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Thread: Now Vented Valves on the Wessex Dolce Euphonium!

  1. Now Vented Valves on the Wessex Dolce Euphonium!

    The latest batch of the much acclaimed and popular Wessex EP100 Dolce euphonium have just been improved still further with vented valves. Side by side comparison by John Powell of professional tuba quartet, Tubalate has shown that these improve legarto response of the euphonium allowing for smoother playing - very important for the lyrical euphonium!

    At the same time we have upgraded the pistons from stainless steel to monel for smoother action and have topped off the valves with beautiful new Wessex Wyvern engraved valve buttons which not only look great, but provide pleasant textured feel.



    The latest Dolce euphonium are also being fitted with heavier 0.75mm thick bell for greater projection and extra nickel strengthening plates to repel against dents.

    And at the same time we have introduced new mechanical polishing method for higher quality finish.

    Wessex just gets better and better!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_3201.jpg  
    Last edited by Jonathantuba; 12-17-2016 at 04:34 AM.
    www.Wessex-Tubas.com
    Customer Services & Chicago Showroom visits: Dolce@Wessex-Tubas.com
    Shipping & UK Showroom visits: Coda@Wessex-Tubas.com

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  2. #2
    Good work, Jonathan! I like the vented valves on my Adams and recommend that option for others. I suspect I would also like the valve buttons, too. A little texture is very reassuring for the player!
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  3. The new valve caps are beautiful.

  4. #4
    Woot-woot! Dang, but those are pretty!
    David Bjornstad

    1923 Conn New Wonder 86I, Bach 6 1/2 AL
    2018 Wessex EP100 Dolce, Denis Wick 4ABL
    2013 Jinbao JBEP-1111L, Denis Wick 4AM
    2015 Jinbao JBBR-1240, Denis Wick clone mouthpiece of unknown designation
    Cullman (AL) Community Band (Euph Section Leader)
    Brass Band of Huntsville (2nd Bari)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    NYC metro area
    Posts
    523
    I didn't realize monel was considered an upgrade from stainless steel. I thought that the monel, being softer, was more prone to small dents or distortions that would affect smoothness as the horn aged.
    Dean L. Surkin
    Mack Brass MACK-EU1150S, BB1 mouthpiece
    Bach 36B trombone; Bach 6.5AL and Faxx 7C mouthpieces (pBone on loan to granddaughter)
    Steinway 1902 Model A, restored by AC Pianocraft in 1988; Kawai MP8, Yamaha KX-76
    See my avatar: Jazz (the black cockapoo; RIP) and Delilah (the cavapoo) keep me company while practicing

  6. Has anyone had valves vented on a Besson Prestige with any positive outcome ?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Central North Carolina
    Posts
    2,368
    Quote Originally Posted by dsurkin View Post
    I didn't realize monel was considered an upgrade from stainless steel. I thought that the monel, being softer, was more prone to small dents or distortions that would affect smoothness as the horn aged.
    This is pretty much like the beer situation in the US now. Maybe you've noticed that it's become almost impossible to find (what I think of as) "real" beer -- i.e., lager, and particularly German style lagers. 99% of the cool little breweries that have sprung up and offer a bewildering list of "beers" all make ales. Part of this is because of the huge marketing success in convincing American beer drinkers that IPA actually tastes good, but there is a more fundamental economic issue in play.

    Ales are cheap, quick, and easy to make. Lagers are more expensive to make, require more attention in the brewing and fermentation processes, and require MUCH longer before they're ready to drink. So the market is flooded with ales of various sorts and very few breweries make lagers. The Brits make ales, the Germans make beer (lager). There are exceptions to this rule, of course, but it's close to universal in terms of products. There are now only a few lagers available in supermarkets in the US, and fewer of them are drinkable (some are really excellent, but really in the minority). On the other hand, I have a picture on my cell phone from when I was in Vienna a bit over a year ago, in a supermarket on Mariahillferstrasse, and in the beer section all you see is rows and rows of lager (with some hefeweizen, Kölsch, and Guinness thrown is for the sake of some ale presence).

    So, ending the beer rant ... Monel is cheaper and easier to use than stainless steel. Each has some advantage (other than the purely major economic/production one). Some people have a taste for one, and some for the other. It appears that stainless is, in the brass community, generally (though not universally) regarded as superior. It is a bit odd to regard Monel as an "upgrade" -- but things like that can always be chalked up to marketing -- like IPA. I thought most Chinese beers were lager, but most British beers are ales. Make of that what you like.
    Last edited by ghmerrill; 12-16-2016 at 01:45 PM.
    Gary Merrill
    Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
    Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
    Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
    1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
    Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
    1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)

  8. #8
    I think the Brits and Germans and Swiss (and now Dutch!) have tried to convince us that stainless is better. I think stainless does stick more after a period of unuse. I can't really tell a huge difference other than that myself. I don't think it really matters all that much.
    --
    Barry

  9. Add to that some companies have used nickel plated valves to great success, notably Getzen.

    I think the phrase to sum it up is, "Horses for courses."

  10. Yamaha uses Monel, Besson since 1990's have used Stainless steel. 1980's Besson used Monel.

    Monel is more expensive than Stainless steel and according to metaligists is better on sliding surfaces.
    www.Wessex-Tubas.com
    Customer Services & Chicago Showroom visits: Dolce@Wessex-Tubas.com
    Shipping & UK Showroom visits: Coda@Wessex-Tubas.com

    Visit our Facebook page

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