Willson 2950

[Dannybrooks]

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?

[davewerden]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm also a former British horn guy (Besson Artist for 10 years and Sterling Artist for 20). The original British sound was very much what I thought a euphonium should sound like. Sterling still has it, but I think the German Bessons have strayed a bit. The Adams E3 satisfies my British side very well.

I found the 2960 not quite where I wanted it, soundwise, but it is a sound I could live with if I had some compelling reason. Here are my impressions from a few years ago when I gave one a good play test:

http://www.dwerden.com/forum/entry.p...ng-and-Willson

For the record, there are several good horns that can work in brass bands or concert/wind bands. Players vary and the horns they choose should vary, too, logically.

[RickF]

We have a section player who joined our comm band a few months ago who plays and loves his 2950. He really loves it! He studied at Indiana when Harvey Phillips was there and worked on his master's at FSU under Paul Ebbers. He's not a member of this forum however.

[daruby]

The solo euphonium of the New England Brass Band, Aaron Rivkin, played a Willson 2900 (medium shank) and sounded great. Even though he got his masters from RNCM under Steven Mead, he played the 2900 throughout. He did not, however, use a 51D or BB1, but a mouthpiece that provided a bit larger and darker sound.

Doug

[Snorlax]

Who is that, Rick? Might have overlapped with me.

[Dannybrooks]

Doug, would you consider a Wick a good match for Willson? Like an SM4 or 4AL?

[daruby]

Doug, would you consider a Wick a good match for Willson? Like an SM4 or 4AL?

I think mouthpiece choice is entirely personal. For me the answer is yes because I play a 4AL. If I had a med-shank Willson, I would use a 4AM. Charlie Brighton plays a 2900BT (large shank) and uses a VERY large Doug Elliot. I think he recently switched to a 2950 as well.

[RickF]

Jim I sent you a PM.

[bbocaner]

I really like the 2950 and the 2960, but the players who are die-hard Willson people tend to prefer the characteristics that the 2900 has.

[spkissane]

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!

[MichaelSchott]

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.

[TheJH]

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.

[miketeachesclass]

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).

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.

[davewerden]

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.

[daruby]

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.