Is it worth putting $ into making a Wessex cimbasso more jazz friendly?

[barry grrr-ero]

Joe Selmannsberger has pointed out that the 700-something bore of the Wessex F cimbasso is a bit too big for the instrument to be really responsive and agile. I can't afford my dream cimmbassos - Haag, Thein, Mike Johnson, etc. - so is it worth putting any money into this thing to get it a bit 'brighter' sounding, and to have a better upper range (the high range really sucks)? . . . Would having an inch taken off the bell make any sense? Can a different pipe be easily put on these things? . . . I've already dumped money into making the rotary valves more functional. As for the mouthpiece . . .

Joe has put together a nice m.p. for me. However, at the moment, I'm using a Loud LM-15 with the narrower screw rim (I bought it from a friend). It seems to work pretty well. For jazz playing, should I look into a contrabass trombone size m.p.? . . . Do they make them with a tuba size shank?

Thanks in advance.

[BrassedOn]

LTTP;
Before altering a horn, I’d try different mouthpiece set ups.

Doug, who is active on TromboneChat, has had a lot of different and specialized setups and shanks. He also does in person and video fittings (and lessons and embouchure checks) to put you in a good direction.

http://www.dougelliottmouthpieces.com/

If you’re looking for a jazz horn, I suppose cimbasso is a reasonable starting point, like a big valve trombone. IMHO, I’d set up the Cimbasso what it’s good at, opera…maybe film recording session type work. And look for something else for jazz.

As far as altering the horn, I think the Wessex has a fixed leadpipe, and removing it to change out or add an insert is $$. Cutting a bell shortens the horn, raises the pitch, and probably messes with lots of things you like about a horn. The only bell I’ve heard cut with success was a king 2341 22” removable bell. It has a relatively flat last couple inches of brass, and the particular example had a trashed bead, which was Redone as a 20” bell.

For jazz, you might like an Eb or F helicon, maybe something left at Baltimore brass.

All that being said, your basic BBb tuba can do jazz, has done so for a 100 years. A lot of that has been tubistic type bass soloing as bass line playing. If you want to be more like Bob Brookmeyer, then it’s a bit uphill on cimbasso. I would still like to hear it. On YouTube, tuba players are opting for piston instruments like marching valve bones and baritones. Jupiter marching euph is supposedly very good.

[barry grrr-ero]

Thank you for your input. I should have been more specific. When I said 'jazz', I meant playing the bottom trombone part in a section within a jazz band. The cimbasso at least resembles the other trombones. I'm old, and am not crazy about the ergonomics (or lack thereof) of a valve trombone. I should just 'bite the bullet' and get a good bass trombone, but I'm trying to skirt around that. I've set this issue aside for the time being, and will later approach it from another angle. Thank you for your input. As far as jazz improvising goes: forget about it! . . . I suck at improvising. No point in pretending otherwise.

[BrassedOn]

Good luck with that. I think you could make the cimbassi work in that case. I’d expect good enough for opera, good enough for big band. You’re right to try mouthpieces set ups. I go back to my advice about Doug Elliot. Something like a bass bone piece with the right cimbasso shank but a tighter backbore would help.