Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Besson BE980 Eb Tuba


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Posted by Klaus on March 25, 2002 at 17:55:01:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: New Besson BE980 Eb Tuba posted by what's the diff? on March 25, 2002 at 17:04:17:

The original history is, that when Denis Wick was into revising the B&H low brasses 30 years ago, he and John Flecher found a new leadpipe shape. At a discussion after a clinic in 1973 DW told me that this leadpipe improved the B&H Eb tuba 25%. By then they had not yet succeeded in finding an equivalent for the BBb models.

When the Sovereign tubas first arrived ten years later, the original 981 was a true fit to the not so tall person of John Fletcher. The leadpipe was a short one going horizontally across the bell. Apparently the acoustically desirable effect came from the short lead having a fast expanse of bore from receiver with to valve bore. (The 982 also expanded the same amount but over the full distance of its longer, curved, leadpipe.

I am not aware when, but B&H changed the 981 leadpipe to the position and length of the 982 leadpipe. But the fast expanse was kept, so that the last part of the 981 leadpipe has the same bore as the valves.

I can not find it in the archives, but within the last months there has been a report from Australia (?) about a successful attempt to put a 981 leadpipe on a 982. The new leadpipe was mounted free of the bell.

Klaus


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