Wessex Tubas - what would you like?

[Wyvern]

Jonathan, Steve, Chuck, et al...

Does the B50 gig bag fit the Kaiser? I would like to find a more substantial bag than my current bag for my B&S Kaiser (same basic dimensions as the Wessex Kaiser). My current bag is an ancient Mirafone canvas bag with no padding at all.

Thanks,

Bill

The B50 gig bag is not large enough, but we have new B690 bags coming in later this year which will be custom made for the Kaiser

[Doc]

Jonathan, Steve, Chuck, et al...

Does the B50 gig bag fit the Kaiser? I would like to find a more substantial bag than my current bag for my B&S Kaiser (same basic dimensions as the Wessex Kaiser). My current bag is an ancient Mirafone canvas bag with no padding at all.

Thanks,

Bill

The B50 gig bag is not large enough, but we have new B690 bags coming in later this year which will be custom made for the Kaiser

Thanks! I’ll be watching for it...

[bloke]

The B50 gig bag is not large enough, but we have new B690 bags coming in later this year which will be custom made for the Kaiser

Please consider giving them - perhaps - another inch (height) of "growing room"...just in case someone might be interested in one for an old kaiser (etc.)

[Kevbach25]

Weird for a tuba forum as well as lengthy, but...

An alto (tenor) horn with a larger bore than cornets and tapered accordingly for the larger bore. I'm thinking around .485"-.500". Cornets and baritone horns seem to be growing in size while the tenor horn is not. Why this is could be left for a separate discussion.

The main idea of this is there should be more separation between cornet and alto horn, and less between alto and baritone horns.

If we're taking this to the extreme, however...

The return of the compensating tenor horn. I've seen one online (a Boosey if memory serves, may have been a Besson) and I thought it was the coolest alto/tenor horn I had ever seen.

Specs could be .500" bore, bottom-sprung compensating valves, ~8" bell, wrapped more like the Geneva tenor horns that have a straighter leadpipe.

I'm not saying this should be done, but I think it would be a nice change in a market that, honestly, appears to be somewhat stagnant as far as design is concerned. They're all too similar!

[Innocent Bystander]

So, what can we actually expect to see this year then?

[Wyvern]

A new alto horn is planned, and possibly compensated. I can’t see why the compensating system has to stop with the baritone - intonation is equally important for the higher brass.

For planned new releases in 2020, these include;

- Monster Eb, both front piston and top valve compensated
- 4/4 rotary BBb
- CC/BBb cimbasso
- Front piston version of the British F
- French saxhorn in Bb
- Another new euphonium
- Tenor tuba

And an exciting new 6/4 tuba unlike anything currently available possibly too

[Mark Finley]

how many of those are going to be at the army workshop or TMEA?

[Wyvern]

how many of those are going to be at the army workshop or TMEA?

None, those are developments for 2020. What you have not seen before will be the new front piston F in both versions (17” and 15” bell improved over ITEC prototype), the new Leviathan 6/4 compensated BBb (lightweight and heavyweight versions), the British F (with improved intonation over prototype) the EP600 Sinfônica euphonium (first production), the 5-valve Kaiser and the CC Helicon.

[bort]

And an exciting new 6/4 tuba unlike anything currently available possibly too

A rotary 6/4 in the style of a Neptune?

[DouglasJB]

And an exciting new 6/4 tuba unlike anything currently available possibly too

Could this the 6/4 Eb Bat possibly?

[EmptyCase]

I would like to see something that resembles a piston 6/4 BBb recording tuba. Like a Conn 36j tuba.

Or if you really want to go crazy... something that resembles a piston valve version of the monstrous king pit tuba.

[Ltrain]

What (specifically) is going on with the Eb Sousaphone?

[Wyvern]

What (specifically) is going on with the Eb Sousaphone?

We are changing tapers to improve intonation

[Ltrain]

What (specifically) is going on with the Eb Sousaphone?

We are changing tapers to improve intonation

ETA for the redesign? / Does the Eb Helicon have the same intonation issues?

Bonus question: do you have a release date for the CC helicon?

[Wyvern]

What (specifically) is going on with the Eb Sousaphone?

We are changing tapers to improve intonation

ETA for the redesign? / Does the Eb Helicon have the same intonation issues?

Bonus question: do you have a release date for the CC helicon?

No, the Eb helicon is unaffected. It was through the Eb helicon the problem was found, because it played so much better, we started investigating why. I don’t have ETA for updated model at present.

The CC Helicon has now been approved by its designer, Carl Kleinsteuber, so will be out in the Summer - I would gestimate July.