Posted by Jim on March 31, 2002 at 08:47:03:
In Reply to: Willson 3400 Eb posted by Doc on March 31, 2002 at 02:04:00:
I have owned one for about a year now. I love it more and more everyday. This is slowly becoming my main instrument. I am using for a tuba quartet and I just started using it in my quintet as well. This horn is an all around 4/4 tuba. I think the right person can make this horn sound like a full size CC. I play tested one for a friend that was looking at one and we also played the Besson 983 "which is very good too but different" and whe nhe listened to me on the Willson he said I sound like I am playing a CC and the Besson sounded like an Eb. I found that my extreme upper register is a little easier on the Besson but I am able to play as high as I need to on the Willson.
I have found the intonation to be good. I do use 3rd valve for "c" in and above the staff and also "E" natural in the staff. The note runs sharp when played 1,2 but pulling the 1st slide fixes it too. I have to pull 3rg valve slide for B natural 2,3 and E naturals are best played 2,4 not 1,2,3=sharp. The low register is the best I have ever found in any tuba except maybe the willson 3050 I have heard people write about. There is not much you can't do with the 3400. I am a little biased but I have played most of the modern Eb's out there is this is the best one I have found and it is also the most expensive too.
I think the B(AT)S pt-22 Eb is close in price. I played one of them when they first arrived before I had the 3400 and the price they quoted me was more than the willson and I told the owner that and he said that's the price so I went and bought the 3400 which is far better than the pt-22 I played but they might have fixed the intonation on them by now.
The reason I plan to sell my pt-4 is because find the Willson fits me so perfect that I am more unhappy with the playing position of the pt-4 now that I have a horn that really fits me. The slides are all very easy to reach on the 3400 and it just fits me great. I am pretty tall 6ft1.
I hope this helps,
-Jim