Wessex CC Helicon

[Tim Jackson]

I'm just wondering what it might be like to have something that plays really well on my strolling gigs.
I have always played my jazz gigs on flugabones, trombones, sousaphones, and all my legit stuff on CC tubas. I'd be more at home with the BBb on jazz but I am spending so much time on CC now it would be a good time to move everything to CC. A big part of my CC warm-up each night is to play lots of stuff/and jazz by ear.

I figured I would just run out the clock (getting old) on my fiberglass sousa. It plays OK (and very light) but I feel I could sound a lot better with something that plays more like a real tuba. My gigs are small band stuff and I solo on every tune. I am around great players I would like to feel I'm not being held back or sucking because of the limitations of the instrument. If I was just playing accompaniment I wouldn't even be thinking of another horn. Really trying to get rid of stuff.

Of course, weight is a huge factor. The Wessex is 20 lbs. It is said the fiberglass 36 conn weights 18 lbs, so not a big difference.
The BBb helicon is an option as well. Mainly looking for great ease of playing - great intonation, singing high range. I think I prefer BBb fingerings on the jazz tunes but not a big problem either way. Trad tunes are mostly flat keys and lots of Eb & Ab notes - more work to push down 23 than 1, haha.

I have sold most of my brass sousaphones as they are heavy. I still have a wonderful Holton (for sale!) - plays very well but maybe a little too large for my tastes... but again - that horn is big and heavy.

Does the Wessex helicon have a gig bag option?

Has anyone played both the CC & BBb? pros - cons?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Resistant yet excited for something new.
Tim

[Kirley]

Of course, weight is a huge factor. The Wessex is 20 lbs. It is said the fiberglass 36 conn weights 18 lbs, so not a big difference.
The BBb helicon is an option as well. Mainly looking for great ease of playing - great intonation, singing high range. I think I prefer BBb fingerings on the jazz tunes but not a big problem either way. Trad tunes are mostly flat keys and lots of Eb & Ab notes - more work to push down 23 than 1, haha.

I believe they offer a 3 valve BBb Helicon as well. At least they show pictures of it on their site. That would help bring the weight down and it does have a pretty long pull on the upper 1st valve loop.

Does the Wessex helicon have a gig bag option?

With the detachable bell, it fits in pretty much any normal sousaphone gig bag. Wessex sells one but I've never seen it in real life. My BBb fits in my old-style ProTec bag. The bell section is a bit taller than the same dimension on a sousaphone bell but the body is a bit smaller due to the lack of the elbow so the flex in the bag all works out. It won't fit in a standard sousaphone hard case but it comes with one of those. Which is huge and unwieldy and was immediately banished to the basement. Again, my comments are for the BBb version. It appears that the CC has a shorter bell section.

[The Big Ben]

After looking at the Wessex site, the CC helicon is significantly more expensive than the BBb one (CC $5970 in gold brass BBb $3750 in lacquer) Both are available in silver plate for more money. The website said both were currently out of stock.

Wessex says the helicon comes with a hard case. The removable bell must really help with portability. As already mentioned, the removable bell would make it fit in a sousaphone bag.


Wonder if there would be any sort of market for a conversion kit to turn a plastic sousaphone into a plastic helicon. It could be designed with a removable bell and use either a plastic bell or a metal King 2341 bell. (The plastic bell could also be used on an old style 2341 to make a "commuter tuba" like the little Getzen. The suitcase part would be larger but would make a smaller package than the complete tuba.)

[Worth]

After looking at the Wessex site, the CC helicon is significantly more expensive than the BBb one (CC $5970 in gold brass BBb $3750 in lacquer) Both are available in silver plate for more money. The website said both were currently out of stock.

Even it it was currently available, that's a lot of gelt.

[Three Valves]

Quite an up charge for 2ft less tuba.

[Tim Jackson]

Wessex lists the CC helicon in gold lacquer and the BBb in lacquer. What is the difference?
Wessex says they have the only CC on the market today so if you want one you have to come to us. I guess that is the reason for the price jump. I think the BBb for $3750 is a decent deal and I'm not even sure I care about the 4th valve. One of the review videos shows the BBb being unpacked with a sousa bag and a hard case. Is this routine?

Hope to hear more reviews on playability.

Thanks for the comments so far.
Tim

Current listed prices with free shipping.

CC Helicon $5970 in gold lacquer
CC Helicon $7400 in silver

BBb Helicon $3750 in lacquer
BBb Helicon $5415 in silver

EEb Helicon $3750 in lacquer
EEb Helicon $5400 in silver

[Tim Jackson]

The silver BBb is the only Wessex helicon model listed as available.

[UncleBeer]

New tooling was needed for the CC, so that partly explains the price difference. Know what a steel bell mandrel costs? Quite a bit.

The Wessex sousaphone gig bag fits the CC helicon quite nicely.

The CC helicon will be at SCRTEC and most likely GPRTEC as well if anyone wants to honk on it.