1980s built Besson 782 Eb tuba custom work

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GeoffC_UK
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1980s built Besson 782 Eb tuba custom work

Post by GeoffC_UK »

https://youtu.be/KASsK-A4DH0
Short video looking over my old Besson 782 (nee Imperial) that has had some significant custom work done.
Need a little time, now, to get used to the new configuration.
2ba4t
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Re: 1980s built Besson 782 Eb tuba custom work

Post by 2ba4t »

Thank you.

I popped in a few times to Mike Johnson at Farnell's workshop in Manchester and he kindly discussed a very similar conversion which he carries out. He mentioned that many players found the fourth valve lowest notes far clearer with the rotary. Do you find this? Also I think I saw that your third valve compensating tuning slide was extended to a BBb bass size. I do this (usually with added shanks) and find it makes a big difference in opening up and tuning the low FFF#, FFF and EEE. Obviously you can finger GGG only 124.

My way around all this was to have found an F tuba that blows perfectly with a fifth ascending valve. I switched the fifth's operation to be 'open' all the time when it not used - adding one and a half tones. Thus it puts it into Eb. Most F's I have tried blow equally well in F and Eb. Now I have an 'Eb non-comp' on which I can play FFF, EEE and EEEb etc as if an F tuba i.e. I close off the fifth valve by pressing it, shorten the bass to F, and play FFF 'open', EEE 2 etc. Useful for tuning, being noisy and low slurs. You can finger GGG, FFF# as an Eb tuba with 134 and 1234 which actually add about the right length of tubing.

Thanks again.
GeoffC_UK
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Re: 1980s built Besson 782 Eb tuba custom work

Post by GeoffC_UK »

2ba4t wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:04 pm Thank you.

I popped in a few times to Mike Johnson at Farnell's workshop in Manchester and he kindly discussed a very similar conversion which he carries out. He mentioned that many players found the fourth valve lowest notes far clearer with the rotary. Do you find this? Also I think I saw that your third valve compensating tuning slide was extended to a BBb bass size. I do this (usually with added shanks) and find it makes a big difference in opening up and tuning the low FFF#, FFF and EEE. Obviously you can finger GGG only 124.
Morning,
Not had it back after surgery enough time to give a complete and thorough evaluation, but here goes as of now.
The action of the 4th rotary is light and easy. This means that using alternate fingering in faster passages would be far easier.
Slurring from one note to a note using the rotary is far far better than before - counter intuitive, I know.
This suggests that the 4th pipework is less stuffy than it once was.
So, intially, the answer is "yes" it blows more freely with a rotary and noticeably so.
During discussions we talked of bore size through the 4th pipework, with the inlet/ outlet sizes being different on the rotary.
The bore also tapers and we made sure the pipework had smooth transitions and no right-angles in lay-out.
The workmanship is extremely good.
Hope this helps explain?
G
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