Review of Wessex Berg F Tuba

[bisontuba]

Hi-
My thoughts on the new Wessex BERG F 5 rotary F tuba. The horn is not a clone ( which I am very happy about!) but seems to be part Firebird, part B&S PT, part B&S Symphonie, part original design, etc. Wessex has really worked on this horn. It has 5 rotary valves with a bore of around 19.5mm--to 21mm. The fifth valve is the smallest, the first and second are a bit bigger, and the third and fourth are the largest. The tuning slide is an "inner/outer" slide--a great feature. All the slides are aligned precisely & move freely, the horn mostly seems well built, (the inside of where the bell meets the bottom bow is perfectly flush), etc. However, it has silicone rotor bumpers ( I hate those on ANY horn), the rotors seem to have dirt/ buffing compound inside them ( need a good cleaning), and the linkage is a tad noisy. The rotors are however, slow--too heavy?. The bell -15.75"-and lead pipe are gold brass--the body is yellow brass. It comes with a supplied hard case that has very good wheels ( but I wish JinBao would follow Yamaha and Jupiter and supply ABS cases) and also a new Gold plated WESSEX F tuba mouthpiece--I am told it is a copy of an old Schmidt mouthpiece that came with old B&S F tuba ( Hats off to Wessex for not just supplying something that looks like a tuba mouthpiece, but something you can actually use!). This horn has intrigued me, and I heard good things about it, but also some intonation issues on the prototype, which I was told have been corrected. I figured worse scenario, I try it and if not good, send it back, get a refund, and lose shipping money. You get a 14 day trial period and a 3 yr. warranty with Wessex.

I received the horn last Wednesday. My initial thoughts when first playing the horn were that the instrument had an incredible quality sound, the pitch was excellent, it slotted great, and it has a fine range. The mouthpiece supplied with the the horn is not bad at all, but just not for me ( I am an original small Conn Helleberg man on F tubas). I had been told that the first valve slide is short--which it is, but I had or have no problems at all using 1st or 1st and 2nd valve combinations.....those play in tune with just a bit of pulling the first slide ( but I did add a 'string' to the 1st valve slide to the brace between the first slide so I don't pull it out by mistake). Maybe a slide stop should be added by the company to keep it from popping out if pulled out too much on future batches. BTW, even the horn when shipped in the hard case in the cardboard box has a 'wedge' which protects the horn and bell in shipping--the wedge can also be used in a gig bag for horn protection....OR...makes a great free, lightweight practice mute too! I kid you not. I like that attention and innovation with detail.

The horn is extremely easy to play in all registers, the gold brass bell ( almost seems like 'Rose' brass to me) adds that warmth but IMHO the horn does not break up or vibrate too much for projection (which, when they do affect projection, makes you work much harder than you should have to) as some all gold brass tubas do...just having the gold brass lead pipe away from the gold brass bell, seem to be a 'win-win'. Gorgeous beautiful warm sound. I had a chance to take it down to the Music Hall here in Buffalo today and played it and others played it while I listened to it. Sounded nice. The low range requires NO adult fingerings. Low C using 4 is dead on and speaks just like the C an octave higher.. fine low range for a rotary F ( excellent 5th valve). The Octaves are also very in tune ( esp. high Bb, B, and C are dead on) and I have yet to see a need for any alternative fingerings for anything--talk about a rarity on a F tuba ( checked often with Korg's WiTune WR-01 Tuner and the great app Tonal Energy Tuner). The high range speaks easily. You can 'cheat' playing the high G# in Bydlo using the smaller bore 5th valve in place of 2&3 if you like. This F is very easy to 'pick up cold' and have a singing high range..it sounds like a 4/4 Bass Tuba --and not a 6/4 Contra Bass (sic) F tuba.

I do wonder if--and I say if--adding a bell garland would make the Berg be better? Maybe that would be an option after some R&D on that subject.

Really, the ONLY issues I see on this horn which I will have addressed by my repairman are the silicon bumpers, some noisy valve linkage, lighter and faster rotors (lighter backplates?), and a need for a rotor cleaning/dirt inside the casings (things that JinBao needs to address on ALL their instruments). However, having said that,they ARE getting better and better in their workmanship.

