Can't B&H build a comfortable tuba? What's with that?

[Sylvano]

Hi Folk,
I hope someone can talk to these guys.
A few years ago I sold my Yamaha Eb (YEB-381S) and bought a Besson 983 Silver. I had tried Pat's horn at the Army conference shortly after he started playing that model. I loved the 17-inch bell's clarity/focus. A few months after getting that horn, my wrist got tired of being bent out of shape in order to play these 4 valves.

I talked to Pat about that problem and he said, "Well, I tilt the horn this way and it works for me" but sure didn't for me. I sold the horn and waited for a Besson 980... and waited...
I would have bought a Yamaha 631 but try finding one. I just don't like a 19" bell, so the 632, 981-982 were not my first choice.

So after two years of being eflatless, I had the chance to buy a 983 lacquered which actually plays much better than the silver horn I had. So there I am again with a good sounding horn built for aliens with no elbows.

Now, I know that B&H built a "Cavalry" front action 4 valve compensating Eb sometime in the 20th century that had valves slanted toward normal hand position. My old King Bb is fine, my 45 SLP is fine and look at the old York that Jake played: The valves are in a slant. Burn that last blueprint and look in your old filing cabinet Mr Besson Designer, what you need is right there.

That leaves me with two things to do:
A) Find a good technician that would shift the action. That would mean to bend the leadpipe and fashion a different joint between the main tuning slide (what's with the 1 1/4" tuning slide anyway?) and the 4th valve. That would mean the slides would also be in a slant.
B) Ask the "Besson Artists" like Pat Sheridan and Mike Forbes to lobby their sponsors for a design modification. It's not rocket science to build a more ergonomic tuba specially when there are all these examples out there.

Please, if you tell me there is no problem with Besson's front action horns, also provide me with instructions for the surgical team in charge of chopping 1 ft off my right arm. If you don't, send me your intergalactic address so I know which solar system you're from. I'll send you photos of my modified body.

Sylvain Gagnon
Band Master
Royal Military College of Canada
Tubist Kingston Symphony, Brass Werks
Tuba instructor, Queen's University

[MaryAnn]

I have the opposite problem....I played some guy's front action BBb tuba and lacked several inches of arm length....almost literally could not reach the buttons because of the arm length / hand angle required. Had I gone on for more than 30 seconds it would have gone over the pain threshold.

Good luck. I guess you're just not built "right" and neither am I.

MA

[Tabor]

I knew a tubist who had special finger buttons made when he purchased a Besson like that one. He has small hands. They were like very big oval paddles and inlaid with mother of pearl intended for guitar building. It was a cool idea for a cool horn, but then he sold it and became a Yamaha clinician.

[Tabor]

I didn't find the horn all that uncomfortable, but then again we're all shaped differently. Still, there are modifications that can be made.

[Chuck(G)]

People are constructed differently, period.

Barry G. finds the 983 comfortable and the Willson 3400 awkward; my reaction is just the reverse--in particular, I found that the 983 resulted in a certain amount of right-hand discomfort.

I suspect the basic issue is one of body proportions. I'm 6'4" and I seem to recall that Barry is somewhat shorter.

I'd like to see a return to the front action "valves on a slant' horns, myself, rather than the front action "valves in a vertical line".

[Lew]

I'm also 6'4" and find the 983 much more comfortable than the Willson. I also have a King 2341 that I find comfortable, although the valves are a little bit more angled on it. I think it was more of an issue of where the valves were positioned on the Willson that I didn't like. That and the fact that I didn't get as much "feedback" from the horn as I wanted, while the Besson seems much more alive to me.

[Sylvano]

Ok, I'm 6'2" 205 lbs. If the horn is strait upward, you have to twist your body to reach the mouthpiece. If you sit strait (as I'm telling my students) and bring the mouthpiece to your lips, how are the valves lined up? Look at the horn...

I'm not debating the glorious tone qualities of the 983 here. I love it as well, but B&H didn't think of ergonomic when they built these horns.

Send me a photo of you playing the horn! with your back strait!
gagnon-sa@rmc.ca

[humphrey]

Looks like B&H have split up their publishing & manufacturing divisions (at least as far as finding them on the web is concerned). Their current tuba range can be found here:

http://www.besson.com/instruments_details.asp?ID=52

The link is to their 983 model as that's the current bone of contention, but it's easy to see the other models via the products drop down menu.

Hope that's of some help bloke!

Russ

[Chuck(G)]

Looks like B&H have split up their publishing & manufacturing divisions (

Sold off, not split up. THe instrument making business was a money-losing operation to them, so they sold it off to a grouip of German investors who are calling themselves "The Music Group". It's hard to say where the business is headed.

The publishing arm of Boosey was supposed to be sold or acquiired also (EMI was touted as a potential suitor), but hasn't happened yet, AFAIK.

[Matt G]

Are they making the 994 (3+1 BBb) anymore? It isn't on the website.

If anyone is in need let me know. I'm selling cheap...

[WorldofBrass.com]

Are they making the 994 (3+1 BBb) anymore?

Yes they are!

[Mark]

Ok, I'm 6'2" 205 lbs. If the horn is strait upward, you have to twist your body to reach the mouthpiece. If you sit strait (as I'm telling my students) and bring the mouthpiece to your lips, how are the valves lined up? Look at the horn...

It sounds like you need a playing stand. You should be able to adjust the height of the stand so that the mouthpiece lines up with your back straight and the tilt of the horn is the most comfortable for your hand.

[winston]

.