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Thread: Willson 2950

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dannybrooks View Post
    Doug, would you consider a Wick a good match for Willson? Like an SM4 or 4AL?
    When I became a brass band player I switched from a 51D on my 2900 to various Wick mouthpieces. They are far better suited to the brass band blend but as Doug points out, mouthpieces are very personal. Recently I switched from the Wick SM4MX to a Doug Elliot model similar to that mouthpiece but with a slightly smaller rim.

  2. #12
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    the large-shank Willsons are very underrated, but they are extremely good. as Dave linked earlier, the intonation is incredible, and the sound is great. I would describe the sound more as dense, because it does lack a bit of the higher overtones Bessons have, for example, although you can brighten up the sound considerably when needed. If you want a very powerful, big, dark euph sound though, they're amazing at giving you that.

  3. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by spkissane View Post
    IIRC Gail Robertson plays on a 2950. It's a great horn with a big sound. At the top-tier level of euphoniums it's all about personal preference. Willson wouldn't still make the 2950 if there weren't plenty of people who love it!
    Gail is listed on the Willson website as playing a 2950, but is actually playing a 2900. (Or so I've been told).

    Quote Originally Posted by Dannybrooks View Post
    Hi new here, and thought I'd make an account.

    I've recently had the opportunity to try a Willson 2950 and found it super responsive with a dark, rich, and wide sound. I also found that I could get it to sing really clearly. From what I can tell from this forum, and other forums is that the 2950 is definitely not a favorite, and I've seen people criticize it for being too "tubby" with a bad sound (?). I personally didn't notice that all when I was playing. I've previously been a British horn guy, but this horn played really well for me, and had a really nice sound to it.

    Is there a reason why I've seen so many comments saying that this it not a good horn? (Does that make me a bad player for liking it? haha) Would this horn work in a wind ensemble / band environment rather than a British brass band and solo use?
    Also can anyone tell me how the 2960 stacks up to it?

    I have been playing a 2960 since December with my brass band; I find it quite good. I've been playing a Doug Elliott 106-J-J9, which is pretty large.

    There are 2 versions of the 2960 - the 2960-TA (both with and without a trigger), and the 2960-TA-UK (both with and without a trigger). I've been playing the 2900-TA, which is the version generally sold in the US; there was literally nowhere I could find a 2960-TA-UK in the US, and the only place that had one overseas that I could find was Thomann, but it had no trigger. I ended up ordering my 2960 from Dillon after trying a 2950 at midwest. I spoke with Dave Surber from Getzen, and they don't keep 2960's around much.

    Regardless, the 2960 has a lead pipe that is off the bell, and the 2960-TA-UK has a "larger" lead pipe that Willson says puts the horn even more squarely in brass band territory. I ordered a UK leadpipe from Willson, and will probably have mine switched. We'll see!

    All of that said, it sounds quite different than the 2900 to my ear - less "compact", and I find it easier to change tone color on it at the times you want to "push" the horn, or even sweeten it up. I like it very much, and I prefer it to the 2950, which I find less malleable to my needs sonically.

    Willson valves are VERY good.

    I have actually been talking to Willi Kurath about being a Willson ambassador for this horn since nobody seems to know much about it in the US.

    There are also some folk playing 2900's in brass band - Chicago BB's principal euphonium plays one, for example.
    Mike Taylor

    Illinois Brass Band
    Fox Valley Brass Band

  4. #14
    Pretty sure Gail was playing a 2950 when I saw here last May.

    If I were to play a Willson, it would be either a 2950 or 60. I haven't tried the UK version.

    In general the Willsons don't let me vary the color as much as I would like. However, the basic sound of the 50/60 is good in my book. So is the 2900, but it is less like what I want than either 50 or 60.

    No one questions the quality of the build, and they are probably the sturdiest of the brands commonly used. Heavy metal and enough bracing to do the job.

