Posted by Lew on March 03, 2004 at 20:34:33:
In Reply to: Willson 3400 VS Besson 983 posted by Chase Conley on March 03, 2004 at 16:41:09:
I have a 983 that I purchased earlier this year at the USABTEC. I tried the M-W 2141, Willson 3400, and a couple of different Cerveny/Amatis. As others have said the Willson & Besson are very different horns. I wasn't comfortable with the hand position of the Willson, but being tall I liked the leadpipe placement. It does seem much heavier than the Besson, but not enough to make it a factor for me. I generally play BBb and was looking for a smaller horn for smaller groups, so I went with the Besson. I thought that response was comparable, although the lower notes spoke a little more readily on the Willson. For me it came down to the sound and ergonomics. The Besson was more comfortable for me and I preferred the sound.