So...this week I picked up a third valve slide from a Yamaha YBB-321 tuba. It's of the style that's doubled back to save space. It fits in the Besson and makes the third valve a major third instead of a minor third (since the factory slide is too short to pull to a major third). The slide tubes are ...

If the OP can’t live without those false tones then he now has a nice instrument to sell at a good profit. Surely it’s better to sell the Besson now and buy something else that’ll give the false tones required rather than mess with it - maybe to little or no useful effect too - and devalue it. I app ...

Thank you!! This is very helpful information.

It sounds I may be cutting this tuba's bell and adding a King ring set at some point. It won't be a $25 tuba at that point, though. It could still be a less than $500 tuba, even with a couple of King bells...

Yes, I knew (from previous discussions) that you have such an instrument with both a 17" upright and a 24" recording bell. If you play it sometime with the 17" upright bell, I'd be curious to know how the false tones compare to 24" bell. I'm wondering if it would be worth modifying mine to accept ...

That's a pretty horn! The tuba I picked up was at an antiques shop, sold as a wall hanger. As it turns out, the valves aren't worn out and still seal well. I gave it a good cleaning, aligned the valves myself, and rolled out most of the dents (I have a magnet and dent balls). It plays very well ...

I'm not convinced that the compensating valve block has anything to do with it--in my experience, false tones are a product of the body and overall taper. I'm confident that if I swapped in a non-compensating valve block it would resonate more or less the same. I can sort-of force it to resonate the ...

I know there's currently a thread on false tones generally, but I have a more specific question. I recently picked up (for only $25!) a three-valve compensating Besson B-flat tuba (1974 production date, 17" bell). It has usable false tones, but here's the catch: instead of starting on low E-flat, as ...

I've seen vintage ads (including for the British market) that have these bits in the picture, on both E-flat and B-flat tubas. I bought a compensating E-flat model several years ago from a seller in England that came with the original bit. It was small shank to small shank, and matched visually the ...

I'm looking for a tuning/receiver bit that came with Besson tubas in the 1950s/60s/70s. I just picked up a Besson compensating B-flat, and I'd like to try it with one since they came with it from the factory. My horn has the original small shank receiver. So, I'd like to find one that's small shank ...

I found an older, smaller bell model earlier this year.

Even being a smaller Conn model, it plays significantly bigger than the Yamaha you mentioned. It's more like a modern Besson.

Thanks for letting me know! It looks like it's in pretty decent shape. I'm not really looking for one anymore, though. I ended up franken-horning one of these Besson & Co. baritones with a four-valve compensating valveset in 2022. It plays great, and the whole project cost less than this one that's ...

Sold!

For sale is a Kosikup medium shank mouthpiece, size 1 1/2. The rim diameter is approximately similar to a 3G, and the cup depth is approximately similar to a 5G. It has numerous nicks and scratches, but the plating is still intact and it's still very usable. I don't know which instrument this is for ...

The following Doug Elliott parts are for sale. US shipping is $10, regardless of how many parts you buy. Please email for more information, or to purchase: funkhoss@gmail.com. Rims--$40 each: [SOLD]XT 105 Gold (has minor nicks on playing surface)[SOLD] [SOLD]XT 105 Lexan[SOLD] Cups--$50 each: [SOLD ...

Well...very interesting! I learned something! It's baffling to me why B&H would make such a bit. If this were used to adapt a large-shank mouthpiece to any medium-shank B&H/Besson euphonium I've ever played, it would probably render the instrument unusably flat (based on how little the tuning slide ...

Are you sure this is a euphonium adapter? It looks exactly like the bit that came from the factory with B&H Imperial compensating tubas. I had such a bit at one time, that came with a very well-preserved Imperial from the mid 1950's that I bought. I've linked pictures below of the bit that I had, as ...

This one is a euphonium. On a Besson baritone from this era, the top branch is wrapped behind the valves, instead of above them. And, the bell on a Besson & Co. baritone is 9" in diameter, vs. 10.5" on the euphoniums. Unfortunately, I'd say it's not worth much, except perhaps as a parts instrument ...

For those of you going to the Army conference next weekend: where I live is only an hour and a half drive from Fort Myer. You'd be welcome to stop by and try out this tuba; I'd also be willing to bring it to the conference for a committed buyer. (I'm not planning to be there otherwise.) I just ...

I did see that one, but didn't bid. It's a euphonium, not a baritone.

This tuba is still available. Make me an offer!

I'd also consider trades (or partial trades, depending on value) for a bass trombone or Martin 6/4 B-flat tuba.