First impressions of my new silver Wessex Dolce

[Barking Iron]

I may have a few other thoughts later, but for now I'll direct you to this video, where I show my own technique for dealing with the valve caps without cross-threading anything:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhMzkgQQtSw

This really is a golden tip! This will save me minutes everytime I oil my valves.

Thanks!

[PastorAtrain]

Very nice review! I haven’t ordered mine yet, but will do so shortly; and now I have an idea of what to expect!
Question: did you get the straight silver one or the silver/gold one?

Also question for others: on the website, they say that there will be a Gold Brass bell one available at the end of March...Is this meaning that the bell is made of Gold brass versus yellow brass, or is this implying simply a lacquered instrument?

Thanks

[davewerden]

Also question for others: on the website, they say that there will be a Gold Brass bell one available at the end of March...Is this meaning that the bell is made of Gold brass versus yellow brass, or is this implying simply a lacquered instrument?

I think that means a gold-alloy brass, which has more copper. I suspect I would like that one, but I have not tried it.

[Jonathantuba]

Also question for others: on the website, they say that there will be a Gold Brass bell one available at the end of March...Is this meaning that the bell is made of Gold brass versus yellow brass, or is this implying simply a lacquered instrument?

Thanks

It means the bell is made of gold brass - which in Wessex case is 84% copper

[guidocorona]

This implies that when "gold brass" is specified, the 84% copper 14% zinc brass is clear lacquered, instead of being silver plated.

Regards, Guido

[John Morgan]

I have the gold brass bell on my Wessex. Can't compare it with the not gold brass bell (yellow brass) because I have not played one, but I like it fine. My Wessex is also lacquered instead of silver plated, which is a switch for me, as most of my horns over the years have been silver plated. I think the only other lacquered horns I have had (except the Adams) were my student model baritones in junior and senior high school.

I have been playing the Wessex exclusively for the past two plus months since my Adams is at the doctor. I am playing a barn burner solo with the New Horizons Band (Blue Bells of Scotland), and the Wessex is doing just fine. The high B natural is a little wonky on this horn, but sort of playable. I need it at the end of the solo, but can also substitute a G for the B natural if I am in the mood. And I play some pedal stuff, I modified the cadenza at the front, and play down to a pedal D which is just a couple notes away from the lowest note possible on the horn, and the Wessex plays that fine.

So, to PastorAtrain - consider the lacquered version of the Wessex Dolce. It is I think a hundred, maybe a bit more, less than silver plated. Also, easier to take care of, you can wipe the horn with a damp cloth instead of polishing silver. And the sound is nice.

[PastorAtrain]

Thank you all for the replies!

[lzajmom]

Very nice review! I haven’t ordered mine yet, but will do so shortly; and now I have an idea of what to expect!
Question: did you get the straight silver one or the silver/gold one?

Thank you!
I got the plain silver. The kid next to me at community band has a Jupiter, and I often think how much nicer his finish looks. It's mostly personal taste I think, but his silver is much darker and almost blue-gray, whereas the Wessex is a lighter white-gray. It seems like the finish isn't very thick; I dunno whether that's good, bad, or neutral.

[davewerden]

Thank you!
I got the plain silver. The kid next to me at community band has a Jupiter, and I often think how much nicer his finish looks. It's mostly personal taste I think, but his silver is much darker and almost blue-gray, whereas the Wessex is a lighter white-gray. It seems like the finish isn't very thick; I dunno whether that's good, bad, or neutral.

From your description I'm guessing the kid's horn is nickel plated, which is cheaper and generally not as good as a silver finish.

[jkircoff]

From your description I'm guessing the kid's horn is nickel plated, which is cheaper and generally not as good as a silver finish.

I agree. The internet is populated with a lot of "cool" looking euphoniums, and the general rule in my book is the more "out of the box" an instrument looks, the less likely it will be made from optimal materials and by someone who is a master of their craft.

[lzajmom]

From your description I'm guessing the kid's horn is nickel plated, which is cheaper and generally not as good as a silver finish.

Thank you for this detail! I believe you are right. His finish really is very pretty, but now that I think about it, it doesn't actually look like silver.

[bbocaner]

I've never heard of Jupiter using nickel plating, but I suppose it's possible. Nickel plating should be more durable than silver plate, but it tends to get cloudy looking with use and it doesn't feel as nice under your hands as silver. I've only seen cheap ebay instruments in nickel-plate (other than the black nickel finish that you see on some blinged-out instruments), and Jupiter is really at least a cut above that. Is it possible the euphonium in question is silver-plated but just tarnished to some extent?

[bbocaner]

scratch that... there are some nickel-plated jupiter euphoniums on this page

http://jupitermusic.com/internationa...ums/jep1000mn/

and it looks like they've used the "black nickel" plating on some fancy trumpets before.

So that's very plausible.

[PastorAtrain]

Ok, it is official.
I just purchased the gold brass Wessex Dolce. Wick 4AL mpc, two bottles of blue juice, hetmans #7 slide gel, and a HW brass saver brush kit.
I was going to get the silver and gold, but found that you had mentioned that someone had mentioned that the gold wears off...no bueno.
But I’ve mostly ever played on silver euph’s before...so I figured I’d give the lacquered one a try.
Besides, this is just my first one anyway...

[ChristianeSparkle]

Congratulations!

Besides, this is just my first one anyway...

I told myself that too when I got my JP274 Hoping to upgrade one day down the road, a Yamaha Neo or Geneva or Adams