1960 Wilhelm Heckel GmbH Custom Bassoon w/ Accessories & Paperwork

For your consideration is a vintage 1960 Wilhelm Heckel bassoon, serial number 10345, handcrafted in Biebrich am Rhein, Germany.

Widely regarded as one of the world's premier bassoon makers, Heckel instruments have long been the benchmark for professional bassoon performance. This instrument is an excellent example that has clearly been well cared for throughout its life and remains in solid playing condition while retaining an exceptional collection of original documentation and historical provenance rarely found with vintage Heckel bassoons. Included alongside the instrument and paperwork is a vintage bassoon stand, a collection of sheet music/student education books, original Heckel branded polish cloths, a special ordered oval hard case with zip up rain cover, and a Heckel #1 bocal.

This bassoon has been play tested by an on-site repair technician and is fully functional as shown. It produces a strong, characteristic Heckel tone with all major systems operating properly. As expected of a vintage professional instrument, we recommend a routine regulation & adjustment by a buyer's preferred professional technician upon arrival to any used instrument to bring it to its optimum playing condition. but no structural issues or cracks were discovered during our inspection or play test.

Cosmetically, the bassoon exhibits honest wear consistent with decades of careful use. There are numerous finish scratches, handling marks, areas of finish wear, and edge wear throughout the body, all of which are shown in the accompanying photographs. These blemishes are cosmetic only and do not affect the structural integrity or playability of the instrument. The wood was carefully inspected, and no cracks were found.

One particularly noteworthy aspect of this offering is the remarkable collection of original Heckel documentation that accompanies the instrument. Fascinating documentation of the purchases process has been preserved along with many of the envelopes used to send the materials back and forth from West Germany to the US. This includes invoices from the original order request in August of 1958, follow up letters updating the original owner of the progress on the build in 1959/1960, correspondence from the original owner to a signatory at Heckel that we believe based on signature consistency was Adolf Gebhard, and a host of other import documents and other related paperwork. It is uncommon for a vintage Heckel to retain such an extensive archive, making this especially appealing to collectors and enthusiasts who appreciate documented provenance. These documents provide a fascinating glimpse into the instrument's history and represent a level of provenance seldom encountered with vintage professional bassoons.

Included with the bassoon are:

Original Heckel promotional/catalog booklet

Original Heckel registered airmail envelopes

Original Heckel correspondence envelopes

Original import and customs documentation

Northwest Airlines customs and freight paperwork

Original period shipping materials and related documents

Tote of various bassoon educational books and sheet music

Vintage bassoon instrument stand

Special order requested oval case

Original Heckel branded polish cloths

Also included is a #1 engraved Heckel bocal clearly marked "Heckel" and "Made in Germany." It retains its original cork and is included with the sale.

Overall, this is an outstanding opportunity to acquire a professional vintage Heckel bassoon with clearly documented history, excellent playing characteristics, an unusually complete collection of original paperwork that has remained with the instrument over the years, and a host of accessories as well.

Please review all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the description. We have chosen to upload what we believe is 24 of the most important photos to represent the instrument and its condition and have chosen not to show some of the accessory items due to the 24 photo limit presented on Reverb. However, nearly 170 photos were taken of this instrument collection and are available upon request if a specific area of the instrument is of inquiry. Please feel free to contact us with other questions and we'll do our best to answer them.

Thank you for your consideration!

Please examine all the pictures and read the entire description carefully before buying. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. For payments, we gladly accept Reverb Direct Checkout, Paypal or credit card payment.

About Us:

Ray’s Mid-Bell Music is a full-service school music dealer located in Sioux City, IA. The original company was founded in 1939. We have had a Sioux City location since 1972. You can buy with confidence knowing that you are dealing with a reputable brick and mortar store with a long history of excellent customer service.

Unless stated differently above, all used and vintage instruments are sold in the condition that we received it in. All repair facilities have different pricing. Please check with your local technician for approximate repair costs and, if purchased, ultimately the repair. It is our goal to accurately and truthfully describe each item, pointing out all flaws and defects, by providing as many high-quality pictures of each item as possible. However, sometimes things can be inadvertently overlooked.

We also take great pride in our shipping department and strive to make sure that each item is properly and securely packaged. Our daily UPS & USPS pick-up assures you of prompt delivery. We do ship internationally. For interested overseas buyers, please ask for a shipping quote before buying.