open letter to Jonathan, and a poll

[Wyvern]

Joe, Just to let you know I have seen your post.

I still have that bell front Besson, but the low demand for the Wessex XL bell front BBb tuba (although it is a great player), has meant I have not proceeded towards making a bell front compensated Eb.

It seems to me, that there are very few people that want a bell front tuba today - they are out of fashion. Wessex do make other horns of limited interest, so I will not rule out in the future, but there are other new tubas that are my priority at present.

[Wyvern]

players may (??) eventually realize that they are...
- cool
- useful for...
>> gigs in short-ceiling rooms
>> gigs outdoors
>> indoor gigs in large rooms where there is no band shell
>> jazz band gigs were "presence" is required

Agree with all of that.

If a time comes that enough people want, then we will make. So do vote if you would like this created!

[Michael Bush]

I just want to congratulate Joe on a very well made poll.

[Donn]

Your compensating Eb sousaphone probably ought to come first.

[MaryAnn]

Locally....a friend showed up to a concert band needing tubas with a bell-front BBb and was invited to leave. However, that conductor really does resemble the joke about the horns in back etc.

[pecktime]

I like recording bells, and i like Eb. I'm not sure about compensating tubas though (i've never played one). If you drew the group of people interested in each one of those things as a venn diagram, I would wager the interesection of all three sets would be far smaller than the intersection of any two two (say a recording bell Eb, or a recording bell compensating tuba of some other key)

[oedipoes]

UNTIL I lucked into this 1959 3+1 compensating Besson E flat with a recording bell;
It's just freaking perfect.

I wonder if these recording bell Eb and BBb compensators were made for the US only, never seen one, didn't even know they existed, although the regular Besson Eb's are the most commonly used tubas here...

The 'traditional' instrument for this type of playing in this region were probably the 3 piston Eb (or BBb) Helicons that we call 'Bombardon' .
(made by Mahillon, De Prins, Schenkelaars, ...)
They are very popular band room wall-hangers now...

[Wyvern]

I wonder if these recording bell Eb and BBb compensators were made for the US only

I believe they were only made for the US market and never sold in Europe.

The only bell front tubas I know of in UK, were a few orchestral F tubas - which were made with recording bells in the days when that was required for primitive recording equipment to be able to pick up the tuba sound.

[Wyvern]

It may be just the recording bell Eb I have, but I remember the leadpipe is also shorter than standard. A bit like a Fletcher pipe but smaller bore and shorter. It does not swan neck upwards or the player could not see past the bell.

[Donn]

Well, belatedly occurred to me it's unlikely you will see it soon, unless sousaphones can realistically use top valve clusters. Otherwise it would have to wait for a 983 copy, for the front valves. Maybe the bell front Eb could be marketed to the sousaphone niche, though I suppose the player would be ill advised to try to walk around with that bell in front of his face.

[Wyvern]

Your compensating Eb sousaphone probably ought to come first.

This I would like to see

Besson made a handful of these in the 1920's. I have considered reproducing, but after play comparing a vintage Besson to a Wessex SP28 sousaphone, have decided not to proceed as our existing Eb sousaphone played better overall

Picture of the vintage Besson attached for interest. Actually its bore profile is nearer to the Wessex 3/4 Bombino than the full size Eb tuba.

[cambrook]

I've played a Besson 4V compensating Eb sousaphone that is very good. I'm guessing that not many (none?) made it to the USA or we'd have read about them here on TN. It belongs to "Gilly" who occasionally hangs out here, perhaps he can post some photos, from memory it looks a bit different to the photo Jonathan posted above.

[funkhoss]

I know I’m resurrecting an old thread here, but for the handful in the poll who expressed an interest in these parts: I’ve got one of these shortened upper branches/bows for sale.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=94624" target="_blank

-Funkhoss

[cjk]

What would be a more interesting thing (at least to me) would be using the body you got from Joe as a model for a detachable bell 3+1 compensated Eb. Then offer a 15 inch bell, a 17 inch bell, a 19 inch bell, and maybe an optional recording bell. Maybe make a 20 incher and a 14 incher too.

Then one tuba body would be one SKU, then each bell would be another optional SKU. I could see having both a 15 inch bell and a 19 inch bell being popular and way cheaper than having two horns. Those people who just want a 17 inch bell could be happy too. Who could resist also having the recording bell as well?

[Wyvern]

What would be a more interesting thing (at least to me) would be using the body you got from Joe as a model for a detachable bell 3+1 compensated Eb. Then offer a 15 inch bell, a 17 inch bell, a 19 inch bell, and maybe an optional recording bell. Maybe make a 20 incher and a 14 incher too.

Then one tuba body would be one SKU, then each bell would be another optional SKU. I could see having both a 15 inch bell and a 19 inch bell being popular and way cheaper than having two horns. Those people who just want a 17 inch bell could be happy too. Who could resist also having the recording bell as well?

Under discussion already

[cjk]

Under discussion already

[cjk]

Perhaps a recording bell mandrel created for this potential tuba could also be used for an Eb sousaphone bell, thus increasing the viability of creating such a thing.

[anotherjtm2]

... I could see having both a 15 inch bell and a 19 inch bell being popular and way cheaper than having two horns. Those people who just want a 17 inch bell could be happy too. Who could resist also having the recording bell as well?

That's one reason I bought an old BBb 186 with recording bell -- I can choose recording bell or 17" upright bell on the same horn. Who could resist?