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Re: Contra bassoon

Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-08-26 14:18

I've now got an Amati contra and it plays effortlessly and the tuning is excellent. Definitely the best value for money contra - though I haven't compared it to the more expensive ones to see how the tone quality and response differs. But I'm perfectly happy with this one as it looks, sounds and plays like a contra.

Also, for me it's loads easier to play than a bassoon (in terms of the more logical fingerings for the upper register notes) and I've just been rattling off the Gran Partita contra part without too much trouble!

A pro orchestral player tried it out before I picked it up, and he thought it's a great instrument - and that's coming from a Mollenhauer contra player.

Within the last few years since Amati had improved them from what they were, they've only gone and improved them even more since then! This one has an aux. Eb for the right thumb (above the Bb key) and an alternative Ab for the right thumb as well.

The left hand has rollers for the C and Eb keys to make sliding easier. The choice of better materials such as compressed felt for silencing linkages (replacing cork and low quality red felt as previously used) and good quality pads is also a plus. The action feels positive under the fingers, though the aux. Eb key (either for RH finger 1 or RH thumb) does tend to feel a bit on the sluggish side, though it does work.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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