Posted by Brit on February 02, 2004 at 11:59:51:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Tuning a compensating Eb posted by Jim on February 01, 2004 at 17:25:48:
No bands are sponsored by Besson.
Besson sponsor a number of contests but no bands.
To my knowledge, the top-line instruments (Sovereigns and Prestige) are all assembled in the Croxley Green Park in Watford and the parts are fabricated in Germany under Herr Nirschl. Much of the low/mid range stuff is assembled in India (which is surely not a 3rd world country!?), but with relatively decent quality control in a modern plant.
The Fodens band were recently the 'Fodens Courtois' band, using only Courtois instruments (save the BBb Basses who I believe used Besson Sovs). Solo Euph Glynn Williams continues to play Courtois and sounds phenomenal but then he is director of Courtois UK.
I have long wondered why the UK market persists in using Besson Sovereign BBb Basses which I find terrible in ergonomics, intonation and response. Bb Tubas seem readily available which are better in every respect; even in 3+1 setup if players dislike front valves : )
I feel players choice of instruments in the UK is mainly derived from years of near-exclusivity from Boosey & Hawkes (Besson). The vast, vast majority of brass band players are strictly amatuers and have almost all grown up playing Besson. Remember British players are not accustomed to adjusting slides for intonation with the 3+1 setup. As such they're used to lipping the variety of notes which aren't perfect. So, when these amatuer players try out new instruments which behave differently (and not perhaps worse- just different) to their old Besson, they are frequently rejected as they don't feel 'right'.
Bands and players have had tremendous difficulty getting hold of Sovereigns since the Edgeware factory closed and before that there were well documented problems with quality control. These factors led certain bands/players to opt for Courtois/Yamaha (nobody seems to use Willson, Hirsbrunner et al.) and once they'd tried them for a while they found these instruments to be very good.