TubaForum.net

Hello! I am in search of a Wessex Tubby Eb tuba. Budget is around 4-5K. If you’re looking to sell yours, let me know!

Nice horns!

Terrible instrument. Ghastly intonation, difficult to hold, lead pipe much too low unless you are a midget. Look elsewhere. I kept mine for exactly 27 days.

Opinions are usually based on experience and can - usually do - vary from person to person. Here’s my opinion based on my experience with the Wessex Tubby Eb, primarily given for the OP:

Tubby is a great playing tuba, frequently bringing me compliments from other players, conductors, and audience members. The intonation is great, it is easy to hold, and I have no problem with the lead pipe position - and I am 6’2” tall.

I have been playing the Tubby Eb as my primary tuba since 2022 and highly recommend it.

noel.uri@gmail.com wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2024 3:24 pm Terrible instrument. Ghastly intonation, difficult to hold, lead pipe much too low unless you are a midget. Look elsewhere. I kept mine for exactly 27 days.

I'm tempted to delete this as a troll post, but instead I'll counter with this video. (maybe you're thinking of a different tuba, like the "stumpy")

As you can see, the leadpipe is just fine. At 6 foot 8, I'm hardly a midget. This was one of the first ones imported, and I thought the low range was a. Little stuffy. I played another one last January, and it was much better.



https://youtu.be/t6tTNFxVEvM?si=YOtpa6x8gq8jwdj9

LeMark wrote: ↑Mon Dec 16, 2024 7:50 am

noel.uri@gmail.com wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2024 3:24 pm Terrible instrument. Ghastly intonation, difficult to hold, lead pipe much too low unless you are a midget. Look elsewhere. I kept mine for exactly 27 days.

I'm tempted to delete this as a troll post

I had the same thought; first-time poster, going to the effort of posting a harsh review, most of which is contrary to others' experience of this model.

Here's a screenshot of an objective reading of Tubby's "ghastly intonation". Not so bad, eh?

To my ear the top Eb is a bit flat but the rest sounds ok.

Yeah I heard that too. Plays better 1st valve.

Talking about the one above middle C? How often do you play that note? And is your comment based on Mark's video? The BIAS graph I posted is an objective measure of tuning. Hard to argue with it.

Who is arguing? I heard a pro, not a high school kid, play the open bugle, the top Eb sounded flat to BOTH me and the player, and I don't get why you are defensive about that. It's a human who is going to play it, not a machine. Sheesh. As an Eb player, that note IS in my repertoire. Could be fixed with a different mouthpiece, or as Mark said, by playing it first valve.

Don't know if you're still looking, but Wessex is having a valentine's day sale (2/14/25) and have the Tubby now in gold lacquer for around $4,800.