First impressions of my new silver Wessex Dolce

[John Morgan]

….I just ordered a bottle of the #1 oil (apparently the #3 and the rotor oil aren't yet available)and the "F-1 Kick Gel" that I want to try on my 1924 tuba.

Let us know how it goes, Gary. I almost ordered it, too, but have been using Monster for a little while with pretty good results, so did not want to make the leap just yet. If the stuff you get really delivers, I will surely get some.

I guess you are going to use the Kick Gel for your slide that you pull on the fly when playing? I wonder how that would work on my main tuning slide which has a trigger (the Adams horn). I might have to spring for some of that because I haven't found the right thing for that yet (I must admit I have not tried or looked very hard yet, either).

[ghmerrill]

I guess you are going to use the Kick Gel for your slide that you pull on the fly when playing? I wonder how that would work on my main tuning slide which has a trigger (the Adams horn). I might have to spring for some of that because I haven't found the right thing for that yet (I must admit I have not tried or looked very hard yet, either).

Yeah, my 3rd valve kick slide on the Buescher. This isn't a high priority issue for me since I now just use synthetic oil on it and it's okay. But I wonder if this "gel" might work better. I also haven't yet tried just putting something like SuperSlick Plus on it (maybe with some water/Hetman Hydroslide), as you would with a trombone handslide. I wonder if this gel is similar to the legendary Yamasnot. I also haven't tried that on my kick slide, but should, since I have a bottle of it around here.

[kennyg48]

I am impressed with Jonathan Hodgetts (Wessex-Tuba) for his excellent customer service. I ordered a silver Dolce last Tuesday (02 April) and received my horn in Cape Town today (Monday 08 April). This is the first time that I have seen the Dolce up close. I am impressed with the good solid feel of the horn.

I can also add that so far, I have had no issues with the re-screwing of the valves, including the infamous no 2. valve :-). The silver finish also looks good and so far have not seen anything that has raised concern.

During my tenure as principal euphonium player of the South African Navy Band I was fortunate to play a Besson Sovereign 967 as well as a Yamaha 842. As I no longer play in the Navy band, I was looking to purchase an euphonium that would not only break the bank but more importantly, be an instrument that would be great to play on. The decision to purchase the Dolce was made easier with the invaluable input from this forum.

Thank you

[Jonathantuba]

Pleased you are enjoying the Dolce and our service experience was good (we do try). I hope you get lots of good playing from the euphonium.

On the silver-plated, Wessex horns now get 6-times more polishing than standard Jinbao production and the silver is 3 times as thick. I am pleased with how the quality is improving, although are still working to get better still.

[jkircoff]

On the silver-plated, Wessex horns now get 6-times more polishing than standard Jinbao production and the silver is 3 times as thick. I am pleased with how the quality is improving, although are still working to get better still.

Do you find that there are issues with turnover in the Jinbao factory that prevent those who craft your instruments from becoming masters of said craft?

[Jonathantuba]

Do you find that there are issues with turnover in the Jinbao factory that prevent those who craft your instruments from becoming masters of said craft?

Most Jinbao production is through a production line. Worker just completes one process and passes on. I think some of the more boring or hard processes do have a regular staff turnover. However Wessex tubas, euphonium and trombones are now uniquely being made in the new high-grade workshop (we have 3 floors and 20 craftsmen just for Wessex production). Those are the best and most skilled and all have worked for the company for some years and follow through the whole process of production (one craftsman or woman is responsible for making whole instrument). Something Chuck Nickles also does at factory is train those high-skilled workers of the best techniques as used in German factories, so they get ever more proficient. They also really care about the instruments they are manufacturing. Both ours and the high-grade workshop’s aim is to make the best brass instruments in the world. We may not be quite there in all aspects yet, but are making steady and continuous improvement. German factories need look out - Wessex is catching them up quickly!

[Acemorgan]

I recently bought the gold brass Wessex Dolce. I ordered it on March 25, and it arrived at my house (in the western U.S.), on March 28. Life in the 21st Century is good.

I am very happy with the instrument. I don't have a lot with which to compare it, because I have not played a euphonium for about 45 years. I have been a tubist. I chose the gold brass because I wanted the warmer sound, and it is what I am used to.

I have had no trouble with the valve caps. I do lubricate them with Ultra Pure's linkage oil--which is what I used for the external moving parts of my rotary tuba, including lower valve caps.

One thing I read about new horns that made sense, was to thoroughly clean them before playing. After a little (I mean, who could resist?) out-of-the-box playing, I disassembled the horn, put it in the bathtub, and cleaned it. Dried it overnight, then carefully lubricated the whole thing. I have had absolutely no trouble with valves, slides, anything.

I love playing my Wessex Dolce, and wish I were playing it, whenever I am not.

[ghmerrill]

Re Resilience Oils. I received my F-1 Kick Gell and my #1 Valve Oil. I haven't had a chance to use them yet, but the Kick Oil looks like a genuine possibility.

