Re: Willson 5v Eb tuba


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Posted by Bill on August 10, 2001 at 06:27:58:

In Reply to: Willson 5v Eb tuba posted by John Szkutko on August 09, 2001 at 22:50:26:

I have owned one of these magnificent tubas for 2 1/2 years. I play it in a Brass Band and I have used it for solo and quintet work. It has a glorious sound; so much so that it has replaced my HB4C as my principal horn (something I never thought could happen). It is not a light weight, at (AT) 22 lbs. and it takes some searching to get the moouthpiece just right. I have found that very deep mouthhpieces work the best overall but, in some quintet settings, go to a smaller mouthpiece to lighten the sound. I normally play with a Doug Elliott mouthpiece, a very deep cup (tu T) and a T6 E shank (yep, the European, larger shank). Lightening the sound is done with either a Conn 7B (medium) or a Bobo Solo (very light).

The story of my finding and buying this horn has been published in the Willson Journal but it was really a matter of love at first sound; my wife fell in love with the horn the first time I played it and insisted I buy it. I felt the horn blew freer and slotted better than anything I have ever had my hands on and she could hear it instantly. She and the horn are both Swiss, by the way, so she may have heard a call from home; I don't really know.

Now, about the water retention, you have to burp the horn over your right shoulder, then empty the water key to get water out of the third valve. The fourth valve has its own water key and that is effective. The fifth valve (convertible from a flat whole step to two whole steps - I use the latter) has to be dumped by removing the slide and dumping the horn over so the open slide is pointed down.

I can not recommend the horn highly enough; it is my ideal all around tuba. If I can give you anymore informaton, e-mail me and I shall respond.


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