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Forrests Music Inc
1849 University Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94703
USA
email: sales@forrestsmusic.com
phone: 510-845-7178 800-322-6263
facebook: https://facebook.com/ForrestsMusic
instagram: http://instagram.com/forrestsmusicberkeley
Store hours:
Mon-Fri 10:00AM - 5:30PM PST
Sat: 10:00AM - 5:00PM PST
Sun: Closed
It is 1:47 PM on Monday October 6th, 2025. We are open.
Forrests will be open on Columbus Day (10/13/2025). No packages can be shipped by USPS, UPS is not affected.
Suggestions for first time, or less experienced, bassoon players.
We have so many products to choose from it can be very confusing to the less experienced player. These suggested products are all good "middle of the road" products and you won't go wrong choosing them.
You don't need to buy one of each immediately (other than the reed)! As you learn to adjust, and then make, reeds you can buy what you need.
Of course there is a good deal of personal opinion involved in selecting products, you should always ask, and defer to, your teacher.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us by phone (800-322-6263) or email (sales@forrestsmusic.com). We're always happy to answer questions and offer advice.
Reeds: Reeds are graded by strength; a beginning player will
want the softest strength to start with.
Albion Blue Label Bassoon Reed
MOST POPULAR STUDENT REED. Albion Blue Bassoon Reeds are hand finished and very consistent from reed to reed. We recommend all beginners start with this reed.
Strengths Available: Soft, Medium Soft, Medium, Medium Hard.
Like this reed but want to upgrade? Check out the N-26 Forrets Black Bassoon Reeds! Available in Soft, Medium Soft, Medium, & Medium Hard.
Order 3 or more for $14.36 each! The shopping cart will calculate the discount.
MOST POPULAR STUDENT REED. Albion Blue Bassoon Reeds are hand finished and very consistent from reed to reed. We recommend all beginners start with this reed.
Strengths Available: Soft, Medium Soft, Medium, Medium Hard.
Like this reed but want to upgrade? Check out the N-26 Forrets Black Bassoon Reeds! Available in Soft, Medium Soft, Medium, & Medium Hard.
Order 3 or more for $14.36 each! The shopping cart will calculate the discount.
See all our bassoon reeds
Knife: Your teacher will probably have a strong opinion about which
type of knife you should buy. The beveled knife is different for right and left handed people, the
double hollow ground is not.
Chiarugi (Rigotti) Beveled Reed Knife, Right Handed
Beveled edge with a hollow ground back and ebony handle. The steel is not too hard, for easier sharpening on a fine India, hard Arkansas stone, or a diamond "stone".
Comes with sheath.
Beveled edge with a hollow ground back and ebony handle. The steel is not too hard, for easier sharpening on a fine India, hard Arkansas stone, or a diamond "stone".
Comes with sheath.
Chiarugi (Rigotti) Beveled Reed Knife, Left Handed
Beveled edge with a hollow ground back and ebony handle. The steel is not too hard, for easier sharpening on a fine India, hard Arkansas stone, or a diamond "stone".
Comes with sheath.
Beveled edge with a hollow ground back and ebony handle. The steel is not too hard, for easier sharpening on a fine India, hard Arkansas stone, or a diamond "stone".
Comes with sheath.
Chiarugi (Rigotti) Reed Knife
Double hollow ground blade with wood handle. Sharpen on fine India, diamond, or hard Arkansas stone.
Comes with sheath.
Double hollow ground blade with wood handle. Sharpen on fine India, diamond, or hard Arkansas stone.
Comes with sheath.
See all our knives
Sandpaper: 320 grit is the best for use on reeds.
Norton® brand Wet or Dry Sandpaper
Full 9" X 11" sheet. We have 220 Grit, 320 Grit, 400 Grit, & 600 Grit.
Full 9" X 11" sheet. We have 220 Grit, 320 Grit, 400 Grit, & 600 Grit.
Plaque: You can't go wrong with this, it's cheap! Black
is the best color for first time users. You might order more than one; they're easy to lose!
Bassoon/Contra Bassoon Plaque
Contoured and textured plastic plaque. Available in Black, Clear, & Red.
Contoured and textured plastic plaque. Available in Black, Clear, & Red.
See all our bassoon plaques
Mandrel: For adjusting reeds you will need a holding mandrel (E-06).
