Besson Sovereign BE968 Euphonium

[Euph100]

Hi, i am new to this forum and i nave found it really helpful being a fairly new euphonium player. In the last few days i have been reading more posts than playing my euphonium so here is my question! I am looking to buy a new or second hand horn. Do any of you recommend and have played Besson Sovereign BE968 models from around year 2000? Just by reading forums i have heard that Besson's made in the UK around that time were not of the highest quality in materials, they improved when they sold up to Germany. Do you think this is true and should put a player off this model of euphonium? Personally i have never tried a Besson or any other brands but i have heard they are pretty good (maybe almost the best) and i would prefer to buy a professional second hand horn than a brand new student one (such as a Yamaha model) for the sound quality.

I have also heard the Geneva Symphony horns are good too, also made in the UK if im right in remembering?!

Thanks for your help!

[davewerden]

My memory is that UK horns from Besson in 2000-ish were more variable than they had been in previous years. But they have always varied somewhat. In 1975 I helped a student pick a Besson out from among 6 that were in stock in NYC. Of those, 4 were about average and roughly equal to each other, one was below par, and one was noticeably better. I would not shy away from the 968 because it was made in 2000, assuming you could test it before buying.

I've heard good things about quality of Geneva, and I believe they are made in England. There were complaints about ergonomics, but they may have improved those by now.

Sterling (not the "JP" Sterling) is also made in the UK and is a very fine horn.

[TheJH]

From what I have seen with Geneva is that the 4th valve is still in a very horizontal angle instead of a more upright angle that most other brands have it in, which might be an issue depending on the person.

[run76]

I guess that the Geneva instruments are manufactured by Amati/Cerveny since they are part of the same group... but just a guess...

[Euph100]

Thanks for your help, i will in the meantime try out the Besson and perhaps if not good wait for a second hand Sterling to come up for sale!

[Euph100]

Hi, that is good to know and I shall keep it in mind!

[Holtzposaune]

Where are you located? My 968 is on consignment at J. Landress Brass in New York if you happen to be in the NY metropolitan area. Mine is from the early 2000's and was made in the UK. It had some small inconsistencies out of the factory - the tuning slide was too loose and the valves took an unusually long time to wear in - but is responsive, has a great sound, and intonation no worse than you would expect for most euphoniums. But to echo what Dave was saying: it's easy to conjecture what an instrument might be like and make generalizations about how different makes/models play but at the end of the day the only way to know is to actually play the instrument.

FWIW I really like my 968. I mostly play bass trombone now but went to school for euphonium and it was my main instrument for years. In a practice room I really love wider, darker instruments but I really appreciate the more focused sound of the 968. Since I mostly use it for musicals, chamber music, and the odd band gig it makes it easier for me to blend with the trombones and sound less out of place with the saxes.

[jkircoff]

Try out an instrument if you can before you buy, preferably with a mouthpiece you are used to. Bessons of the early 2000s are hit and miss -- I had a Besson 967 made in 2002 that ended up having several lacquering defects along with some slide and valve issues, although it did have the coveted Besson sound.

[MikeS]

I have a 968 that was made in 1997. It is a superb horn in every respect. The valves are quick, the slides are perfectly aligned, and the solder joints are clean both outside and inside. I looked for quite a while before I found it, but the good Bessons from this era are well worth searching for.

[Euph100]

Thanks for the offer, unfortunately i live far away in Italy but am english so thats why in looking preferably for a UK horn. Like you and Dave suggest it is up to the person trying out the instrument first and playing it the best we can! I am currently playing a very rusty and corroded italian Rampone & Cazzani euphonium specialising in saxaphones.

[Euph100]

Thanks for your help and i suppose with older instruments some tend to have more imperfections than others not like the new ones nowdays!

[Euph100]

Thanks!

[jkircoff]

Thanks for your help and i suppose with older instruments some tend to have more imperfections than others not like the new ones nowdays!

Older instruments along with handmade instruments from small shops will have more variation. I play a Sterling Virtuoso euphonium, and no two are quite alike even more so than the more mass produced brands like Besson and Willson.