Review of Wessex Berg F Tuba

[balchb]

Same thing happened with my CC.. Very cool!

[chancek31]

How would the Berg compare to the bmb 445? Looking to buy soon and found a few bmb horns in my price range. I've played on the bmb and like it, but after reading, it seems like the Berg might be the way to go.

[bisontuba]

Hi-
Depends on which BMB F you tried--18" bell or 16" bell. The BMB's are very nice F tubas. Really love the 16" bell version. The Berg is too but is more of a Bass Tuba --F Tuba --sound. Depends on what type of 'sound' you are looking for.....
Good luck!
Mark

[PaulMaybery]

The BMB with the larger bell is a great horn. Had one now for 2 years. Wide open sound that can go from a delicate pianissimo to a huge fortissimo. Intonation is pretty good, but then no horns are perfect. It is very managable in that regard. The low register is huge and that 4th valve CC is ridiculously easy. I've had some modifications done to it and plan several more as well, particularly a spring loaded stick on the main tuning slide. You might say it is an F BAT, and like the CC Bats there are a few quirks, but nothing serious.The sound and response far outweigh any other negative issues. I plan on keeping this as my "go to" horn. It is a piston 6/4 F, so don't expect it to come off like a 4/4 or 5/4 F rotary.
I love how the upper range is so clear sounding. It seems like there is no fighting or unnecessary resistance. It can do much of what a CC can, but of course, even though the low register is there and very solid, it does not have the total gravitas of the CC. For that I use the CC BAT.
Dick Barth has supplied the horn with a Helleberg style mp, medium large volume. (Similar to the Conn 120.) This piece and others like it repond extremely well on this horn. For my tastes, I find it a tad better than going the small or shallow route. Comparing the BMB to the Berg is like Apples and Oranges. The two are much different intentionally and one is not necessarily better or worse. They are both tools that are used to do a job and it is up to the player to pull it off.

One last thought, I love the ergonomics of this tuba. It is not awfully heavy, sits nicely on the right thigh, and the valve block is relatively low and (for me at least) has a very positive effect on blood supply to the right hand. See picture in my avatar.

[Ken Crawford]

I've had a Berg now for about a month so I thought I'd chime briefly. The Berg is indeed beautiful.

PROS:
Great intonation throughout the range
Nice open low range
Very even blow throughout the range
Price
Silver finish looks great
Got a free gig bag since it doesn't fit in the hard case with the 5th valve slide installed.

NOT SO PRO:
Valves and linkage do need a going through
Main tuning slide needs to be cut, mine is in all the way and could go in another 1/4" or so if possible.
Main tuning slide is level with the bottom bow, so if it did need to be pulled out at all it would be below the bottom bow
Bell and bottom bow not aligned perfectly when assembled and a couple gobs of solder are visible looking down the bell

[bisontuba]

Hi-
Your tuning slide is longer than mine. I have my tuning slide out about an inch & it is not even or lower than the bottom bow.



Check to make sure stop arms are not too long. If they are, screws will bottom out and create a lot of noise. A repairman can fix that.
Having said that, JinBao does need to address their linkage on all their horns...the metal ball & socket parts and paddles/finger touches especially. It has gotten better, but still needs to be improved.
Enjoy your new F & good luck-
Mark

[Ken Crawford]

WOW! Your MTS is way shorter! Weird.

[Wyvern]

Thanks for the review and your observations on the Berg.

Regarding the main tuning slide, the first batch were too short and had to be replaced with longer. It seems like second batch were then a little too long, but that was not obvious as we checked in the heat of the Chinese summer (98F)!

The fact that yours will not fit in case with 5th slide tells me it is one of these first two batches.

Now with the most recent production the slide length is hopefully good for everyone and all conditions, with case in which it will fit with the 5th valve slide inserted.

Wessex have now changed our process with release of new models to try to catch such issues before going on sale in future, although that does slow the release to market. That is one reason for the lengthy gestation of the Gnagey Eb.

For other quality issues mentioned, sorry everything not perfect, but good to have constructive feedback, so we can pay special attention to get addressed. We are having a real drive on quality improvements.

Pleased you like the Berg - hope you get in lots of good playing!

