Posted by Eve on February 05, 2001 at 00:45:00:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: EEb-Yamaha, Besson or Willson posted by Jay Bertolet on February 04, 2001 at 23:39:39:
Thanks for the info, Jay.
Just a couple more wee questions from me...
Is that the Willson you play (the 3400)?
What do you think of the Brook Mays "blurb"...?
"This tuba has great intonation and a projected full dark sound. Probably the largest and best piston EEb tuba on the market."
It's a little hard to see from the picture, but is the 3400's 5th rotor operated by the RH thumb?
I'd sure like one of those horns :-)
I hardly ever use my Willson, usually preferring to use my Yamaha YEB-321S. This is partially because it (the Yamaha) is physically more compact/lighter/manageable for street/pub (stand-up/leap around) gigs. I find the Yamaha fun and easy-blowing in those, and brass quintet type settings.
I find my Willson a "difficult" horn to when playing it only occasionally... it seemed better when I was playing almost exclusively (several years ago).
Although the first 4 valve instrument I had access to was a 3+1 compensating B&H Imperial, I much prefer 4-in-a-row, either upright, like the YEB-321, or front-action.
I'm certainly not a big fan of the compensating system, and, quite frankly, I wonder that it hasn't almost become "extinct".
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And now, a couple more pictures of the Willson compensating 3+1 EEb, for interest's sake (since I managed to get them to upload...)
PICTURE - Front view, full length
PICTURE - Back view, full length
