A couple of weeks ago I placed my order for a new Wessex Festivo euphonium. According to a post by Jonathan Hodgetts elsewhere on this site, about half a dozen horns will be arriving in this first production shipment, so I guess I will be one of the first half dozen guinea pigs. According to the information I have received, the horn should arrive around the first of June. I am looking forward to experiencing this new design, and when I have had adequate face time with the instrument, I will try to post some of my impressions. I will also relate my experiences of doing business with Wessex Tubas, who so far have been straight forward and efficient.
Perhaps a little background might help in explaining my decision to purchase this instrument. Like most folks in the US who began playing euphonium in the early 1960s, I played an American style euphonium with front action valves. Through my high school and college careers I played a 4 valve Reynolds Contempora Diatonic. The Diatonic tag meant that it had a spring loaded main tuning slide that could either be pushed out or pulled in to adjust intonation, and when it was released, it would spring back to its normal setting. In the late 1980s I upgraded to a King 2280, again with 4 inline valves although now top action rather than front action. While the King has been a good horn for me, I have never cared for the top action valves. Besides not being comfortable to me, they are notorious for leaking out through the vent in the bottom valve cap, and there is no provision for a grime gutter. I play with a towel in my lap. I never had that problem with a front action horn where the condensation usually goes down into the slides. After playing a 4 inline valve setup for over 50 years, it is rather ingrained into my motor memory, and I’m not too anxious to try and teach an old dog new tricks.
The 3 plus 1 valve setup of most auto-compensating euphoniums was one reason why I never seriously considered purchasing one to replace the King. Also with the King’s long pull 4th valve slide and the spring loaded third valve slide, it is capable of playing all of the notes in the compensating range by pulling slides and manually compensating. If I ever came across something I could not play, it was not the horn’s fault. Many years ago I learned of the Willson 2975, which is an auto-compensating euphonium with front action valves that was an improvement of the Marzan euphonium. They are as scarce as hen’s teeth and very pricey. None the less, not long ago I decided that at my stage in life I had the financial security to purchase one if I was so inclined. A visit to Willson’s website showed that it was no longer listed on their product page, so it looked like I had missed the boat on that dream. Then I learned of the Wessex model that was under development. I monitored its development from reports online, and a recent review on YouTube by Matonizz gave it glowing reviews on intonation. With a price that is less than a new King 2280, I decided it would be worth the gamble to try one out.
Hopefully this purchase will turn out to be as good as some of the reviews I have read and will not turn out to be a pig in a poke. I know that this design will not please everyone, but at least now those of us who prefer front action valves and 4 inline valves in an auto-compensating euphonium at least have an option in a reasonable price range. I also prefer my cars and trucks with manual transmissions, but today that is less than 10% of the market. Just because something is not preferred by the masses does not mean it is not a good idea.