Wessex French Horn

[KKORO]

I've got a jr. high student that goes to my church that plays French Horn. His parents have asked me to look out for a decent double for under $1,500. I'd like to recommend Wessex but I can't find any reviews on their French Horns. I suspect they are of similar quality as their Euphoniums and Tubas.

Anyone have any experience with their French Horns?

KKORO

[Mederlock]

I have a friend who's interested in this same question too.

[ghmerrill]

Not being a horn player, I have no direct knowledge of this. However, in the community band I play in, my section mate is the mother of a 16 year old high school student, and a few years ago she got her daughter a horn from Mack Brass. The daughter has been playing it in school band, and also in community band. They're both thrilled with the instrument. The mother is an excellent tuba player herself and takes music very seriously. I'm sure the Wessex horns are in the same range in terms of performance, but they are considerably more expensive and Mack Brass offers three different models (http://www.mackbrass.com/).

[bbocaner]

My impression of Wessex is that the models they've designed themselves (most of the tubas, most of the trombones) or those on which they've done a lot of development (the euphonium, the rest of the tubas) are most successful and are usually really good. Those instruments which they've chosen out of their manufacturing partner's line-up and have done only minimal development work with (some of the older, now discontinued models, as well as things like ovalform baritone, bass trumpet, sackbuts, marching instruments) seem to have good standards of build quality and manufacturer support, but are usually *much* less successful instruments.

I couldn't tell you for sure, but I suspect the French horn falls in that third bucket. I haven't played one and don't play horn to any reasonable standard.

The standard choices in that price range would be a used Conn 6D, Holton Farkas, or Yamaha intermediate model (YHR-567, 667, or 661).