However, I won't be using the #1 Valve Oil. Although it may be a "true synthetic" oil, it has a very distinct odor of kerosene to it. Very much like ultrarefined lamp oil but not as pronounced. Since a major attraction to me of synthetic oils (and in particular the Yamaha valve oils I use) is the absence of any odor, I'll be sticking with those for the musical instruments. The Kick Oil has no discernible odor to it.

[bbocaner]

I got some of the regular oil, unmarked with grade. I guess it's #2, the original formulation? I don't detect any odor from it, and I'm usually pretty sensitive. I like the bottle which is easy to apply from without using too much or getting it everywhere. It also doesn't appear to stain clothing. But the #2 is too thick for any of my instruments, it really makes the valves sluggish. I use yamaha "regular" grade synthetic currently which is fine even on new "tight tolerance" instruments, but the resilience #2 seems to be as thick or thicker than the yamaha "vintage" grade. I've been playing one instrument I applied it to every day for a week without re-applying oil as an experiment and it still works OK with no sticking, just a little slow because of the viscosity. So I'm impressed with it in that respect, because I usually have to apply every time I play, but I'll have to reserve judgement until I get the #1.

I've ordered some of the #1 but I'm still waiting to get it.

[ghmerrill]

I shot them a query about the odor. Different people have different sensitivities to such things. However, my wife is recovering from a sinus procedure and still unable to smell things normally, and when I asked her if she could smell anything from a sample (without telling her what it was) she said "It smells like oil of some sort." We'll see what they say.

In terms of the applicator, it's not bad -- much like my Yamaha bottles. But I've gotten to the point where I put all of my instrument oils into needle oilers. Otherwise, trying to oil rotary valves drives me nuts, and it doesn't hurt to have them for piston valves. The worst bottle I ever had for oiling was the Denis Wick oil that came with my Wessex tuba about six years ago. I found it impossible to get it to emit individual drops. It never dripped; it poured.

[ghmerrill]

Here's the response I got from Matt Simianier concerning the odor of the Resilience #1 valve oil:

"...It has 33% more cutter in then the #2 as well as the inhibitors. You may have a faint smell from that. But the PAO is all synthetic and the solvents are highly refined. Some days I can smell it more than others but as far as purity it is the purest I can find. All synthetics are petroleum based at a certain point and then changed from manufacturing process. At least all of the ones I know of."

[bbocaner]

Still waiting on my #1 shipment, but that would perhaps explain why you can detect it in the #1 and I can't in the #2. I learned that Matt's day job is working for the least ethical person I've ever encountered in the musical instrument industry, which makes me a little bit nervous, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[kennyg48]

My first impressions a week on.

I received my Dolce last Monday (08 April). Taking the advise from the many users on this forum my first task was to give my new horn a good clean. Having had two new horns before, this was the first time that I have cleaned a new instrument. One very small problem I experienced was the protective cork of the main tuning slide water key coming adrift. Fortunately I was able to recover the cork and glue it back. I don't think I will let this slide and the other water key slides soak in the water for the next wash.

Havjng played my horn almost every day since receiving it, I again have taken the advise to oil my valves evry half hour or so using the valve oil that was supplied with the instrument. The valve action so far has been good, and generally quiet, however, at band rehearsals last evening there were a couple of instances where the third valvie was sluggish for a brief moment. Fortunately this was only brief. Furthermore, I have had no issues with the re-screwing of all the valve caps top and bottom. I have been able to re-screw the valve caps with the instrument lying in my lap.

The intonation of my horn last evening at band rehearsal was general good. The principle Euphonium plays on a Besson 967 and the third euphonium plays a Yamaha 842. My intonation with them was acceptable.

Most of the tuning slides have been easy to take out and re- insert. The tuning slides of valve 1 and 2 on the outer side of the instrument has a little bit of resistance when taking out. Hopefully this will be come easier with time.

Regarding sound quality using my trusted Denis Wick 4 al mouthpiece:

a. Lower register below concert b flat is quite ieasy s to play with a good sound without much effort
b. I found that in the middle register the instrument offered a little resistance and I felt that I needed to give more effort to get a big sound. This maybe as a result of playing a 1970's medium bore Boosey and Hawkes Imperial for the last year or so.
c. The sound of the upper register of the instrument was a little on the thin side. Again this is probably me having to get use to playing a large bore instrument. (The last time I played a large bore horn wss 14 years ago)

The zips of the horn case has been okay. I initially had a small problem with the left main zip which got stuck occassionally. I have lubricated all the zippers and the zip action has improved

So given the above, I am still happy with my purchase a week on and would recommend this instruemt to anybody who is looking for a good low cost value for money instrument.

[ghmerrill]

the least ethical person I've ever encountered in the musical instrument industry

I've got only a couple of candidates for mildly to moderately unethical, but then I don't get out much.

[bbocaner]

risking turning this into a valve oil thread rather than a wessex thread, but I thought I'd check back in on this. I got my #1 resilience oil today and this stuff seems to be magical. I bought some of the tuning slide grease as well and he was nice enough to throw in some of the kick slide gel. I do detect a little bit of a kerosene-like odor from the bottle but I don't notice it in the instrument. It's nowhere near as bad as some of the other things I've used in the past. I will report back in a new thread once I've used it for a week or so with a full review, but the early verdict is that this is a great product.