Re: Besson 983 intonation


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Posted by Carl Webster on February 07, 2000 at 18:04:11:

In Reply to: Besson 983 intonation posted by Ian Easton on February 07, 2000 at 02:26:10:

My tuning problems with my 983 were solved due to the kindness of Pat Sheridan. I really REALLY like my 983. It works very well in the groups I play in. When I received the horn I tried to play it with my tried and true Miraphone C3 but couldn't get much out of the horn. Then I tried the Wick 1L that I used on a huge Besson BBb. Suck city. I e-mailed Pat and he told me about the Dillon PS3 (I hope that is correct) mouthpiece that was designed specifically for the 983. I ordered one and compared it with my new standard mouthpiece the Dillon SM1. The PS3 I received felt like it was cutting my top lip but the bass bone in the brass band I play in really liked the sound. I preferred the sound I got from using the SM1 BUT I had to push all the slides in to play in tune with the brass band. Even with that there were several note that were very flat.

At the Army Conference, Pat was kind enough to offer some time to play test my horn. He used my SM1 and a PS3. The difference in intonation was amazing. After Pat tuned the horn using his mouthpiece he tried my SM1. The horn was flat 20 to 25 cents across the range.

I tried it using my SM1 and the main tuning slide had to be pushed all the way in and lipped up to get the Eb and tuning Bb in tune with the tuner. I moved the slide back to Pat's position and switched to his PS3. The horn was dead on in tune. Simply amazing.

I went to Dillon's booth and got another PS3 to try and that one didn't hurt. Now that I am using that mouthpiece, ALL the notes I complained about as being way WAY out of tune are now maybe 1 or 2 cents flat - as opposed to 25 cents flat.

Pat remarked that I was trying to play an Eb tuba with a CC tuba mouthpiece. I have asked several other "high level" tuba players about this and they all say the same thing: as they mature more they realize that what the old timers said is true - every horn made has but a select few mouthpieces that actually work for it. I am a believer.

If you have any other questions feel free to write.

HTH


Webster
TubaEuph List Owner



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