1960 Besson Model 180 New Standard 3+1 (Frosted Silver/Gold Bell)

[Shinn]

SN 314008
Frosted silver finish with bright silver highlights
Gold-washed bell
Original Besson 10 mouthpiece
Original Besson alligator print hard case
Purchased from original owner
New springs, spring dampeners, spacers, felts, and corks
Extremely fine condition on all accounts

ITEM HAS BEEN SOLD (FACEBOOK)

Price is $2,500 or best offer
Shipping limited to 48 contiguous states and at buyer’s cost

[highpitch]

Do you think this horn has been restored? Looks pretty good for it's age.

D

[iMav]

Do you think this horn has been restored? Looks pretty good for it's age.

I’m guessing he knows everything about it…being the second owner.

[Shinn]

ALL ORIGINAL - with the exception of the springs, felts, spacers, and corks.

The condition and fit of the valves/pistons is what astounded me when I got it - immaculate!

The condition of the case is also indicative of the care given this euphonium.

Here are a couple pages from a period Besson catalogue describing the Model 180.

[bopeuph]

I've never seen a horn like this before, and it's a beautiful representative of the model!

[highpitch]

I had to lean on Dan Oberloh pretty hard to Gold wash my NS bell, as he said it never happened at the factory.

Hmmm.

[Shinn]

I had to lean on Dan Oberloh pretty hard to Gold wash my NS bell, as he said it never happened at the factory.

Hmmm.

I have only seen three (3) Besson New Standards with gold wash bells - all bell forward. Here are pictures of the other Model 180 that was advertised for sale in 2020 - good condition but did not compare to the euphonium I am selling.

And here is a link to a 3-valve compensating Besson Model 175 advertised in 2017 on the Forum:
http://www.dwerden.com/forum/showthr...l#.ZBWxX2QpAWM

[daruby]

I played a 3 valve bell front, satin silver and gold wash bell. It was a sample designed to match our Besson sousaphones.

[highpitch]

I hope Dan reads this forum.

Gold wash is really pretty on a silver horn.

D

[tjjc]

I'm curious as to how this horn plays relative to the fixed-bell Besson 181/New Standard/767 instruments. I once owned a Besson 3-valve compensating horn with an adjustable bell (Model 175 I think) and liked it very much. Lighter sound but projected very well, and fewer intonation quirks than Besson 4-valve compensating horns.

[euphdude]

Such a cool instrument! Never seen a 4 valve compensating bell front Besson before.

[davewerden]

Such a cool instrument! Never seen a 4 valve compensating bell front Besson before.

My understanding from the USA importer back when I was a Besson Artist is that the curved/adjustable bell design was more or less an experiment meant for better market penetration in the U.S. (probably the school market). For whatever reason, it obviously did not catch on, but a surprising number show up here and there.

When I tried one, I didn't think it sounded as good as the normal version. However, I had not yet learned that a player's impression of their sound is partly due to direct radiation from the side of the bell, which of course is different when the bell takes off in a different direction. It seems like it should have worked for schools, with players spend almost all their time in the middle of a band, where pointing the bell toward the audience might be an advantage.

I remember when Denis Winter was using his Connstellation in our band. It had a straight bell. We were trying different seating formations, and two of them had us on the end of a row, in a horseshoe shape. When we were on the audience's right side, Denis always sounded more present (by a lot) on recordings because he pointed outward and I pointed backward. When the moved us to the left side, our balance was reversed. Even with upright bells, it's obvious that bell direction still matters. Presumably it would be more effective if your bell leaned down a bit so you shot over the audience at a 45 degree angle from vertical, vs. the 75-or-so degree angle of the upright.

[Shinn]

I'm curious as to how this horn plays relative to the fixed-bell Besson 181/New Standard/767 instruments. I once owned a Besson 3-valve compensating horn with an adjustable bell (Model 175 I think) and liked it very much. Lighter sound but projected very well, and fewer intonation quirks than Besson 4-valve compensating horns.

Attached is from the original owner’s advertisement. I have found the 180 to be equal to the 181 in responsiveness and characteristics (identical valve block). As Dave Werden mentioned, the forward bell does inherently ‘sound’ slightly different to the player.

[daruby]

I'm curious as to how this horn plays relative to the fixed-bell Besson 181/New Standard/767 instruments. I once owned a Besson 3-valve compensating horn with an adjustable bell (Model 175 I think) and liked it very much. Lighter sound but projected very well, and fewer intonation quirks than Besson 4-valve compensating horns.

The 3-valve and 4-valve bell front Bessons played virtually as well as any of the bell up horns. David's is a superb example and quite rare for its wonderful condition and the finish. The gold wash on the bell front horns was a desireable option since satin silver with gold wash was used by a number of the major college marching bands during the later 1950s to early 1970s.

The major differences between the bell up and bell front horns are ergonomic. The bell front horns are heavier due to the reinforcing ring around the bell throat. The cases were more awkward to carry. Also the lead pipe mounts on the bell lower than on the bell up horns since it has to clear the set screws and joint that support the pivoting bell.

As far as playability, my experience was that the bell front Besson projected better in an outdoor setting, and was equal to the bell up Besson in playability. Any Besson of the era (bell front or bell up) had a much nicer sound than my Conn 24i Connstellation. There is debate on whether the bell up horns provide a more satisfactory effect in the ensemble by virtue of the fact that they disperse the rich warm sound of the euphonium in a non-directional way. However, I would argue that the bell front would be highly desireable in some of the multi-use auditoriums I play in that do not have reflecting shells behind the band. In some of those cases, the low brass (tuba and euph) that are not forward facing get "lost in the rafters".

[davewerden]

Well, there is a reason someone invented the word "coincidence." I was going through a FB page for my home town and found this photo. It shows a horn configured like the one for sale here. Given the 1949 date of the photo from St. Ambrose High School, I'm guessing this was not a Besson, but it shows that the top valve / right-hand bell thing has been done.