Thank you, but this answer is exactly proving my point and perhaps the point of others. Let me first preface this with that I do like your instruments. I have had students purchase both Wessex euphoniums and JP euphoniums and I tell them both are good instruments. If they prefer a Yamaha sound, go with Wessex, and if they prefer Besson, go with JP.Wyvern wrote:If your Wessex Solo does not have the lengthened slide then it was manufactured before that improvement was implemented. Like the phone you buy now will have improvements over what was sold last year, so may be the case with a Wessex instrument. We are always working to improve and make them better. The Custom on the bell is irrelevant. That was just version of Wessex engraving used for a while - it means nothing particular.Eflatdoubler wrote:I have a Wessex Solo and would love to know when this 3rd valve compensating slide extension was done as it could still benefit from added length. Or I should say, I have a Wessex custom, which I was told is the same as the Solo I ordered (only after I received it). I think it is poor practice to sell something to someone that is different then advertised. If I bought a GMC Sierra 1500 and received a Chevy Silverado- they call that bait and switch.
I paid the same new price and when I questioned this I did not so much as receive an apology, only told," they are the same."
If you require longer slide then contact me off-line. I am sure we can get made.
My issue is that you say the engraving "Custom" is irrelevant, yet you say if it is too short you will make me a longer slide. Obviously if the "Custom" was the same as the "Solo" it would be known if this was done already. I realize the goal is to constantly improve, but for some reason you opted to sell an instrument as "custom" and then changed the engraving, along with changing the slide length, etc... (even though the advertised instrument was a "Solo").
If a person orders a custom, sell them a custom. If they order a solo, sell them a solo. If they are the same (which obviously they are not- I would think using the serial number would be a way to recognize any change) tell them ahead of time. When I ordered my horn the issue on the forum was slow valves due to crud left in the horn. This problem was brought up and supposedly solved on your end, yet when I brought up my concern I was told I wasn't using the correct valve oil (I was using la tromba t3 valve oil). I have since used the Hetman and the Wick oil as suggested and experienced the same result.
As to the telephone analogy- they always change model numbers to designate changes which has been my point from the get go. An iPhone SE looks like a 5S but they are very different beasts under the hood.
- obviously this has jumped the shark. I only bring this up because Bloke merely mentions a very useful fix and then it seems someone takes offense and throws mud. There was never a mention of your product. I applaud what you have been trying to do in both creating affordable instruments and trying to improve quality for what one pays. I am perhaps sensitive to this issue because from a warranty stand point I have brought these topics up very kindly and I feel as if there is always a side stepping, and then when someone brings up any issue on this forum there appears to be the ability to time travel and an "already solved that, including the one you have issue with" statement.
I do think JP are put together by more skilled hands (based off of what I have seen multiple time by wessex in the past 3 years up to 16 months ago, and from jp in the past 2 years up through 2 months ago) but that does not mean I think the end result is always better. I do think the Solo is a home run in regard to bell size for an eflat tuba, especially for my purposes. I look forward to a longer 3rd valve compensating slide that will have to be 2cm longer than the "already fixed" version since the female end of the slides are not already longer. I also think the normal 3rd valve slide could be slightly shorter (1/2" as the high B runs a little flat with a 2-3 combo). One can always pull, but shortening is not an option.
Sincerely,
Matthew Dickson
Houston, TX