    I don't recall having any problems with ergonomics on the Willsons, FWIW.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
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  5. Quote Originally Posted by miketeachesclass View Post
    Regardless, the 2960 has a lead pipe that is off the bell, and the 2960-TA-UK has a "larger" lead pipe that Willson says puts the horn even more squarely in brass band territory. I ordered a UK leadpipe from Willson, and will probably have mine switched. We'll see!
    The UK leadpipe was prototyped by Charley Brighton on his personal 2900. He purchased a York Eminence leadpipe and receiver from leftover stock when York went belly up. He had it installed on his 2900BTS. It made a very positive difference in the horn and so he worked with Willson to have the "-UK" versions outfitted with this leadpipe. I did the same thing to my Besson 967 Sovereign (2002) in order to make my Sovereign play more like a Prestige (w/o trigger). Again a very good result.
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  6. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by davewerden View Post
    Pretty sure Gail was playing a 2950 when I saw here last May.
    I stand corrected RE: Gail’s horn if that’s the case.

    Quote Originally Posted by daruby View Post
    The UK leadpipe was prototyped by Charley Brighton on his personal 2900. He purchased a York Eminence leadpipe and receiver from leftover stock when York went belly up. He had it installed on his 2900BTS. It made a very positive difference in the horn and so he worked with Willson to have the "-UK" versions outfitted with this leadpipe. I did the same thing to my Besson 967 Sovereign (2002) in order to make my Sovereign play more like a Prestige (w/o trigger). Again a very good result.
    Nice info, Doug, thanks.

    On another note, if anyone wants to check out the 2960 at NABBA in April, I’m happy to arrange a time (assuming Getzen doesn’t have one, as they typically don’t); all of my playing obligations are on Friday of the contest.
    Mike Taylor

    Illinois Brass Band
    Fox Valley Brass Band

  7. Gail Robertson does play a willson 2950, although she has gotten new valve caps that are a bit wider so she can reach her fourth valve, but in the little that I have heard her play I can tell you the sound that came out of that horn was absolutely astonishing

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Xfoontes View Post
    Gail Robertson does play a willson 2950, although she has gotten new valve caps that are a bit wider so she can reach her fourth valve, but in the little that I have heard her play I can tell you the sound that came out of that horn was absolutely astonishing
    Excellent point. I think talent and tone concept is far more important than the horn itself. I'm sure the 2950 suits Gail well but she and others at her level can get great sound out of any professional level horn. Decision making may have more to do with response, intonation and other non-tonal qualities. Anecdotally, there was a time when I wanted to become a good trombone player and purchased a Bach Strad 42BO. The comment I received on my playing was I made it sound like a euphonium :-).

  9. #19
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    Dr. Gail Robertson is one of those artists who can sound good on a mpc, hose and funnel. I haven't communicated with Gail in quite some time but she did play a Willson 2900 for quite a long time. Then a York Eminence until they went belly up. She told me back then that she got used to the trigger on the York so switched to the Willson 2950 with trigger.



    Many years ago we played in a quartet together (Fred Dart included) at the memorial for a mutual friend, Bill Wells... who was the uncle of Jim and Bill Gray of the BBBC in MI. We played the arrangement "Trusting as the Moments Fly" arr. by the late and great, Arthur Lehman.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  10. #20
    I tested out the 2950 and 2900 in my band and had an easier time with the 2900. The compactness of the sound made it much easier for me to blend with clarinets and horns and melt into the tuba sound. Given, it was a smallish Marine Band of around 40 and we were playing marches mainly and a standard or two. A larger band playing more heavy hitting rep could make a difference. I’m also biased that my sound concept is skewed toward the Dr. Bowman and Behrend type sound.

    I believe the 2950 is geared more towards brass bands and prioritize the robust, dark, soloistic approach over having to worry about blending and reinforcing clarinets and saxes. That’s not so say that they can’t be versatile, they just both feel like they have a home base.

    Alex S

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