It is helpful to have on-hand a small set of eyeglass screwdrivers and a narrow gauge crochet needle to tighten loosening screws and reset springs as needed. The screws on a bassoon, unlike the oboe, are not responsible for key height adjustment and should be snug (but not over torqued!) at all times. The two most common minor adjustments you may need to do are replacing the whisper key pad and unsticking keys.
The first video demonstrates quick pad replacement, most often done on the whisper key because of its high volume of use and its vulnerable position exposed and rip-ready at the top of the wing joint.
The first video demonstrates quick pad replacement, most often done on the whisper key because of its high volume of use and its vulnerable position exposed and rip-ready at the top of the wing joint.
The second video explores a variety of solutions for sticky saxophone keys, many of which transfer easily to bassoon, though I recommend extreme caution with sanding tone holes, as those are wooden on the bassoon and can be sanded to malformation. The most common sticky bassoon keys are those at the bottom of the boot joint (responsible for G and A-flat), as this is where water collects around the U-bend and creates increased humidity, especially in seasonal transitions where atmospheric humidity changes, as well.
