New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

TubeNet Sponsors make TubeNet possible!
Jess Haney
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 293
Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:34 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, CO

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Jess Haney »

Please post some pics of the new changes.
MoCoTubaBone
lurker
lurker
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 5:03 pm
Location: Rockville, MD

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by MoCoTubaBone »

Any idea of how much this 6/4 will weigh? Thanks!
User avatar
Douglas
Low Brass Teacher
Low Brass Teacher
Posts: 312
Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2004 3:05 pm
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
Contact:

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Douglas »

Any chance we'll see this at SERTEC?
Doug Black, D.M.A.
Assistant Professor of Music, Alabama A&M University
Eastman Tuba Artist
User avatar
Wyvern
Wessex Tubas
Wessex Tubas
Posts: 5033
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
Contact:

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Wyvern »

Unfortunately not. Will be at US Army workshop this coming Friday and Saturday
User avatar
bort
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 11222
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by bort »

Wait...

Broken spine... bad back... let's design a 6/4 BAT?

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're recovered enough that a tuba of this size is an option... and I applaud your work and efforts to build this tuba... but why not build something more reasonably-sized?
User avatar
tubapix
bugler
bugler
Posts: 180
Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:59 pm

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by tubapix »

Any news on final dimensions (bell size, weight...) and delivery date? Maybe some more eye candy pix too please.
User avatar
Wyvern
Wessex Tubas
Wessex Tubas
Posts: 5033
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
Contact:

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Wyvern »

20" bell and 0.075" bore expanding in 4th and 5th valves.

Delivery depends on professional feedback of prototype #2. We want to make the Grand as good as possible, so getting everything right is priority over quick release.
User avatar
tylerferris1213
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 484
Joined: Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:53 pm
Location: NW Ohio

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by tylerferris1213 »

I can't wait to try out one of these next to my Conn Grand Orchestral! They look like they have similar proportions
User avatar
Steginkt
bugler
bugler
Posts: 127
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 8:49 pm
Location: Albuquerque, NM

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Steginkt »

Will there be demo horns at the brick and mortar location come August or September?
User avatar
Wyvern
Wessex Tubas
Wessex Tubas
Posts: 5033
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
Contact:

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Wyvern »

Steginkt wrote:Will there be demo horns at the brick and mortar location come August or September?
I can't say until we have completed professional trial of the new Grand. Depends if ready to go as is, or needs further development
User avatar
Wyvern
Wessex Tubas
Wessex Tubas
Posts: 5033
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
Contact:

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Wyvern »

At the last visit to the factory, Chuck Nickles supervised the updating of the TB692 Grand 6/4 BBb to make it better still. To quote Chuck he says;
The newest version of the 6/4 BBb looks much different than what has been shown. Rewrapped the bows, did a major redesign of the valve block (the fourth slide now has 3 usable slides) and a number of other changes.
Here are couple of pictures for your interest

Image

Image

The new TB692 Grand will be at US Army workshop and TMEA 2018 to try - plus maybe the Midwest clinic if we have ready in time.
User avatar
bububassboner
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 648
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:16 am
Location: Sembach, Germany

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by bububassboner »

Here is another photo of the horn now.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Big tubas
Little tubas
Army Strong
Go Ducks!
Mark

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Mark »

bububassboner wrote:Here is another photo of the horn now.
Do we have to play it leaning off a wall? ;)
User avatar
bububassboner
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 648
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:16 am
Location: Sembach, Germany

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by bububassboner »

Mark wrote:
bububassboner wrote:Here is another photo of the horn now.
Do we have to play it leaning off a wall? ;)

I'm not quite sure what you mean. I'm pretty far from any wall in that photo.

Most of the work I did this last time was to bring the weight of the tuba closer to the player. A lot of big tubas tend to "lean" away from the player. This version is much easier to hold than what the factory did the first time. I signed my name on that one so it will be used as an example at the factory. I'm hoping that there will be a big row of them waiting for me the next time I go.
Big tubas
Little tubas
Army Strong
Go Ducks!
User avatar
Wyvern
Wessex Tubas
Wessex Tubas
Posts: 5033
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 7:00 pm
Location: Hampshire, England when not travelling around the world on Wessex business
Contact:

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Wyvern »

Here is that photo easier to view

Image
Mark

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Mark »

bububassboner wrote:
Mark wrote:
bububassboner wrote:Here is another photo of the horn now.
Do we have to play it leaning off a wall? ;)

I'm not quite sure what you mean. I'm pretty far from any wall in that photo.
I was making a joke about the photo being sideways. It looks like a great tuba and I am anxious to try one.
User avatar
GC
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1800
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 5:52 am
Location: Rome, GA (between Rosedale and Armuchee)

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by GC »

Getting the weight toward the player is great, especially considering how many big horns seem to simply pile tubing way out front. One thing I've noticed in comparing the pictures of the big CC and BBb horns, though, is that the weight seems much lower down on the CC. The tubing and bows on the BBb seem much higher up with a definite gap lower down.
User avatar
Ken Crawford
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 722
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:45 am
Location: Rexburg, ID

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Ken Crawford »

Any chance this horn, or others in the line up may eventually be available in a premium, handmade form like other tubas that are either "production" or "handmade?"
User avatar
thevillagetuba
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 695
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:40 am
Location: Cleveland, OH
Contact:

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by thevillagetuba »

kmorgancraw wrote:Any chance this horn, or others in the line up may eventually be available in a premium, handmade form like other tubas that are either "production" or "handmade?"
The 6/4 CC is this way already, at least handmade.
User avatar
Ken Crawford
4 valves
4 valves
Posts: 722
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:45 am
Location: Rexburg, ID

Re: New Wessex 'Grand' 6/4 BBb tuba

Post by Ken Crawford »

thevillagetuba wrote:
kmorgancraw wrote:Any chance this horn, or others in the line up may eventually be available in a premium, handmade form like other tubas that are either "production" or "handmade?"
The 6/4 CC is this way already, at least handmade.
Yes, that was assumed knowledge. One can't miss the dueling Wessex/Eastman 6/4 CC tuba threads over in the main forum.
Post Reply