Flat Willson Euphoniums?

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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by oldbandnerd »

I have no personal experience with the Willson but can suggest to you an expert on these horns. Charley Brighton,known here as "highams" has been playing Willson's since the 70's and is currently a Willson performing artist in the UK. You can email him at - euph9@hotmail.co.uk" target="_blank .
Here's is Charley's webpage - http://www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk/neweuph" target="_blank. . Great information there .
You can also contact Dr.Bryan Bowman at UNT. He's a Willson (USA) peerfoming artist.
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by oedipoes »

Willson euphoniums have always had much more consistant tuning than besson, in my personal experience.
Was the mouthpiece ok with the lead pipe taper and size?
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by oedipoes »

maybe they keep the good ones in Europe ... :tuba:

Maybe try contacting Mr. Brian Bowman, he's been playing his 2900 for ages now, he might be the person to talk to.

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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by pgym »

LJV wrote:I just played 4 new 2900s and every one of them had some really weird pitch issues. Each would take a good bit of "learning" them. Yow!
I've noticed "pitch issues" when I've played/tested euro-shank 2900s, but not on large shank 2900s or 2950s.

I also notice similar pitch issues when I've played euro-shank Imperials and New Standards as compared to Globe-stamp Sovs, so perhaps it's an air management/usage issue?
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by jon112780 »

The 2nd slide is too long on every Willson euphonium I've tried. It makes the notes using 2nd valve BY ITSELF (E and A naturals) ablut 20-30 cents flat.
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by djwesp »

I'm an amateur euphonium player, at best, but have found similar issues with Willsons.

I had a gorgeous Willson Euphonium that sounded absolutely wonderful, but was forced to sell because of tuning issues. Other people that would actually be considered good Euphonium players had an easier time playing it on pitch, but I got tired of wrestling with it.

I sold it on Ebay and someone got a heck of a deal on it. A greyhound employee stole it, but thankfully got caught and it was given to its rightful owner.
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by djwesp »

LJV wrote:I used a Schilke 51D#1 and a DW SM3M in testing them and neither piece helped these poor things. Picked up any other euph that day and pitch was much more workable!

Coincidentally, these are the exact same mouthpiece setups I tried, as well!
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by CKH »

bloke wrote:I all have to do is tune the "tuning note" (top-of-staff Bb and A) about five cents flat (effortlessly "lipping" those two pitches up) and nearly every other pitch is dead-on in tune. However, if I were to tune the "tuning note" dead-on in-tune, I would have all sort of problems with quite a few pitches seeming to be "sharp".

I realize that this is the opposite of the tendency discussed by the original poster.

bloke "Sometimes 'the tuning note' probably should not be 'the tuning note'. "
Do you think that's representative of the horns as a whole or just specific to yours? I'm just curious.

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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by CKH »

I'll be getting one in the next couple days and I'll post what I think as far as pitch goes.

That being said, Snorlax said that tubing had to be removed on some of the horns. Where would you take off the tubing? Cutting the slide itself wouldn't matter, because when it's pushed all the way in, it's still all the way in no matter the length of it... Just wondering.

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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by bort »

bloke wrote:Mostly out of guilt for buying yet another tuba...
Well, what'd you get? :)
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by Bob Kolada »

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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by windshieldbug »

snorlax wrote:Flat Willson Euphoniums?
Image

(oh, c'mon. it was low, slow, and over the plate... :oops: )
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by imperialbari »

windshieldbug wrote:Image

Does this fine photo of a low pitch brass ensemble exist in a higher resolution?

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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by windshieldbug »

imperialbari wrote:Does this fine photo of a low pitch brass ensemble exist in a higher resolution?

Klaus
I'm sure it can be found somewhere. It is of an installation, Breathless, by contemporary British artist, Cornelia Parker.

Image

A description can be found at http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/furnit ... index.html
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Re: Flat Willson Euphoniums?

Post by imperialbari »

By implication of the artist’s words this ensemble would be in high pitch. But honestly, don’t they all look like being just about equally flat?
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