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Congratulations. Do you know if Fletch played a horn like this one?

Ace

Congrats on your new acquisition - I wouldn't mind getting my hands on a "shot" (bad valves, etc.) version of one of these someday, and then experiment on adding a side-action valve set (I have ergonomic issues with top action horns )

IMHO, there's something about the small, tight bell-flare that makes these bass tubas just sparkle.

bloke wrote:...so I'm beginning to wonder if those came-along-later 19" bells were the factor that brought these instruments down just below 'standard' pitch.

And, so, I'm beginning to wonder if that small, tight 15" bell-flare just might be the main factor that gives these horns such a good pedal register?

Has the ball buster been taken off?

I would try the Yamaha case for the fit before buying. But then that case may be fairly easy to modify.

TN cut off the bell from the photo, so I rotated it.

Klaus

YOU ARE ONE OF US NOW.
THERE IS NO ESCAPE...

I played a besson with the 19 inch bell when I bought my yeb321(which I'm still not sure if I will keep due to fingerings). I hated it. Weird and stuffy and uneven.once you got down into 4th valve low range it opened back up and was fine.its the only compensating e flat I've played. Are they all like that? was it a bad example? Does the smaller bell make the difference? The Yamaha I bought( which was 5500 less than they were asking for the very good condition besson) was dramatically superior to the besson to me.the fingerings and inability to adjust slides on the fly are really my only two hang ups,with a couple of low notes as a third lesser issue.

They are not all that bad, Mike. Next time you're in town I'll bring out my Eb and let you have a go at it. And Bloke, I'm jealous at the condition of your horn.

Ace wrote:Congratulations. Do you know if Fletch played a horn like this one?

Ace

From what I've heard, he did use something like this earlier in his career. How he went to a larger bell is speculated from just wanting a broader tone for larger orchestral works or an MD asked him for something bigger sounding or for better capture in recordings etc ad nauseum....

Our brass band here in Canada owns a horn like Bloke's that we just recently had refurfished. Like bloke's it has a 15 inch bell. Great horn. I have used in the brass quintet I play in with much success. When the british tuba soloist Les Neish visited our band last summer he played on a besson 982 with a 17 inch bell.I myself regularly play on a besson 981 with a 19 inch bell. Having played all three horns, I can honestly say that bell size does matter.All three are great point and shoot tubas with impeccable intonation and pitch.

There is something about that tuba I like...

Those sneaky English hit me where I wasn't looking!!

bloke wrote:I'm thinking this will probably fit in a YEB-321 case (one of the sturdy old black ones)...

It will, I have that combo.

Once you go E flat.... you won't regret that????

sorry i am no poet, and I know it.....

my feet are not Longfellow's

k

Last year (2015) at the Army Band Tuba conference Baltimore Brass had one of those at their display. I was very tempted but the price was pretty high. Have a 19" Boosey and it has been my main horn for 30 years. I would like to play around with a 15" model.

k

Has anyone ever successfully cut an Eb Boosey/Besson down to F? If feasible it might actually be easier then learning to read & mash in Eb.

pjv wrote:Has anyone ever successfully cut an Eb Boosey/Besson down to F? If feasible it might actually be easier then learning to read & mash in Eb.

Don't think it really works cutting these.
Besson did make 3+1 comp F's in fairly small numbers which some folk like. I've played a few which all had more pitch issues than I care for but I guess some are better than others!
If you REALLY want a comp F, Walter Nirschl will build you one...

So Joe and Robert, who gets to break the bad/good news to the Tubenet world??

Great!