About Bocals

Often the most important part of the instrument, a bocal can dominate the response, resistance, and tone of the bassoon. It affects the overall pitch of the instrument as well as the relative intonation, and it should be selected with the same care that one would use to acquire the instrument itself. Even a mediocre bassoon may have a reasonably good sound and scale if it is properly fitted with a good professional bocal.

Fox bocals are standard equipment with all Fox and Renard Bassoons and will enhance the performance of other bassoons. C Bore bocals are excellent for school instruments. CVX and CVC bore bocals, both standard and double star, are designed for professional use. The CTX and CTC bocals are similar to the CVX and CVC, but feature a thinner wall. This thinner wall results in a bocal that is less resistant. The CVC/CTC design generally works best with Fox thick wall bassoons. The CVX/CTX design tends to work best with all other Fox and Renard bassoons.

It is generally advisable to try a professional bocal on your instrument if it has wild notes in the middle register, or if the intonation or tone is not uniform in the middle or upper registers. It is also advisable to try a Fox bocal just to hear the improvement in the sound and freedom of blowing the instrument.

Material
C and CV Bocals are made of brass. CVX , CTX , CVC , and CTC Bocals are made of nickel silver, with brass being an available option. Brass tends to soften the tone and increase flexibility at the expense of projection.

Bores
The C bore stresses resonance and clarity of sound. It is extremely smooth and uniform in tone with excellent slightly-flexible intonation. It has an abundance of middle and upper middle partials in the sound and its smoothness contributes nicely to chamber music and to instruments with non-uniform tone and intonation. It is made in brass with nickel plating.

The CV bore is the C bore with a variable wall thickness at some nodal points to reduce resistance. It is generally preferred by players using very soft reeds.

The CVX and CTX bores are similar in proportions to the C and CV bores, but they have more substance in the tone, and provide better control of the upper and middle registers. They have slightly less resistance in the high notes than the CVC and CTC , and are slightly more open in tone quality. They project well, and particularly fit the design of the long and short bore bassoons.

The CVC and CTC bores stress the fundamental tones of the instrument, providing a warmer and heavier tone than the CVX and CTX . They have slightly more resistance in the upper end, requiring more support when playing in the solo registers, but yield more fullness in the middle and lower registers than the CVX. It fits the design of the thick wall models, and is sometimes helpful in stabilizing wild notes in the older designs.

Length
When ordering bocals, be sure to specify both the bore and length. Fox bassoon bocals are available in lengths 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4. 0 is the shortest and therefore the sharpest, and 4 is the longest and therefore the flattest.

The bocal length moderately affects the overall pitch of the instrument. It most strongly influences the middle and upper middle registers because the lower register is relatively fixed by the bore of the instrument, and the extreme upper register is dominated by its own flexibility. Fox long and short bore models are normally tuned with a 3 CVX or CTX bocal. This includes Models I, II, III, IV, 220, 222, 41, and 51 (long), and Models 101, 201, and 240 (short). Thick wall models (601 and 660) are normally tuned with a 3 CVC or CTC . When trying Fox bocals, it is best to start with a No. 2. Changing bocal lengths is wise when small adjustments are desired for the sake of comfortably blending with other instruments. Changing bocal lengths will not help much when trying to change the pitch from A-442 to A-440. This will require changing reed designs, changing bocal bores, or changing instruments.

Plating
The extent to which the plating on a bocal affects the feel, projection, and tone quality of an instrument depends on a player's reed style, instrument and playing method. Following is a general description of the effects most players can expect from different types of plating.

Silver Plating on a bocal will tend to result in a moderate level of resistance (compared with other finishes) and a soft timbre and dark tone.

Nickel Plating usually results in a feeling of somewhat greater resistance with a stronger more resonant (and rounder) sound.

Gold Plating has a resistance level consistent with silver plating but will have a still softer and darker tone quality.

Special Bends
British Bend Bocals are available in the same bores and sizes as our standard bend, and at the same price. Specify "British Bend" when ordering. Custom bends are also available; please inquire for prices.

It is generally advisable to try a professional bocal on your instrument if it has wild notes in the middle register, or if the intonation or tone is not uniform in the middle or upper registers. It is also advisable to try a Fox bocal just to hear the improvement in the sound and freedom of blowing the instrument.

Contrabassoon Bocals
The Contrabassoon bocal is based on the principle of the C bore bassoon bocal. It is individually matched to the instrument with which it is sold.