Wessex XL Upright Bell

[Kirley]

Hey, folks.
I picked up an old Martin Mammoth tuba. It's awesome.
But the giant 28" recording bell is unwieldy.
I checked with Wessex and they can get me one... in November... for nearly $1200!
I don't like anything about that.
You got one? Wanna sell it to me for half that?
Lemme know.

Obviously, I'd also be interested in an actual Martin upright bell but those things are like hen's teeth.

[the elephant]

That is not a bad price for such a large tuba bell.

[Three Valves]

That is not a bad price for such a large tuba bell.

It's about what, half of the price of the whole XL itself or the Laabs copy.

[bort2.0]

That's about how much the Kanstul reproduction bells for the Martin Mammoth cost 8-10 years ago, so I think that price sounds about right.

As for November... It's a special order, so fitting it into the production schedule, plus shipping from China... again, seems about right.

[York-aholic]

Wow, 28" recording bell? Yikes. Those were 24" stock.

I thought the 26" on my York was hard to get through a doorway!

[hrender]

The cost of the Wessex bell has gone up a lot. I bought one last year for much less.

[bloke]

Some of the JP stuff has gone of considerably, and some has gone up not-at-all.

I sell a bunch of their nicest oboe - their model, the JP181C, which is about equal-playing to (though nicer key work than) a Fox Renard model 333 or 330.

My cost - on that oboe - has gone up nearly $400, but I can still sell it for about half the price of the just-about-as-good Fox Renard, though (based on my experiences - when I used to buy stuff from Fox), the 181C oboes are USUALLY sitting in the JP warehouse - waiting for me to buy them (just not right at the moment - as I just finished selling a zillion of them to a school system).

Some of the tubas and euphoniums are the same-or-barely-more than there were prior this USA/inaugural hyperinflationary era.

I just wish that low C bass clarinets (whether wooden-French or plastic-copy JP) arrived out-of-the-box perfectly adjusted (as do most all other JP instruments...but (again: whether European or Asian made) those things are just too complicated for them to be able to sit in a warehouse and REMAIN (if they ever were in the first place) perfectly adjusted and ready to sell. For that reason (though the JP plastic - once adjusted - is an AMAZING carefree copy of the Selmer, Paris low C bass clarinet, which is the best low C bass clarinet...better than Buffet - at least, when I play them), we have to charge a few hundred bucks MORE than our normal percentage mark-up, to cover Mrs. bloke having to spend a few hours going over them...

bloke "...but I digress..."

[Kirley]

Whether or not it's a justifiable price on their end changes nothing on my end. I'm not willing to pay that much for that bell. I think I'd feel that way no matter what but knowing that it was very recently priced significantly lower doesn't help. I know that's how things are these days but for something I don't actually NEED, I'm able to just walk away and see if anyone else wants some of my money.

Unfortunately, for me, it just means that his horn won't get used nearly as much as I'd like. Transporting that huge bell is just too difficult. But I'm having a lot of fun playing it at home. The upper register on these things just sing. It's a really fun horn to play.

[hrender]

Someone may have a bell they want to move. Never hurts to ask.

[bort2.0]

I hope you can find something that works. At some point, though, somebody does have to buy this stuff new.

I think the scarcity of upright bells (original or aftermarket) is highly unfortunate. I get the sense that lots of really nice playing tubas are unused or underused, because of the lack of an upright bell.

[bloke]

That is not a bad price for such a large tuba bell.

It's about what, half of the price of the whole XL itself or the Laabs copy.

OK then...pay DOUBLE that amount, and end up with an "unwieldy" unneeded tuba body - sitting out in the carport.

Isn't the Laabs stuff the same stuff, and not "copies"?

I get the sense that a lot of people dismiss recording bell tubas - just because it has been decided they are "out of vogue"...though I would probably "pass" on one that is 28 inches in diameter.

TOPICAL: I believe I heard that fellow in Louisville just bought a ZO 6/4 bell from someone else (because the small end of that bell was too large for the other person's 6/4 project instrument's bottom bow). I wonder what the ZO dimensions are? Perhaps our friend in Louisville would post the overall dimensions (??). Apparently, Tom ordered that bell for the seller...so would Tom be willing to order more of those bells (were it that they were useful for Martin 6/4 instruments - or for other things) ?

[DonO.]

Maybe you would settle for a smaller diameter less unwieldy recording bell? Probably easier to find and more reasonably priced. 22-24 inches?

[Three Valves]

I get the sense that a lot of people dismiss recording bell tubas - just because it has been decided they are "out of vogue"...though I would probably "pass" on one that is 28 inches in diameter.

THAT's a lap sousaphone!!

[Kirley]

I hope you can find something that works. At some point, though, somebody does have to buy this stuff new.

I think the scarcity of upright bells (original or aftermarket) is highly unfortunate. I get the sense that lots of really nice playing tubas are unused or underused, because of the lack of an upright bell.

I intended to purchase one new. That's why I reached out to Wessex. But the price I had in my head was considerably less than what they asked. I just can't reconcile the difference.

Maybe you would settle for a smaller diameter less unwieldy recording bell? Probably easier to find and more reasonably priced. 22-24 inches?

Yes, I absolutely would consider a smaller recording bell. I'm a fan of recording bells. But this thing is just too much!

[The Big Ben]

I get the sense that a lot of people dismiss recording bell tubas - just because it has been decided they are "out of vogue"...though I would probably "pass" on one that is 28 inches in diameter.

I get that feeling, too, that recording bell tubas are somehow unfashionable.

Having owned a recording bell tuba, there were a couple of things that would keep me from a recording bell ONLY tuba. When not being played, they must be laid down on their backside or in a stand. When transporting, the tuba needs to be split into two pieces/cases OR the transport vehicle needs enough space for the recording bell. Plus the ungainliness of getting it in and out of a vehicle.

I presently have a 1241 with an upright bell. The band I play in has outdoor concerts so, if the price is right, I'd like to have a recording bell for the outdoor stage. A Wenger stand to use along with it would make it easier for me. This isn't of high priority for me. Another plus would be I could put a bell cover on it with my band's name on it. Or my own name like the professional drummers do.