[bisontuba]

I believe Andy is getting in 5 Berg F tubas in 2 weeks....I do not know if any or all are yet spoken for...FYI..
Mark

[bisontuba]

I see the Berg prices have risen slightly, so if interested, better order one soon...FYI..
Mark

[bisontuba]

I believe Andy is getting in 5 Berg F tubas in 2 weeks....I do not know if any or all are yet spoken for...FYI..
Mark

I see the Berg prices have risen slightly, so if interested, better order one soon...FYI..
Mark

berg berg berg berg berg

I want to buy a used B&S Symphonie-Mark

for less than I have spent on my berg ...FYI..Mark

Uh Dale-
Please go back and read my posts with your glassses on. I would like TO ADD a B&S Symphonie F to my F tubas, not sell my Berg to buy a Symphonie. I just don't want to pay--as we say in antique collecting--50 cents for a quarter. Nothing against a Symphonie F tuba at all...but there is a price point IMHO for a used horn that will need work.....
Since you have 'once again' brought up a Chinese horn, please tell all of Tubenet the Chinese tubas that YOU HAVE PLAYED that are being sold in 2016. I am certain everyone is on pins and needles waiting for your impressions on the Chinese HORNS YOU HAVE PLAYED and I especially await enlightenment.....
Most sincerely-
Mark

[bisontuba]

[bisontuba]

......

[PaulMaybery]

Alban

[bisontuba]

Alban

[k001k47]

I picked up a Berg a couple of months ago to use for quintet work. The rotors definitely could use some post-factory tuneup, and the tuning slide tolerances are a bit on the sloppy side, but it's a serviceable horn for the money. Playing wise, I have to play D using 3rd valve to get it in tune, and the low C and B natural are stuffy as heck. Other than that, it's a fine horn (again, for the money).

You probably got a lemon with very poorly cut and assembled tubes. I'm playing on a school owned horn I have similar gripes about; it sat mostly unused in a locker for a year since it was bought, and had a couple of small leaks when I started playing it, reinforcing my belief that it was assembled poorly. Upon cleaning and lubing it, I discovered a huge gap between the third and 4th valve knuckles, exposing a big "groove" between the ferrule, and a sickening amount of burring. I don't even want to think about what I'd find if I had a borescope. This is one of the number of issues that make the horn a dread to play for me ( It's shiny and looks cool, though). I have played other horns out of that factory that were a pleasure to play, though, but how bad this one is really makes me weary of purchasing one. Thankfully, wessex has a trial period and excellent customer service.

I'm kind of glad I never got my tuba from Al Triplett. It probably would have been worse. I was screwed out of a good amount of money, though. That I'm not glad about. Not one bit.

[PaulMaybery]

Just looking at some 'older posts' this evening and some of the 'scuttlebut'on the "Berg." This winter I bit the bullet at the Army Conference and walked off the floor with the demo "BERG. (of course it's in silver) " It's now the end of May and I am still on the proverbial honeymoon with it.
My biggest concern was that it would hold its own in a large orchestra when an F tuba is required. I play/practice on the "Berg' pretty much daily in a mix of horns (also the Wyvern and the Cimbasso - some euphonium and bass trombone) I've used it on several concerts with the St. Paul Civic which is a large 85+ orchestra. Even though the "Berg" is a 4/4 F tuba, it has a bore comparable to the 5/4 "Wyvern" (actually it's a tad larger) Don't let the compact size throw you it has a huge sound and presence. Right now I am using the new Robert Tucci 64 mouthpiece on it. Bob was kind enough to wak me through the 'ins and outs' on the new RT64 (which is a little different from the PT64 or PT65) The MP and the Berg marry very well. I'm not so sure whether its the MP or the horn or the combination, but I find it very easy to get things in tune without any weird fingerings. Valve 3 does seem to work a bit better than 1&2, but it does not seem to have those quirky tendencies. I'm not quite sure how they pull it off, but the "Berg" is extremely easy to play, not a bad or uneven sound on the horn, and it seems to have a great focus and presence. (presence being a certain projection and gravitas.) The low register is as good or better than anything out there.
I have not hesitated to recommend the "Berg" to several of my colleagues and now they are Wessex believers.