Outside of the above issues,IMHO, this horn is by far one of the best Rotary F tubas I have played. The price is incredible (refer to the Wessex web site for pricing). If this horn was double in price, it would still be a great deal. This horn can also work easily for brass quintet use...the low range is THAT good!

However, as I have mentioned in the past, an audio or video of the horn will not do it justice. We all play differently and have different concepts in sound and what we want in a F Tuba, so I would URGE people in the U.S. to go to Michigan and see Andy to play the horn, if in Europe go to the U.K. and see Jonathan, or go to the Army Tuba Conference, ITEC next June, any other conferences where Wessex is displaying, etc. and test play the horn yourself!!!!

Mark

[bort]

Keep the one on the right, sell me the one on the left... Yeah, yeah...

Very cool Mark, thanks for posting about it. You're always first in line for these things!

[bisontuba]

*

[Ken Crawford]

Do you think it is large enough for orchestral work?

[TubaZac2012]

How does it compare to the Mack Brass F? I know it and the Strauss are similar, but which is better the one in your possession now or the larger horn? I also would love to know if the horn can take a lot of air, how well does it play loud, and soft. I trust your judgement on intonation, but what kind of extremities does the horn posses. It's a beautiful horn and it doesn't cost too much. Is the construction something you think would hold over time? Sorry for all the questions. I'm just getting back in the F tuba market again and don't know much about the Chinese clones. This obviously isn't a clone, but you know what I mean.

Thanks,
Zac

[bisontuba]

Do you think it is large enough for orchestral work?

Absolutely, positively yes!!!

[bisontuba]

How does it compare to the Mack Brass F? I know it and the Strauss are similar, but which is better the one in your possession now or the larger horn? I also would love to know if the horn can take a lot of air, how well does it play loud, and soft. I trust your judgement on intonation, but what kind of extremities does the horn posses. It's a beautiful horn and it doesn't cost too much. Is the construction something you think would hold over time? Sorry for all the questions. I'm just getting back in the F tuba market again and don't know much about the Chinese clones. This obviously isn't a clone, but you know what I mean.

Thanks,
Zac

Hi-
The MACK, the Strauss, the Dillon F, new MM F, etc. are all clones of a PT-10/PT-15 F tuba. It is a 5/4 larger body F. I had a yellow brass version of that clone. Nice sound but didn't have a low range like a piston horn. Not a bad horn at all. The Berg does have a solid low range-period, and a very beautiful sound (again, each person has their own tastes--I like the sound of the Berg more than that of the PT clone-IMHO). I think it will most definitely hold up in time. But I have some mechanical issues -linkage, dirt--that need to be addressed by my repairman. But I am very happy with this horn. In a large Hall today, you can really push the horn 'pedal to the metal' if needed, or just lay back & let it sing beautifully. Definitely check it out!
Good luck.
Mark

[TubaZac2012]

Thanks Mark! This was truly helpful! Enjoy sir!

[Sam Gnagey]

I'll add a ditto to Mark's evaluation of this horn. I had it here for a few weeks while we made some slide modifications to three of these horns for Wessex.

[PaulMaybery]

It seems to be a continual issue with these 'imports' that there is so much crud still in the horn when they are delivered to the customer. (Though I do admit that I have just dealt with it myself and enjoy the instruments otherwise.) In my experience most of that crud is a black deposit on the valves and tuning slides, which reminds me of silica carbide lapping compound which has not been totally cleaned from the cracks and crevices of the instrument and migrates back out. When left dry, it hardens into a nasty crust. Yet this might be something quite different. The rotors on my cimbasso began seizing in a couple of weeks. Initially I thought it was poor machining, but a careful check proved it to be a build up of black crud. I removed them, cleaned thoroughly, gently lapped with brasso and a cleaned with a degreaser and they are fine. The bearing plates now fit in snuggly without binding the rotor spindle. The pistons on the euphonium also were continually filming up with a black coating, which even after several flushings of the instrument and careful tuning slide cleanings in still present, though much less. Something even stranger on the euph were the emergence of black crusted spots all over the exterior of the silver instrument. These were actually rather difficult to remove. A combination of Tarnex and Hagerty finally worked. The tuning slides on the BMBs blackened quickly and were rather rough so those were lapped and cleaned and now are fine. The bass trombone slide initially was gritty as well. To my friends Dick Barth, Tom McCrady and Jonathan Hodgetts: What would it take to have these wonderful instruments fully cleaned at the factory, perhaps by ultrasonic means? I have at home a small private shop at my disposal and can seem to deal with this on my own. Inconvenient, but not a deal breaker. For those who can not do this type of work themselves, they are stuck with paying a tech to deal with the issues. In my collection of horns I do happen to have 5 'imports' and believe them to be remarkable instruments for the price. As imports seem to be gaining some dominance in the instrument market, I hope these issues can be addressed. At least for the more creditable instruments that professionals and more discriminate amateurs would choose. Every little improvement will only create a better image for these horns.

