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Yeah! I'm a Willson believer, for sure.

What's this venting system?

Enjoy your new horn! You'll also get to appreciate the extremely high quality of build on these horns. They last! Mine is really a tank, very durable. I hope yours serves you as well as mine has served me.

I always thought the 3400 Eb (piston) was a better tuba than the 3200 F (piston). I owned a 3200 for a couple years. The 3400 always seemed more solid overall.

I do not know which model Joe Skillen had when I heard him play a recital on a Willson piston F some years back, but the sound was very impressive, just a great-sounding F-tuba.

I love both of mine. My 3400 is awesome.

I once owned a CC 3050 RZ-5. Honestly, it was one of the BST playing CC's I have ever played. Why did you sell it, you ask? That MoFo was HEAVY. At the time, I was in serious need of hip replacement surgery and I just could NOT get it onto the stage or (Dog Forbid) down into the pit. It came with a main slide tuning jigger that was awesome. It played incredibly well in tune, the Rotax valves were fast and smooth (albeit a bit heavy) and the sound was glorious. I think the reason you don't see a LOT of them is that they are simply too hard to find, see, play and acquire. I have played several of the F's as well and liked them all.

tclements wrote:I think the reason you don't see a LOT of them is that they are simply too hard to find, see, play and acquire.

Plus, they are extremely expensive -- easily in the $20k club.

I've played and owned a lot of tubas, and the Willson is my favorite. The quality of the construction impresses me every time I pick it up. Thankfully I'm still young-ish and have a good back, so I'll put in my "good years" with this tuba. Maybe by the time it's too heavy for me, Willi will make a 4/4 rotary CC tuba. Yes, they have the model 4400 which is kind of like a CC version of the 3400, but I want a rotary version!