You will only need a forming mandrel (E-34) for making reeds from gouged, shaped, and profiled
cane.
Chiarugi (Rigotti) Bassoon Mandrel
Stainless steel tip in a flattened ebony handle.
Stainless steel tip in a flattened ebony handle.
Rieger Bassoon Forming Mandrel
Nickel silver mandrel with a flattened tip in an ergonomically shaped round beechwood handle, Bar model.
Nickel silver mandrel with a flattened tip in an ergonomically shaped round beechwood handle, Bar model.
See all our bassoon mandrels
Cutting Block: Bassoon players need to be carefull
not to buy too small a block, this is the smallest that will work for bassoon reeds.
Medium Ebony Cutting Block
29mm diameter with a non-slip backing.
29mm diameter with a non-slip backing.
See all our cutting blocks
Pliers:
Bassoon Reed Pliers
A small (4-5/8" long) plier with spring loaded cushioned handle. The jaws have a tube forming hole, and wire cutters. Tip of jaws are 1/4" wide to make it easy to grip wire. A great light duty pliers for your reed kit.
A small (4-5/8" long) plier with spring loaded cushioned handle. The jaws have a tube forming hole, and wire cutters. Tip of jaws are 1/4" wide to make it easy to grip wire. A great light duty pliers for your reed kit.
See all our pliers
Duco Cement: Used for sealing and securing the reed wrapping.
Duco Cement
Duco Cement. An all-purpose adhesive preferred by many bassoonists to secure the thread of the turban, as well as the wires and to seal leaks in the reed. Comes in a 1 ounce (29.5 ml) tube.
Duco Cement. An all-purpose adhesive preferred by many bassoonists to secure the thread of the turban, as well as the wires and to seal leaks in the reed. Comes in a 1 ounce (29.5 ml) tube.
Cane: You will want to start with gouged, shaped, and profilied
(sometimes called GSP) cane. This is a very good quality cane and the dimensions are consistent.
Glotin Gouged Shaped and Profiled Bassoon Cane
Bundle of 10 pieces Order 5 or more bundles for $59.36 each, 20 or more bundles for $52.76 each! The shopping cart will calculate the discount.
Bundle of 10 pieces Order 5 or more bundles for $59.36 each, 20 or more bundles for $52.76 each! The shopping cart will calculate the discount.
See all our bassoon cane
Thread:
Reed Thread, FF (Tex 138), 200 Yard Spool
Nylon reed thread in the thicker FF gauge, 200 yards on a double ended spool. Colors available are: Aqua, Burgundy, Gold, Lime Green, Mahogany, Multicolor, Navy, Peach, Pink, Purple, Red, Royal Blue, White, & Yellow.
Nylon reed thread in the thicker FF gauge, 200 yards on a double ended spool. Colors available are: Aqua, Burgundy, Gold, Lime Green, Mahogany, Multicolor, Navy, Peach, Pink, Purple, Red, Royal Blue, White, & Yellow.
See all our thread
Easel:
Bassoon Easel
Made of maple wood, and reasonably priced. The easel has no center marking, allowing you to mark your own center of cane with tape or a pencil mark. Maximum cane length 127mm.
Made of maple wood, and reasonably priced. The easel has no center marking, allowing you to mark your own center of cane with tape or a pencil mark. Maximum cane length 127mm.
Scroll over image to zoom
See all our easels
Wire:
Bassoon Reed Wire, 22 Gauge
Premium soft brass wire. Available in 35 Ft ($8.95), 75 Ft ($18.95), & 1 Lb - app. 540 ft ($45.00).
Premium soft brass wire. Available in 35 Ft ($8.95), 75 Ft ($18.95), & 1 Lb - app. 540 ft ($45.00).
See all our wire
Reed making book:
Bassoon Reed Making, by Mark Popkin and Loren Glickman
The new fourth edition of probably the most complete book of its type, dealing with all stages of cane processing, reed making, testing and tuning. Appropriate for all levels of reed makers, and very useful to give non-bassoonists an insight into the complexities of the bassoon reed. Numerous illustrations, spiral bound, 149 pages.
The new fourth edition of probably the most complete book of its type, dealing with all stages of cane processing, reed making, testing and tuning. Appropriate for all levels of reed makers, and very useful to give non-bassoonists an insight into the complexities of the bassoon reed. Numerous illustrations, spiral bound, 149 pages.
See all our bassoon books
