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Sold for $5,655 + shipping

I’m pretty sure the below listing is a Willson 3100-FA 5 Bb-Tuba.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255969542645?m ... media=COPY

I believe this is its twin.
https://www.ricardo.ch/fr/a/bb-tuba-wil ... 215131110/

Sees fancy tuba "in" his price range.
Imagines life together.

Basically the same feeling as a girl seeing a tall buff doctor with matching purebred dogs and a personal airplane on Tinder.

That’s a big heavy tuba!

It’ll probably go for a decent amount. These are pretty rare.

If this stays under $6K, I'd say someone is getting a deal!

About 5 or 10 years ago, there were a ton of Willson tubas that were getting sold all the time, and the prices were really pretty low.

Those things are extremely expensive brand new now probably pushing 20k, so I'm guessing that part of the scarcity of them now is that fewer people are buying them new.

But also, yes they are extremely heavy. I wouldn't be surprised if that tuba here weighs close to 30 lb. They sound outrageously good out front, but they sound absolutely dead to the player. If you can get used to that, you're all set. But otherwise...

By the way, I've always thought to BBb version what kind of ridiculous from the back the way that second loop sticks kind of far out. I guess it's a pretty open wrap though which helps the horn.

Not trying to speak only disparagingly about these. They're extremely well built. The one that I owned was the best build quality of the many many tubas that I have owned in the past. The sound was amazing, it was easy to play, and looked cool as hell. Ergonomics (of the rotary version) killed it for me. The Piston version that I tried while I owned the rotary version had about 90% the same sound and playing characteristics, and far far better ergonomics.

After I sold mine, I thought that if I could find a piston CC that I'd buy it... I've only seen 1 or 2 in the last 10 years, it seems!

Sousaswag wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 7:59 pm If this stays under $6K, I'd say someone is getting a deal!

Said the guy bidding $7k last second.

I had a 3050 for a few years. Was a really good match to my Willson Eb. I’d buy this in a heartbeat if I were in the market again for a large tuba. A BBb would be more attractive to me now since I have played quite a bit of brass band music and if I had to play the BBb parts the transposition for me is easier on a BBb than CC.


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Those are quite top-heavy instruments. I'm thinking they make their bells in a different way than to most others...thus the bells themselves are quite heavy.

Just as I figured, it sold on eBay for just about what I would have asked for it - had I been able to grab it for resale...

...which is why I clicked that tab off my browser two or three days ago.

As far as "to keep" (having picked one up below market and flipped it quite a few years ago), I like both fatbastard and stubbyHolton much better.

Swiss website says the 3100 is 27 lbs.

I had the F tuba for a number of years as my only tuba. I hated hauling it around or (eek) standing up and playing with it.

bloke wrote:Those are quite top-heavy instruments. I'm thinking they make their bells in a different way than to most others...thus the bells themselves are quite heavy.

Just as I figured, it sold on eBay for just about what I would have asked for it - had I been able to grab it for resale...

...which is why I clicked that tab off my browser two or three days ago.

As far as "to keep" (having picked one up below market and flipped it quite a few years ago), I like both fatbastard and stubbyHolton much better.

Fat bastard likely doesn’t have a rival in the tuba world. I’d wager there’s no better BBb made. Maybe the Holton too because you made it for yourself so I am sure it’s awesome. For the money and if one can deal with the weight I really liked my CC and wish I still owned it. A BBb would be better for me now.


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With 27 lbs., it depends on where most of the pounds are, when it comes down to trying to balance a tuba and playing it.

bloke wrote:With 27 lbs., it depends on where most of the pounds are, when it comes down to trying to balance a tuba and playing it.

They claim the bell is “one piece seamless” I don’t really understand how it could be. I should weigh my Eb but I’ve played it over 20 years now. I guess I’m used to it. The little York master I’ve just acquired feels like nothing in my lap compared to it.


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Start with a circle of brass.
Heat it up
Then take a giant cone shaped metal form hydraulically push the brass circle from a 2D to 3D shape

Or that's always what I had envisioned

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 13, 2023 6:51 pm Start with a circle of brass.
Heat it up
Then take a giant cone shaped metal form hydraulically push the brass circle from a 2D to 3D shape

Or that's always what I had envisioned

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 13, 2023 6:51 pm Start with a circle of brass.
Heat it up
Then take a giant cone shaped metal form hydraulically push the brass circle from a 2D to 3D shape

Or that's always what I had envisioned

I’ve never seen a true one piece bell. Many people claim to have one piece tuba bells, but it’s actually a gusset.

arpthark wrote:

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 13, 2023 6:51 pm Start with a circle of brass.
Heat it up
Then take a giant cone shaped metal form hydraulically push the brass circle from a 2D to 3D shape

Or that's always what I had envisioned

That’s fine owl! [emoji3] I do understand that part of it but even tubing has a seam. I’d love to see the process of how they make those bells. I’m sure it’s something like that though. I’d love to see what they start out with.


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A little info from this post 6 years ago at the other place...

http://forums.chisham.com/viewtopic.php ... on+factory

bort2.0 wrote:A little info from this post 6 years ago at the other place...

http://forums.chisham.com/viewtopic.php ... on+factory

Thanks! That’s interesting. Hopefully I can make it over there someday. I’d love to tour the factory.


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If they really are seamless, that can explain why they're so heavy.

That's a hell of a lot of stretching of a big tube, so it's got to start out incredibly thick to still be thick enough by the time it stretched that much.

There’s another one up from the same seller. For parts but looks mostly complete and probably was neglected. Stuck slides, valves, valve buttons missing and one broken off. I’d love to buy it but I’ve spent my tuba budget already this year. The hard shell case it comes with is very nice. I had one years ago. Tuba is likely salvageable with a little investment.


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