Handmade with performance in mind.Wrapped and finished one at a time.
Order reeds
The bench at XKN Studios.
Locked in, resonant, dark.
A core German tip profile gives Symphon the warm, woofy sound of a perfect symphonic second bassoon: resonant, powerful, and dark. Some players will find a delightful amount of resistance here. It has enough depth to pack a punch at a loud dynamic, and it still holds a full tone at soft ones.
Suggested for orchestral and section playing, second bassoon chairs, and anywhere you want a big, dark foundation.
Free, vibrant, flexible.
Virtuo is my own design, modeled on the hand scraping I’ve done for years to research and perfect the art of the bassoon reed. It’s my personal favorite. A lighter tip profile makes it extremely flexible in dynamics and color, and it opens up the colorful overtones of the harmonic series so the bassoon can shine as a lovable solo instrument.
Suggested for solo work, principal playing, wind ensemble, and chamber music, anywhere you want a brighter, more colorful sound.
Every reed is wrapped by hand, so no two look quite alike.
Mix and match Symphon and Virtuo however you like.
A couple of each is the best way to meet both: two Symphon, two Virtuo, and one more of whichever you reach for. That’s five reeds for $100. Both lines suit the bassoon and its sound, so play them side by side, compare their notes (one dark and full-bodied, the other bright and lively), and let your aural palate decide which one pairs best with your sound.
Order by email or Instagram message.
I’ll send an invoice once we confirm your order.
Or send a message on Instagram @boutique.bassoon.buzzers
Ways to pay
Cash accepted from local buyers only. Checks are accepted by mail, inquire for details.
Shipping is a flat $10 per order.
I’m Clayton “Xale” Slusser, the maker behind Boutique Bassoon Buzzers at XKN Studios in Los Angeles. I’ve played bassoon since around 2000. I play in several orchestras and wind ensembles, and my chamber background is extensive, including quintet and solo playing. I teach, but it isn’t my main focus. I earned my undergraduate degree at Ohio Northern University and my master’s at CalArts, with extensive study beyond both.
I made my first reed in high school by reverse engineering one that had fallen apart, and it changed how I thought about the instrument. I had no formal reed study until graduate school, where I finally had time to experiment with scraping techniques and the reed-making machines that were out there, and to practice until I arrived at a style of my own. As an adult, I’ve invested in reed-making machines for bassoon reeds, so I can turn out consistent reeds every time.
What I do differently is the link between reed and bocal, which is often overlooked. My reeds are responsive, thin, and well profiled, so notes vibrate in tune and project as if they’re attached to the instrument rather than just put on a bocal. I thin the back of each reed to almost half a millimeter after beveling, so very little energy is lost between the vibrating blades and the bocal, and the sound carries through into the instrument.
I test my reeds on a wide range of instruments to make sure the response is even on all of them: Heckel 6000 series bassoons, professional Fox models like the 680, intermediate Fox models like the 240, other Fox student models, and friends’ Wolf, Schreiber, and Puchner bassoons.
Not sure where to start? Message me and tell me what you play. I’m happy to help you choose.