besson leadpipe question

[b.williams]

Hello.

I do not know the model number of your 3 valve euphonium. The lead/mouth pipe is the same as the 4 valve version. The link below lists the mouth pipe (BBH7043 Mouthpipe - Besson 968/967 German built uncut raw brass) and the large receiver (BBH7640 Mouthpiece Receiver - 961/968/967 - Besson Euphonium). If you have any questions they are the ones to ask. You can order the parts yourself.

http://www.windcraft.co.uk/parts.php?fa ... +968%2F967" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Good luck.

[b.williams]

I don't. Sorry.

Shipping will be about 8 GBP.

[MikeW]

From a position of near-total ignorance:

I read somewhere that the German-made parts are metric, and may not fit older instruments. There may be a problem in getting/making a ferrule that matches both the old valve-cluster, and the new (possibly metric) mouthpipe. Also, if the new mouthpipe is not the same internal diameter it may introduce a step discontinuity, which most people seem to view as a major problem. I have been thinking about getting an upgrade for the mouthpipe/receiver on my Imperial Eb, and this is one of the many factors I'm not sure about.

[Highams]

Hi Mark,

I fitted the York Eminence leadpipe & m/piece receiver to my Willson 2900 over a year ago;

http://s91.beta.photobucket.com/user/hi ... ort=3&o=34" target="_blank

The new UK Willson 2950/60 models now have leadpipes based on (but not the same) as this as standard.

Not sure what the exact design differences (if any) are between this and the Besson version, but out of the two it made an oustanding difference to the instrument.

I chose to keep it 'floating' rather than fixed, with an option to fit the stay later if I felt it nesc.
It did require a slightly larger & stronger connecting ring to the valve block than the original Willson fitting.

There is a back order on these from Dawkes/Windcraft here in the UK, been waiting for some months now for others.

Chas

[Jess Haney]

I had a friend in college do exactly what you are talking about with putting a larger shank leadpipe on his older Besson. It totally changed the tuning of the instrument and it was completely different in response and feel. And not in a positive way. The person who did the alteration was very reputable and warned against trying to switch the shank and leadpipe out. FWIW this was the experience I saw with switching from a British shank and leapipe combo to the larger shank.