Goldbrass bell full sized 3+1 compensating EEb tuba with reduced bell flare for a clearer, more colorful sound. Lacquer stripped to improve response (yes, Joe, it really did
) and developing a nice patina. This is a great small to medium sized tuba that can be used as a solo or quintet horn with a shallow to medium bowl cup mouthpiece or serve as a small contrabass with a deeper funnel - with a bigger mouthpiece I would put it up against most 3/4 CC or BBb tubas. Unlike some "blah sounding" 19" bell EEb tubas this horn has more color and clarity to the sound. Stripping the lacquer further enhanced this (if you covered your tuba end to end with heavy clear packing tape, it would change the horn - that was the equivalent of what came off.)
The compensating register on this tuba is surprisingly free blowing - low F just rocks. I never found anything stuffy down there.
There was a small dent near the bottom bow when I got it, and my cats knocked a picture off a table onto the bell adding a couple dents in back of the bell - clearly shown in the pictures. Includes Wessex foambody hard case with wheels.
I am selling because I am pursuing the one-tuba route, and I am looking for more of a 4/4+ to 5/4 CC to fill that role - I don't make a living playing tuba solos and probably do about 2 quintets a year. I would not recommend this as a do-all tuba unless the biggest group you play with has several tubas where you will play the top octave. This would however be great in smaller ensembles since the low register is so open, and again it is perfect for quintets or solos - especially when you you want a rock solid low register that some rotary F tubas can't provide.
Despite the "Solo" name give by Wessex, this is the same tuba as their larger EEb right up until the flare of the bell.
More specs at https://wessex-tubas.com/products/eb-co ... solo-te460
Pictures are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/161167695 ... res/v9pMVD
