I have played with wind bands, brass bands, orchestra and brass quintet and found it has worked well for all. The valves following fitting new high-quality felts (which I now do for all JBEB-700 sold by Wessex Tubas) are quiet and amazingly reliable for piston valves. I have just oiled about once per week and have not suffered any valve sticking to date – which is a lot better than some expensive tubas I have played in the past.
However what has amazed me most about the tuba is the universal good feedback I have received from professional musicians!
The other tuba players in the championship band in which I play are so impressed that they are thinking of buying one themselves. In fact the principal (who is an ex-military band professional) is seriously considering selling his expensive German EEb to buy a Wessex compensated EEb, a compensated BBb and Bubbie with the money.
At wind band the Royal Marines conductor cannot praise the tuba enough. At rehearsal last week he asked me to play it 'all the time' as I sound, in his words “much better than any other tuba you have played – more rounded sound and your notes right in the centre of pitch straight away” – then at gig last weekend when I was only tuba he said “You have never sounded better – what a gorgeous big full tone – you and that tuba are made for each other!” He even repeated when he saw me at rehearsal this evening, saying he got "a real buzz" from my tuba sound at that gig.
Then I have orchestra conductor who on hearing me playing the EEb in brass quintet said “can you please use that tuba instead of the other one [my PT-15 F] for concert” (which consists of Wagner Meistersinger and Brahms 2).
I then took to orchestral rehearsal Monday and after we played through Meistersinger overture he said in front of orchestra “you sound so much better on that tuba in both tone and tuning - really great!”
So my expensive B&S tubas (Neptune and PT-15) are sitting in their cases unused – I don’t know if to be sad, or pleased that they have been ousted from use by tuba a fraction of the cost. Obviously pleased that tubas I am selling are so good, but at the same time sorry to (by request) not be playing the tubas I love most
I am posting this in Sponsor section, as some people will no doubt think this post is just blatant advertising – but it is not, it is a true account of the feedback I have got playing the Wessex compensated EEb.
If you want to discuss this post, then either PM me, or start discussion thread in TubeNet.
If you want to read independent review of this tuba by professional tubist, look out for article in the next Brass Herald - Jonathan Rees (London freelance pro) visited Wessex Tubas to review for the magazine last week.