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I was just on Wessex's facebook page and saw these.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2pBL9 ... sp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2pBL9 ... sp=sharing

It looks like the bugle is similar to the Big Mouth Brass BBb 6/4, but the valve section looks very Holton-like. Wessex claims this horn will be without the typical intonation problems that were associated with the Holton 345s and Yorks. Personally, I'm sure the intonation will be better than those horns, but it won't be entirely point and shoot. Big Mouth Brass may have a serious contender if this horn is cheaper than the J-765, and with the independent 5th valve on the Wessex, Big Mouth Brass may end up dropping the J-765 altogether. I know if the J-765 would've had a independent 5th valve, I would have bought it.

Share your thoughts please.

My thoughts: you can't be sure of anything without playing the tuba first.

I have no idea how the Wessex 6/4 will play, except from the words of the person on this forum who directly benefits from their sale. And that's not a knock against Jonathan, whom I respect and like a lot. Just my view.

LCTuba89 wrote:Personally, I'm sure the intonation will be better than those horns, but it won't be entirely point and shoot.

Based on?

There is no way to tell based on those pictures how the thing will play. Could be great, could be a big turd. We'll know more after they make the rounds with it at this year conferences.

Lectron wrote:

LCTuba89 wrote:Personally, I'm sure the intonation will be better than those horns, but it won't be entirely point and shoot.

Based on?

Just based on the various experiences from different people on 6/4 horns. Even the YamaYork being as expensive as it is still quite a slide puller.

But this will be better?
Even thou it has less tapered tubing, more interuptions and same total taper as Holton 345 and BMB76X?

That will be the interesting part. My BMB plays pretty amazing with only a few intonation quirks. I'm more curious about how the low register will respond with a single bore valve section. The independent 5th valve might hurt the lower register as well. If the valve bores were tapered like on the BMB tubas, it would work well. The reason tapered bores were implemented in the first place was to counteract the stuffiness of using the 3rd and 4th valves in combos because they're already ridiculously long tubes.

Will a tuba that doesn't exist (in production) yet be "better" than a BMB? How could anyone answer that? Besides, "better" is extremely subjective.

Isn't the Wessex just a prototype right now? I'm confused

I'm just curious to hear what you all think about it currently.

KiltieTuba wrote:I wasn't impressed by the BMB 6/4 BBb - sound felt somewhat dead compared to my 345.

What do you mean by dead? Because my horn doesn't sound dead in a room, it's rather resonant. I'm guessing you're talking about the feedback that vibrates the entire horn? Isn't that usually the result of thin brass?