An effective alternative to visiting the Wessex showroom in Chicago may be to take advantage of the very generous Wessex product return clause, as outlined in the Wessex Warranty statement, which states in part:
"Unlike most leading brands, Wessex Tubas offers a 3-year warranty against manufacturing defects on all our instruments, and in the unlikely event that you are dissatisfied with your purchase, we offer a full refund and return within 2 weeks.
You can return any item bought from Wessex Tubas within 14 days of receiving it for a full refund, minus shipping costs. However, please contact us before returning your item so we can provide you with return labels and a collection booking with our dedicated courier to ensure the safe return of your item/s. When returning the item, it must be in its original packaging and in ’as received’ condition. Please note that shipping charges apply to refund upon return of your item and any damage will also result in reduced refund."
This would let you evaluate Simfonico, or other Wessex euphonium, for a full 14 days at home, instead of the couple hours you would spend at the Wessex showroom. And in the unlikely case you decided to return the eupho to Wessex, your out of pocket cash outlay is likely to be much less than the cost of a trip to Chicago.
Regards, Guido
M5050L - DC2&3, SM2&4U, BT16, Carbonaria Heavy & New
Wessex EP104 Festivo - available
Carolbrass CCR7772 Bb cornet - Available