Malin Bassoon Wire, 21 gauge

For comparison, here is a chart showing the diameters of the bassoon wires.

The Rieger .7mm and the 21 gauge wires are the standard for contrabassoon reeds. The Rieger .7mm wire feels a little more malleable than the Malin 21 gauge.

There has been confusion over what gauge the Rieger wire is because their packaging says that it is approximately the same as 24 gauge when, in reality, it is closer to the American 21 gauge. Rieger is comparing their wire to the British wire gauges which are a little different than American wire gauges and in the case of the .7mm wire, it was a carry over from the printing on the .6mm label where it appears they forgot to change it to the correct measurement.

For a discussion about wire gauges and how they affect bassoon reeds, check out our Bassoon Wire Blog.