Heckel Bocal Buying Guide
The Heckel bocal is unparalleled in its refinement of sound and control. The letter designations indicate variations of metals, wall thickness, and bore size, while numbers indicate length.
At Nielsen Bocal Supply we sell bocals in 0, 1, 2 or 3 lengths. The lower the number, the shorter the bocal and the higher the pitch. Sizes 1 and 2 are the most common, especially in the US, 0 and 3 less so. If a size is out of stock, contact us and we will order it for you!
00 - 446 Hz (special order only, not offered in the drop-down menus)
0 - 444 Hz
1 - 442 Hz
2 - 440 Hz
3 - 438 Hz
The standard Heckel bocal has a wall thickness of 0.6mm. This is known as the "thick wall” and is labeled with a “C” or “CC”. The base metal of most thick walled bocals are made out of a hard German silver alloy (C) or a soft German silver alloy (CC). The harder alloy tends to be more brilliant and the softer alloy produces a warmer, more blended sound. Both have good projection. All of the plated Heckel bocals we keep in stock are silver-plated. We also offer Heckel bocals in a gold-brass alloy. These are un-plated with a mellower, quieter sound and slightly less projection, which is suitable for chamber or church music.
“Thin wall” bocals have a thickness of 0.5mm and are labeled with a “D”. They are made with the harder metal alloy and have an overtone-rich sound spectrum. Thin wall bocals tend have a more immediate response and tuning flexibility than the thick wall.
Aside from the different alloys, lengths and thickness, Heckel bocals are made with different bore shapes. For example, the C and CC have the same bore shape/thickness and the only difference is the hardness of the metal alloy.
*All of the Heckel Bocals we have in stock are the standard S bend. If you prefer the British or flat bend, we can order it for you at no extra charge.
The following key gives a short explanation of each letter of the Heckel acronyms.
B = Narrower bore than the CC which is good for the high register. Not as good intonation in the middle and low range.
E = Slightly narrower opening at the tip for a more focused sound.
C = The hard silver alloy, allowing for a brilliant sound. Otherwise, same bore size as the CC
CC = Standard bore size with the soft silver alloy, allowing for a warm, blended sound. Good response in upper and lower registers Only available in the thick wall. Because it is a softer alloy, you won’t see a thin-bore (eg. CCD) CC bocal.
D = Thin-wall. 0 .5 mm thick, which increase response time and vibration. Thin-wall bocals are made of the harder metal alloy.
V = A version of the C bore with a slightly different taper, typically preferred by players with older instruments. Provides more even intonation across range of instrument
XL = Offers improved response in the high register. We find that it matches well with Fox bassoons.
R = The newest designation. The label is directly underneath the cork and there is no stamp on the body of the bocal. The metal is more compressed which provides a wider sounder spectrum and more responsiveness. All original Heckel S-bocals are available in R-Variants. If you are interested in the R bocals, please contact us.
On almost all Heckel bocals, the base metal stamp is located directly above the cork. We carry the following:
N = German Silver, soft. Standard
Z = German Silver, hard. Brighter sound than N
G = Gold Brass. Mellow and quiet sound for chamber music
Other base metals are available for special order and the price will vary depending on the metal. As you can see, based on the materials, these are most likely insanely expensive, but if you want one, we will order it for you!
AG = Sterling Silver 925. Bright, but quieter sound than silver alloy
AU = Gold 8 Karat. Mellow direct sound
14k = Gold 14 Karat. Markedly mellower sound
18K = Gold 18 karat. Similar to the 14 karat, but mellower.
PD = Palladium. Hard sound, but good choice for anyone with a nickel or silver allergy.