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Posting my obligatory, "I GOT A NEW HORN" post. I'm making a pretty substantial change from my York Master CC and going with the new 6/4 5-valve BBb from Wessex. I found this horn to have excellent intonation (even with me overcoming the key shift, and 13 years of habits picked up on a CC with more 'vintage' intonation), it has a sound that is befitting it's physical size (absolutely friggin' huge) but it also surprisingly nimble and responsive. This is my first venture into the BAT club, so I'm sure there will be lots to learn and adjust to. Also, just fyi, there will probably be a 5/4 4-valve mostly silver plate CC York Master on the for sale page pretty soon.



/This is from MWRTEC

Congrats! it looks great!

If I may ask, will you post a review of this horn in the future? Many players probably want one, but aren't sure about dishing out the money for it.

Congrats! You sounded great at the masterclass!

Looking forward to video or written review of this horn. Congrats.

Doc wrote:Review and sound samples, please!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aUcoKW6O71

Missing a "Q" at the end of the URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUcoKW6O71Q" target="_blank

I'll be curious to hear if this ends up being "too big."

Bort, thanks for correcting the URL.

Disclaimer: Chris mentions a 5th valve on the prototype that he plays in the video. Subsequent to the posting of this YouTube, the decision was made to introduce a second 6/4 BBb. This tuba is known as the "Prokofiev." Currently in prototype form only, this instrument has a hand-hammered bell just as the "Chicago-York" and "Chicago-Presence" 6/4 CC tubas do, and will sell at the same price as those two CC's (see https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/tubas). The "Grand," which is the tuba that Chris reviewed and Kevin acquired, has a machine-formed bell, 4 valves, and a price that is significantly lower than the other three Wessex 6/4 tuba models.

Steve Marcus wrote:Bort, thanks for correcting the URL.

Disclaimer: Chris mentions a 5th valve on the prototype that he plays in the video. Subsequent to the posting of this YouTube, the decision was made to introduce a second 6/4 BBb. This tuba is known as the "Prokofiev." Currently in prototype form only, this instrument has a hand-hammered bell just as the "Chicago-York" and "Chicago-Presence" 6/4 CC tubas do, and will sell at the same price as those two CC's (see https://wessex-tubas.com/collections/tubas). The "Grand," which is the tuba that Chris reviewed and Kevin acquired, has a machine-formed bell, 4 valves, and a price that is significantly lower than the other three Wessex 6/4 tuba models.

My 2 Internet cents.

Tried the Hand Hammered Bb at NABBA, in the 3-4 minute loud room test, I think I liked it more than the C horns, even though C is my primary. Easy playing. I thought it felt way better than the current 6/4 machined horn.

I think it was mentioned in one of the reviews, but the rotar feels fantastic. Short throw, smooth action.

Steve Marcus wrote:The "Grand," which is the tuba that Chris reviewed and Kevin acquired, has a machine-formed bell, 4 valves, and a price that is significantly lower than the other three Wessex 6/4 tuba models.

Just to clarify, the Grand which Chris Olka reviewed and the one Kevin has purchased has 5-valves. However only a handful of 5-valve Grand have been manufactured. All future TB692 Grand will be 4-valve (available from August), with the 5-valve 6/4 BBb being the TB693 Prokofiev which will all be hand-hammered and therefore lightweight like the 6/4 CC’s - and sold at similar price.

The TB692 Grand will be sold 4-valve as a lower price alternative aimed at concert band use. The characteristics Chris Olka mentions in his video review make it ideal for this purpose, while the TB693 Prokofiev is aimed at professionals and large symphony orchestra use (such as for Prokofiev and Shostakovich).

Correct, my horn is 5 valves.

Initial reactions after the first week:

I will try to make essentially a copy of Chris's video in about a month or so (I hope he won't mind!) School is winding up to finals week at the moment and I'm not quite getting the time in I want on the horn, but summer approaches.....

I am still very much in love with this horn, but I am still learning it, and for me, there's a lot to learn. The biggest hurdle at the moment is adjusting my air to blow that kind of low voltage high amperage air you need to make one of these really rumble. I'm so used to being able to just honk through my YM when the playing got loud that changing the concept to actually getting more relaxed when I need more volume is difficult. I am working with the upper-middle registers at the moment too, I think this is mainly a BBb thing than anything else, played CC for a long time. I will say that working the Wes Jacobs super-low Bordogni has been an absolute joy and may be my new favorite tuba pass time

KevinMadden wrote: I will say that working the Wes Jacobs super-low Bordogni has been an absolute joy and may be my new favorite tuba pass time

I had a question about volume one here;

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6441" target="_blank

Is the extra low stuff and alternate keys in the complete volume as well or is it exclusive to the "low etude" volumes 1-3??

Three Valves wrote:

KevinMadden wrote: I will say that working the Wes Jacobs super-low Bordogni has been an absolute joy and may be my new favorite tuba pass time

I had a question about volume one here;

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6441" target="_blank" target="_blank

Is the extra low stuff and alternate keys in the complete volume as well or is it exclusive to the "low etude" volumes 1-3??

Sadly exclusive to volume 1, volume 2 starts at #16 and are just presented in one key, I haven't actually taken the time to compare them back to the Rochuts.

Thanks,

Best wishes on the BAT!!