I have played the 955 3-valve (and a number of equivalents), the 956 4-valve (actually a York 3056 built using the same tooling), and the Besson 2056 4-valve. ALL Bb baritone's have the "can't get the water out" problem. The problem is the 2nd loop AFTER the tuning slide before the bottom bow. There is no spit valve water accumulates and gurgles in this loop after the tuning slide.
My procedure on most baritones is:
- Empty 1st valve, 2nd valve, 3rd valve, and 4th valve slides (if it has one) BEFORE the tuning slide. I am "slide puller" instead of a "spit valve user" so my slides will really empty.
- Pull tuning slide, empty it and set aside for a second.
- Slowly spin the instrument in the direction that has the water coming out of the open tuning slide (rather than the bell). This works well and doesn't leave corrosion and ugly drip marks on the inside of the bell. Since you emptied all of the other slides, it shouldn't put crud back into your valves.
- Conversely spin the horn in the other direction to get the water out the bell. You can do this with the tuning slide in, but then you need to spin twice so that you make sure that any residual water in the tuning slide loop goes out the bell.
The baritone is the only instrument in the brass band that HAS to do this. The problem is that the extra loop is required to get 9 ft. of primary tubing in about the same space as the 6.75 ft of primary tubing that occupies an Eb tenor horn.
BTW, the weird double loop adapter on the 4th valve slide of the 956 rarely has a problem with water accumulation. When I dump the 4trh valve slide, I just pull out the slide itself and leave the tight double loop in place.
Doug