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Thread: Willson 2900

  1. Willson 2900

    Does the different shank size make a big difference? I figured yes. IDK what size shank the 2900 I'm looking at is, I'll call to find out tomorrow. I hope it is a large shank, but will a euro-shank kill the sound?

    Are they pretty good? Better than a 642? Thanks ANY details appreciated.

  2. Willson 2900

    There certainly is a big difference in the sound, and how easy it is to blow through the horn.... If you want to know how the new 2900's are with the large shank, talk to John T Jones... I think that he is probably the only forum member who has one of the new 2900 large shanks.
    Gregory E. Lopes
    Euphonium player
    US Navy Band Great Lakes
    US Navy Music Program, 2009-Present

    Besson Prestige 2052

  3. Willson 2900

    Well, this is a used horn. Not sure how new the horn is. I'll find out tomorrow. Thanks

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853

    Willson 2900

    I've heard some great sounds coming out of Willson 2900s with the medium (European) sized shank...Brian Bowman
    Roger Behrend
    Neal Corwell
    Carlyle Weber
    Gail Robertson (but now on York)I read what JTJ and Charley Brighton (Highams) say about the large shank being better and freer blowing -- but if the 2900 you're looking at is more than a few years old, it's probably an medium shank I think.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  5. Willson 2900

    I'll have to find out, I can get for under $3k so it is a steal, I think. Thanks

  6. #6

    Willson 2900

    Unless it was a non-North American sourced horn, it will surely be a euro shank model. The large shank horns only arrived in the US in November. Don't let anything I or anyone else write make up your mind for you. The euro shank 2900 is played by many great players at the top of the professional ranks. It's just that some of us want a different sound, and have not been shy about saying so.

    John

  7. #7

    Willson 2900

    I got to play a used large- and three medium-shank (two new, one used) 2900s at USABTEC, and the large shank version was noticably more open and free blowing than the medium shank version.

    One thing I found odd about the two used 2900s (both bright silver rather than satin silver) was that there were patches of irregularly shaped raised bumps/flakes in the plating around the bottom bow. (You can kind of see what I'm talking about in this pic of the large shank 2900 Dillon Music had at the conference:



    The light scattering in the boxed areas is from the bumps/flakes rather than microscratches.)

    At first glance, I thought they were water spots, but on attempting to rub them off (I'm a neatnik when it comes to horns, even other people's!), it was clear that they were physical anomalies in the finish rather than surface dirt. On closer inspection, it was clear that the plating was intact and continuous (no breaks). It was almost as if the brass underneath was flaking, and the silverplate was applied over top of it.

    I'm sure this isn't characteristic of Willson's quality control, otherwise we would have heard complaints about it before; I just found it an odd coincidence that two horns with the same problem showed up at the same show.

    [Edited to show pic rather than thumbnail]

  8. Willson 2900

    Well said John,

    Its not that the larger shank is better, its just a different sound. This may not be what you want. Many people like the resistance provided by a smaller shank.

    Also, last I looked a new leadpipe with a large shank receiver was a little over $100US. Just the receiver is about $20US. So its an easy fix to get to a large shank. If that is the sound you want.


  9. Willson 2900

    Well they are telling me it is a large shank. So is this a newer horn possibly? Unless it was done like Kevin suggested. I think I'm going with this horn, under $3k, so good price to me.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853

    Willson 2900

    Originally posted by: jbrown91

    Well they are telling me it is a large shank. So is this a newer horn possibly? Unless it was done like Kevin suggested. I think I'm going with this horn, under $3k, so good price to me.
    That's a very good price for a Willson 2900! Keep us updated and, good luck.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

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