Willson Eb tuba "good" mpc for low range

Steve Inman · Post by **Steve Inman** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:40 pm

Those of you who have significant play time on the Willson 3400 Eb tuba:

"If I wanted to use one of these as a compromise, one-tuba solution, I believe the challenge will be to have a good, full, strong low register. What mpc workes (worked) best for you to help the Willson Eb most pretend to be a contrabass tuba AND to have a quick response in the low register?"

I borrowed a friend's Willson Eb and it seemed a bit of a challenge from BBb down with my Helleberg -- not as responsive as my YEB-381. So I switched to a Bach 12 which significantly improved things for the Willson. Yet with the Bach 12 in common, the YEB-381 still played easier and notes popped out quicker than with the Willson. If I'm going to switch to a compromise solution, I'd rather like the only real compromise to be the voice of the instrument -- not its playability / responsiveness, and especially not in the low register (the main area of compromise for a bass tuba). The Yamaha plays great down there, but it sounds like a bass tuba -- as it should. So many folks really like the Willson, that I'm assuming there are some good solutions to this issue. I tried a TubeNet search, but didn't immediately turn up anything.

TIA,

Steve Inman · Post by **Steve Inman** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:42 pm

Doh -- should have also searched the "old" TubeNet.

Replies still welcome, however!

Thanks,

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:39 am

No problem here on my 3400.

I wonder if you're not running into the "WIllson effect" where the sound of the horn just seems more distant than on other tubas. This is very noticeable on the 3100 and 3050 contrabasses also.

Rest assured, your sound is getting out.

Steve Inman · Post by **Steve Inman** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:48 pm

Chuck(G) wrote:No problem here on my 3400.

I wonder if you're not running into the "WIllson effect" where the sound of the horn just seems more distant than on other tubas. This is very noticeable on the 3100 and 3050 contrabasses also.

Rest assured, your sound is getting out.

Thanks -- I don't think this is my issue. Using a Bach 12 -- closest mpc at hand that wasn't a funnel -- on both my YEB-381 and the 3400, and playing a quick down/up/down/up chromatic run from about low BBb (2 ledger line) down to pedal Eb and back up again -- Yamaha notes just popped out of the horn with no special concentration or effort needed -- effortless. The same notes on the Willson needed a bit more "force" and didn't spring from the horn in the same manner. This wasn't anything like the characteristics of my old compensating 983 -- it was much easier and free-blowing than that. But I didn't get the same, easy, effortless response from this particular Willson. The sound WAS bigger / broader than the Yamaha. But the response was not as satisfying. Not a huge difference, but definitely noticeable.

I will try this again, but with a PT72, a 69C4 (I think), the smaller Helleberg, Wick 1, Wick 2, etc. to see if any of my current mpcs improves this.

Thanks for your suggestions,

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:53 pm

Although I don't have much time on their Eefer, I love a LOUD LM-10 on my rotary Willson 3050. Yeah, not much "ground zero" feedback on those horns. I like the LM-10 top-to-bottom, but it'd definitely light up the low register on your horn as well.

Something to consider, at any rate...

...Dave

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:49 pm

As much as I loathe suggesting mouthpieces to other people (everyone's face is different; that's why we don't all look the same), I'll mention that an ME2 works fine for me also.