Hello 1Cor13, I have owned and enjoyed a Wessex Festivo for a couple of years. My hands are rather narrow, and my right pinky is not the most muscular in the world. Yet, I found the arched arrangement of Festivo's piston to be quite ergonomic and to easily fit the moderate reach of my right hand fingertips.
Yet I admit that, while I can operate the 4th valve with the right hand pinky if I really want to, I much prefer to dedicate to its operation the more muscular and longer index or middle finger of my left hand.... With these, I control the 4th valve with total comfort.
As for valves 1, 2, and 3, unless a player had very unique hands, their position, ergonomic arrangement, and inter-valve distance are likely to be found utterly graceful.
Bottomline for me is that I discovered absolutely no issue with Festivo's ergonomics, and I found its design absolutely natural and comfortable from day one.... Which by the way, was the very first time I held a low brass horn in my hands, let alone a euphonium.
Regards, Guido
Last edited by guidocorona; 05-22-2021 at 10:06 AM.
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