Long time lurker here but first time caller.
I have a 20 year old Willson non-comp model 2704. The horn is in great shape. The valves are great - the sound is great - intonation is good - the lacquer is still at about 99.5%. There is nothing wrong with the horn. Except that recently I guess I have developed a case of what you might call compensation envy. I had a chance to go to the Tuba Exchange last week and played a few compensating horns. I spend some time on their stencil horn and also the JP 374. I really liked the 374. It has a bit bigger sound than my Willson. However, it is also quite a bit heavier.
So would I be nuts to swap a Willson for a Packer? I am mostly a trombone player, but I play euph in a community band and a local college band that uses some outside help. In 20 years of playing wind band music on euph, the only parts I have seen that go below the bass clef low E are about 4 bars in one of the Holst suites. I can fake that or take it up an octave if needed.
Is there any advantage to a compensating horn for 99% of the music that euphoniums are asked to play? I know that some of the solo literature delves into the low range, but the chances of me being asked to play one of those pieces is pretty low.
Thanks for any input.
I have a 20 year old Willson non-comp model 2704. The horn is in great shape. The valves are great - the sound is great - intonation is good - the lacquer is still at about 99.5%. There is nothing wrong with the horn. Except that recently I guess I have developed a case of what you might call compensation envy. I had a chance to go to the Tuba Exchange last week and played a few compensating horns. I spend some time on their stencil horn and also the JP 374. I really liked the 374. It has a bit bigger sound than my Willson. However, it is also quite a bit heavier.
So would I be nuts to swap a Willson for a Packer? I am mostly a trombone player, but I play euph in a community band and a local college band that uses some outside help. In 20 years of playing wind band music on euph, the only parts I have seen that go below the bass clef low E are about 4 bars in one of the Holst suites. I can fake that or take it up an octave if needed.
Is there any advantage to a compensating horn for 99% of the music that euphoniums are asked to play? I know that some of the solo literature delves into the low range, but the chances of me being asked to play one of those pieces is pretty low.
Thanks for any input.
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