Brass Herald interview with Jonathan Hodgetts, Wessex Tubas

[Wyvern]

Interview in the August 2015 addition of The Brass Herald

Jonathan Hodgetts in conversation with Philip Biggs

PB: Congratulation on Wessex Tubas reaching four years. It seems like the company is growing at an unprecedented rate and is an incredible success story. How did it all start?

JH: The story started in 2008 when I met and fell in love with a beautiful Chinese woman called Mei, who is now my wife. One time while we were over in China I was speaking to the Australian husband of one of her friends who is into golf and he said he was starting to import golf buggy’s into Australia as the price was very good and like most things made in China, the quality was rapidly improving. That sowed the seed of an idea for me to make use of my new Chinese connection to do the same with importing tubas into UK. After much research and several factory visits with my wife in March 2011 I ordered Wessex first tuba from China to assess the quality myself as a tuba/bass player since 12 years old. At the time I was an Information Security business consultant and I just thought of this as a possible side line.

PB: So how did the company develop?

JH: After initial evaluation, I decided that there was potential and ordered first pallet of tubas from factory catalogue. I am pleased to say that two of Wessex very first customers in June 2011 have become friends and the tubas I sold them are still playing well today.

PB: So you only started with tubas?

JH: Yes, my initial idea was just to sell tubas, but soon I had friends asking if I could get them trombones, trumpets etc - and within a short period the Wessex range included all the brass and even saxophones. But I like the name Wessex Tubas, so did not change, although it does not fully reflect the breath of products the company now sells.

PB: Wessex has built up quite a reputation for your quality and unusual brass, so how did that happen?

JH: I soon realised that although the standard brass coming from China was quite playable, it could be much improved and I could see great gaps in what was available. At first Wessex was small and the factories were not receptive to customising just for Wessex, but over time and as business increased that has very much changed with us now having very special relationship - and virtually all the Wessex range is now either much customised with improvements, or completely exclusive models made specially for Wessex. The customisation may be better materials, design improvements - or major remodelling. The EEb tuba we sell today has more than 20 improvements over the standard version we originally got from China and plays quite as well as the best available. Similar has happened for the euphonium, baritone, etc. We do tend to start with the lower brass and work upwards getting feedback from top players of that particular instrument.

The unusual happened right from the start when on one visit to factory, I saw small F travel tuba which was not being imported into west at all. I realised that to sell in the UK, it had to play in Eb and managed to pursued (or rather my wife did) the factory to make Eb crook - and from that was born the Bubbie tuba - so named by the renowned Herbie Flowers, one of Wessex first customers. That little travel tuba much contributed to the growth of Wessex and we sold hundreds worldwide - but was discontinued last year when we moved factories.

From the success of the Bubbie, we decided to develop a BBb travel tuba. The design for that was based on a 19th century tornister tuba, or back-pack tuba used by the Austo-Hungarian Army up until WW1 - modernised with 4-valves. From that Wessex Mighty Midget was born. Unlike the Bubbie that was rather stuffy to play, the Midget is larger bore and plays and sounds like a real BBb Bass despite its diminutive size, smaller than a euphonium.

Then through the chance acquiring of an 1860’s ophicleide and meeting Tony George (one of its leading advocates), I decided for Wessex to put an instrument that has not been made for over 100 years back into production. It is now being made in the saxophone factory, which is full circle as the saxophone was originally a development of the ophicleide. For those readers unfamiliar with the ophicleide it is the predecessor of the euphonium and was very popular in 19th century for band and orchestra.

PB: You mentioned selling worldwide. So how international has Wessex gone?

JH: That has been another nice surprise since starting Wessex, how business has grown worldwide. One of my very first orders was from Latvia and now there are few countries in the world which we have not supplied. Wessex has supplied from Mexico to New Zealand, Russia to South Africa. In fact now more than half our business is even outside EU. Two years ago I started Wessex Tubas LLC in Michigan, USA which only supplies the states and some months now their sales even exceeds Wessex Tubas Limited, UK which supplies the rest of the world.

PB: So where does Wessex go now?

JH: I am very excited that in UK with Jim Langley we have develop our new Excelsior Compensated BBb tuba, a completely new design, larger bore but overall more compact than anything else out there. And in the USA soon to come out our new Gnagey front piston valve Eb tuba, another new original design. That is one area I see Wessex going, developing our own unique new range of brass. That is also happening with the trombones with the professional advise of Chip Hoehler - we will soon have our own world quality range. As with all Wessex, reasonably priced to be affordable to all musicians, while in quality and playing up with the best.

Talking of quality, last year we decided to start quality and playing checks of all instruments at the factory, before them leaving to ensure every Wessex is good. We will not accept any instrument we would not be happy playing ourselves in concert. Those checks have really raised the quality, as the factory workers know we will refuse if anything is not good, past problems are disappearing. I am aiming for German made quality at a third of the price.

Then we have also moved into the accessory market with gig bags, stands, mutes and most recently mouthpieces, working with Dr Frederick Young. Also Wessex has moved into new premises at Andover in UK with warehouse, workshop, offices and showroom with probably the biggest range of brass in UK.

I cant say exactly were Wessex will be going next, but all signs are upwards to become a leading player in the brass world!

PB: Thanks for this so much Jonathan, I wish you continued success.

JH: Thank you Philip. We look forward to seeing you at event soon, either in UK or overseas