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Lectron wrote:I tried the Excelsior and it was not a good tuba.

In your opinion Other players, including some in Championship bands like it. Different people have different likes. No tuba we make is going to appeal to everyone.

Wyvern wrote: Different people have different likes. No tuba we make is going to appeal to everyone.

True :)

What about a good small rotary F tuba?

I've played most common F tubas currently in production, and none come close to beating my old MW45k. Most are just too big and don't sound like F tubas. Most would disagree, but I think even the PT 10 is too big.

I'm thinking of a horn the size of an old Miraphone 180, maybe a little bigger like an Alex 155. Use the lightest/thinnest construction possible, with a small bell. Something with fast valves and good intonation/response. Essentially a dedicated solo rotary F tuba.

Sounds kind of like the Cerveny 653...?

bort wrote:Sounds kind of like the Cerveny 653...?

Possibly, although I've never played one. I'm thinking of a horn with a taller bell stack though. I think that tall "free float" bell contributes to the sound of German style tubas.

How about a Mahler-plus? So the Wessex Mahler, only a little larger, ala 188. Or a BBb Mahler or Mahler-plus. Or both. It's a great platform, more should be done with it.

In BBb piston, whether you do a 4/4, 5/4, or that 6/4 that everyone talks about, can someone engineer a way to fully empty all valve slides at once, as on some rotary horns? The water-spin can be a real task for a big horn in a tight place, and is pretty distracting to your audience. Finally, there must be a way to incorporate a modified Amati spit valve. Maybe it's not an issue for everyone, but I seem to catch the spring-loaded levers on my horns on chairs, clothes, and what-not too often. Thank you.

I am not sure if it has been said, apologies if so, but now that I am starting to look at the realm of travel tubas, it would be SO helpful if there was a 5 valve CC travel tuba (Or a CC version of the Bubbie 5) to work on rep like Prokofiev 5, Romeo and Juliet, Mahler 2, without having to use an alternate fingering/a fingering we wouldn't use on our actual big tubas for low F and below.

MN_TimTuba wrote:In BBb piston, whether you do a 4/4, 5/4, or that 6/4 that everyone talks about, can someone engineer a way to fully empty all valve slides at once, as on some rotary horns? The water-spin can be a real task for a big horn in a tight place, and is pretty distracting to your audience. Finally, there must be a way to incorporate a modified Amati spit valve. Maybe it's not an issue for everyone, but I seem to catch the spring-loaded levers on my horns on chairs, clothes, and what-not too often. Thank you.

I didn't realize what a big plus that was until I owned a rotary!!

Wyvern wrote:

Lectron wrote:I tried the Excelsior and it was not a good tuba.

In your opinion :) Other players, including some in Championship bands like it.

Played Champion section up in NW regionals in winter gardens
Didn't see much to it there ;)

I'm still holding out for a 6/4 345 style CC. Wouldnt say no to a contrabass trombone. Many are too expensive for schools to justify purchasing

In BBb? Or just the one in F?

Steginkt wrote:In BBb? Or just the one in F?

Both! Only the F is on website at present, but the BBb will be back up again (by popular request) in the next month.

Steginkt wrote:I'm still holding out for a 6/4 345 style CC

We have something even better than that on its way shortly

Wyvern wrote:

Steginkt wrote:In BBb? Or just the one in F?

Both! Only the F is on website at present, but the BBb will be back up again (by popular request) in the next month.

Steginkt wrote:I'm still holding out for a 6/4 345 style CC

We have something even better than that on its way shortly :)

You always makig dreams true haha!!

Perhaps this is an odd one.... but any thoughts of producing anything like the Sarrusophone? Bass/contrabass?

Heliconer wrote:Perhaps this is an odd one.... but any thoughts of producing anything like the Sarrusophone? Bass/contrabass?

Have considered and as quickly abandoned. Don't want Wessex to get into developing reed instruments. Better to stick with 'brass' which we understand

I can say a new model bass trombone developed with Chris Stearn of Scottish Opera is on its way. Mark 2 prototype has just been approved...and it is a good-in.

With a 4P1R set up or 983 style compensating setup?

That's what I ran into. Valve blocks turned like those are uncomfortable, I'd prefer the more straight up and down (Eastman/King like).

58mark wrote:
I like the way the gnagey plays, but hate the ergonomics. The valve block is at a very uncomfortable position for me.

That was commented on prior production, but for some reason just not a priorety.
Straight or slanted (the other way :) ) would work much better.....like your small conn.
......that's not really that small. Compact, yes

The problem is it is very difficult to change the angle of the valve block. It means a complete re-design which in turn might cause some other adverse effect