[Ken Crawford]

Speaking of "imports"...I bought a brand new B&S a couple years back from Custom Music and there was also lots of black gunk in it from the factory. I guess it's not just Jinbao.

[balchb]

Same issue here... It's pitch left over from production that doesn't melt out completely. I had to do a repair on my valves/lap/chem bath. Horn works great now. Love the sound/intonation paired up with a PT 48 mouthpiece.

[Wyvern]

Thanks Mark for the review - I am so pleased you like the Berg. It is a tuba of which Wessex is proud to have developed.

Regarding the dirt issue, it is one of which I am very aware and working hard to resolve with the factory. They are looking at ultrasonic cleaning and I believe are experimenting with such on trumpets initially. I have it direct for the CEO at factory that my quality/cleaning concerns will be resolved in 2016. During my most recent inspection there was a lady noting down every fault I found to report back to the CEO, so know they are taking very seriously.

[bisontuba]

Thanks Mark for the review - I am so pleased you like the Berg. It is a tuba of which Wessex is proud to have developed.

Regarding the dirt issue, it is one of which I am very aware and working hard to resolve with the factory. They are looking at ultrasonic cleaning and I believe are experimenting with such on trumpets initially. I have it direct for the CEO at factory that my quality/cleaning concerns will be resolved in 2016. During my most recent inspection there was a lady noting down every fault I found to report back to the CEO, so know they are taking very seriously.

That is great news...thanks!
Mark

[Davidus1]

Thanks Mark for the review - I am so pleased you like the Berg. It is a tuba of which Wessex is proud to have developed.

Regarding the dirt issue, it is one of which I am very aware and working hard to resolve with the factory. They are looking at ultrasonic cleaning and I believe are experimenting with such on trumpets initially. I have it direct for the CEO at factory that my quality/cleaning concerns will be resolved in 2016. During my most recent inspection there was a lady noting down every fault I found to report back to the CEO, so know they are taking very seriously.

This is excellent news! Thank you.

[bisontuba]

*

[Bob Kolada]

Is it the 1st valve tubing that's too short overall or just the amount of slide? The fold in the fifth valve tubing seems odd; it's way above the actual slides and is still above the top bow.

[DouglasJB]

The distance between the two sides of the slide is much smaller then the Strauss or any normal "PT like F tuba" so it makes sense for that slide to appear to be much longer.

[bisontuba]

Is it the 1st valve tubing that's too short overall or just the amount of slide? The fold in the fifth valve tubing seems odd; it's way above the actual slides and is still above the top bow.

Hi-
1st valve slide is short BUT with other things done to the horn, it is the right length....no problems with notes fingered 1 or 1-2.
5th valve slide with the loop now allows notes with 5th valve to play in tune...and it isn't that odd a design...see some Hirsbrunner tubas with 5 valves..
Regards-
Mark

[michael_glenn]

Is it the 1st valve tubing that's too short overall or just the amount of slide? The fold in the fifth valve tubing seems odd; it's way above the actual slides and is still above the top bow.

Hi-
1st valve slide is short BUT with other things done to the horn, it is the right length....no problems with notes fingered 1 or 1-2.
5th valve slide with the loop now allows notes with 5th valve to play in tune...and it isn't that odd a design...see any Rudi tuba with 5 valves..
Regards-
Mark

The Hirsbrunner HB-2 fifth valve slide is also doubled over. I would know. I have one.