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Besson "England" is closed ...
The Besson tubas "England" and Besson "made in Germany" are not exactly alike (materials, bore, sizes, shapes)
Which currently manufactures the original plans? (York?)
Thank's

http://www.londonmi.co.uk/ ??

My understanding is that York (Keilwerth Schreiber) bought the tooling from the administrators of Besson. However there are differences between the original Bessons and all of the similar products being made now.

For instance, the bell on the York Emminence euphonium is not the same as the Prestige bell (311mm vs. 284mm). Though I've had original Besson Prestige and new York Emminence euphoniums in the house, I cannot say what other changes were made.

York got the Besson tooling
LMI got many of the Besson employees
Buffet Crampton got the Besson name and many of the major artists
Miraphone, Nirschl and Meinl Weston got an opportunity to break into the Besson euphonium niche

One source, repairman/player/owner, told the York top Eb tuba is made of thinner sheet metal than were the Sovereigns.

Klaus

I have two 980 in that time (Besson "London," Besson "Germany") and I can say that the developments are frankly less well (at all levels)

http://www.besson.com/en/" target="_blank

Besson has done a great job at re-designing their tubas and euphs. The CC tuba is really good.

tubamichel wrote:I have two 980 in that time (Besson "London," Besson "Germany") and I can say that the developments are frankly less well (at all levels)

Can you elaborate?

I hope no one is confusing the hand 'York' with the guys who were once in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I've seen the original Besson 'Presitge' and the new Meinl-built 'Pristige' side-by-side and they appear identical except for some improvements that Besson should have made a long time ago.

I thought Buffet-Crampon owned the name and the tooling lock, stock, and barrel. Has something transpired recently that I haven't heard about? I know getting Besson parts is still a royal pain in the axx.

the metal is different (thickness, aspect)
the bore is not strictly one of "England": the tubings are not interchangeable.
the radii of curvatures of some parts are not the same.
the sound is less consistent and less accuracy

TubaTinker wrote:I hope no one is confusing the hand 'York' with the guys who were once in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I've seen the original Besson 'Presitge' and the new Meinl-built 'Pristige' side-by-side and they appear identical except for some improvements that Besson should have made a long time ago.

I thought Buffet-Crampon owned the name and the tooling lock, stock, and barrel. Has something transpired recently that I haven't heard about? I know getting Besson parts is still a royal pain in the axx.

Yes Buffet-Crampon does own the name and rights. But they have contracted through their conglomeration with a company in Germany to supply the actual parts and assembly.

And yes, some people love the new horns, including Mead and Werden; others do not.