Willson Wizardry, i.e. Merlin CC

Post by **matt g** » Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:28 am

There was a brief mention of this tuba in the “high end 3/4 tuba thread.”

Has anyone here laid hands and lips on one? Even a prototype?

jonesbrass · Post by **jonesbrass** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:57 am

Here is the information I got from Dave Surber at Getzen this morning:

WILLSON Merlin 3060-FA5
Versatility is the fundamental concept which guided the conception of this new tuba: as one does not necessarlily have a B flat tuba, a 6/4 CC tuba and a F tuba readily available at home…. The Merlin 3060-FA-5 is comfortable in many configurations sets, from grand symphonic orchestra to brass quintet.

This tuba is the fruit of a successful collaboration between the Willson Brass team, an ergonomic designer, a luthier, many artists, and each detail has been studied, tested and validated:

Intonation: a new valve block based on the 3050/3100 series was specially developed by Kurt Kurath, with optimized bores and new connection angle, resulting in a perfect in tune intonation.
Flexibility: we redesigned the entire tubes and slides architecture, as well as the intermediary junctions to optimize the air flow and the resonance in the tuba body, for an exceptional ease of play.
Compact design ergonomy: result of extensive studies,the Merlin 3060-FA5 has a particularly compact construction offering numerous handlingpossibilities regardless of the musician’s size, and developing a 5/4 sound quality in a 4/4 format.
Sound capabilities: Merlin is at both time a smooth and an aggressive tuba. You can play very softly when needed and also very loud and with a big projection.

Merlin is very accurate with a nice feedback in tune. Very, very flexible and centred. Easy to manage. And at least, all the slides are easy to access.

Pitch: C
Size: 5/4
Bore: 19,0mm - 0.748” (1+2+3) / 20,0mm - 0.787” (4) / 20,mm - 0.807” (5)
Non compensating 4 valves and 1 ROTAX Rotary Valve Weight: 9,0kg - 19,84 lbs
Height: 900mm - 35,43” Bell diameter: 440mm - 17,32”
Finish: lacquered, silverplated and more
—————————————————

The MSRP is $19,905.00. You would have to check with your dealer to see what the actual purchase price might be.

It looks like a fantastic instrument and I am sure it is.
I am hoping to get one in the next 4-5 months but I am not sure if we will have one even then.
It depends on how things start to improve as we get through the COVID-19.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Post by **LeMark** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:07 am

I'm sure it's a good horn, but from those specs, its hard to imagine how they can call it a 5/4 tuba

i know I know... there are no set standards

I mean the piggy has a 5/4 for (for a rotary) a 4/4 bell, and a 3/4 body, so it's really hard to classify, but if I had to I would call it a 4/4.

This one has a 4/4 bell, 4/4 bore, and maybe a 3/4 height. How does that equal 5/4?

Oh well still looking forward to hearing more about it and seeing full pics

jonesbrass · Post by **jonesbrass** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:12 am

I have a “glamour shot” of the tuba, but can’t get it to post.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

MERLIN C PIC.jpg

Post by **LeMark** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:13 am

Email it to me, I'll resize it

jonesbrass · Post by **jonesbrass** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:18 am

LeMark wrote:Email it to me, I'll resize it

Image sent.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Post by **LeMark** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 8:24 am

Nice tuba, looks like a pt-1 or a 2145 to me

bort2.0 · Post by **bort2.0** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:06 am

I wonder how similar it is to the Willson 4400 that they have had forever...

jonesbrass · Post by **jonesbrass** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:12 am

bort2.0 wrote:I wonder how similar it is to the Willson 4400 that they have had forever...

I don’t think it is that similar . . . That Willson didn’t sell well at all. This one looks like a 3050 on keto.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

bort2.0 · Post by **bort2.0** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:16 am

I see what you mean.

I do miss my old Willson. Extremely high quality workmanship! If they could make a lighter version of the 3050... Uh oh ... :)

DandyZ629 · Post by **DandyZ629** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:36 am

I love the Willson craftsmanship. They make very nice instruments, but I get ZERO feedback from them. They're just too damn heavy.

bort2.0 · Post by **bort2.0** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:05 am

DandyZ629 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:36 am I love the Willson craftsmanship. They make very nice instruments, but I get ZERO feedback from them. They're just too damn heavy.

I could actually deal with that well enough. For me, the excessive weight and poor ergonomics of the rotary valve set put unnecessary stress on my right hand and left arm. All added up to more trouble than its worth.

Yorkboy · Post by **Yorkboy** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 10:30 am

fulerzoo · Post by **fulerzoo** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:00 pm

Look at the specs in the second post:
Non compensating 4 valves and 1 ROTAX Rotary Valve Weight: 9,0kg - 19,84 lbs

Under 20# doesn't seem too heavy to me...........

jonesbrass · Post by **jonesbrass** » Wed Sep 02, 2020 4:07 pm

DandyZ629 wrote:I love the Willson craftsmanship. They make very nice instruments, but I get ZERO feedback from them. They're just too damn heavy.

What we don’t get as “feedback” in our laps is more than compensated for at the back of the hall, IMPE. The 3050 is a beast-quite heavy. This 3060 looks to be much lighter, thankfully.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Doc · Post by **Doc** » Thu Sep 03, 2020 1:13 pm

jonesbrass wrote: ↑Wed Sep 02, 2020 4:07 pm
DandyZ629 wrote:I love the Willson craftsmanship. They make very nice instruments, but I get ZERO feedback from them. They're just too damn heavy.
What we don’t get as “feedback” in our laps is more than compensated for at the back of the hall, IMPE. The 3050 is a beast-quite heavy. This 3060 looks to be much lighter, thankfully.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I bought a Kurath 5/4 CC (predecessor to the 3050) brand new at Custom. It was heavy, for sure, and in the Tuba House, judging feedback in my lap/hands was not really possible. That type of feedback wasn't even a thought or consideration at the time. In a hall, there was not much tactile feedback, but again, I didn't think about it much, and I still don't consider it to any great degree - I was concerned with what was coming out of the bell, and I could hear THAT just fine. But other folks like different things, so that's cool. What I liked about the Kurath (and other Willson tubas) is that it was very easy to play, responded well, projected EASILY, and it was an absolute CANNON when you stepped on the gas. I could never make it break up either (and I tried occasionally). I liked the 3050 when it came out, and I fell in love with the 3400 EEb and the 3200 rotary F tuba. While they may seem like tanks also, they play and project very well. I suspect this new tuba, while not as heavy as some of the other Willson offerings, will offer less feedback than some will like, but you will still be able to play the pants off of it.

btw, they also had the first Kurath F in the US (my CC was the 2nd). I don't know if it is the same one Wade bought a while back, but if it is, it's a really good player. Not perfect, and it was fairly heavy, but really good overall. I was very impressed.

TubaForum.net

TubaForum.net