advisable), pads, corks, springs or other parts required, at no charge to the customer.  In the event of cracked or damaged wood sections, we will repair at no cost to the customer or replace the section and charge the customer only for our net costs for the replacement section.   Often, wood replacement parts are supplied from the manufacturer at no charge.   The customer is responsible for shipping and insurance charges. Cases and plating finishes are not covered by our service warranty but are sometimes covered by factory guarantees.”
Wichita Band Instrument Company maintains a repair department capable of restoration work of the highest quality. Even though repairs are essentially “free” for the first two years, after that period has expired, we remain at your service to maintain and repair your musical equipment forever. It’s our “service after the sale” promise and has been since 1953!
In the event that a customer requires service under factory guarantees or
Wichita
Band’s service warranty, the item must be returned to us and not directly to the manufacturer.
*** BEFORE WE SEND ANYTHING TO YOU…
The instrument is carefully inspected by us to make certain it’s spotlessly clean. We disinfect the exterior of the instrument, spray the exterior of the case as well. We do not send anything to you without it’s being checked and then checked again.
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In January of 2021, our small workshop in Wichita celebrated sixty-eight years in business.  We are not in the 1952 Wichita telephone directory, but we ARE in the 1953.  Over the decades, we’ve repaired and restored hundreds of woodwind instruments, specializing in 19
th
. century French flutes, clarinets and saxophones from the mid twentieth century and before.  We employ a handful of highly skilled full-time workers and enjoy, we’re happy to report, a sterling reputation for top-quality restoration and ethical transactions. We are not amateurs, nor are we a “back bedroom” operation.   We would be pleased to furnish you with references attesting to the above.
**** WICHITA BAND INSTRUMENT COMPANY / WICHITA, KANSAS /  USA
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