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Hello everyone! Someone offered a Wessex Viverna in exchange for a tuba of mine, and I was wondering if anyone in the community has experience with them. All I know is that it's a big 4/4 five valve BBb.

Some like them, others don't. I bought one this spring and decided to send it back after one weeks trial. Some observations

Weight, it is heavy. 5 valves are super nice to have. Comes with two tuning slides, because the tuning slide pull possible is only about 3 cm. The shorter I could play from 448 to 445 Hz, the longer from 446 to 443 Hz. Wessex did check it after I sent it back, and Jonathan assured me that it played in tune for him. It did not for me, I could not reach down to 440 Hz on any of the many mouthpieces I tried.

Price is good, as well Wessex service if you buy new. Wessex did offer the making of a third, even longer tuning slide for free, but I did decide to send it back, and payed the shipping costs.

I liked the tonal quality, it is almost a 5/4 , and the build seemed to be fine. But heavy.

I also tried a local Viverna which was a couple of years old, and I must say the 2020 model I tried plays better intonation wise, better alignment of partials.

So, try the Viverna and judge yourself, and check that it slots fine for you, best with a tuner. Let us know what you decide

Unfortunately it isn't close enough to try.

Which tuba do you want to exchange with a Viverna? If you like your Bb tuba and just miss a 5th valve, consider asking a good tech to add one. Might be a good solution where you get a more predictable result, in case you can't travel to check out the Viverna

It's not that I initiated the potential trade. The owner of the Viverna reached out to me because he wants a lighter horn. I think I'm probably going to pass on the trade because I already own a fantastic 6/4 BBb and a great 4/4 CC. A 5/4 would have LIMITED usability between the two.

That (unadulterated) bugle works well as a rotary Bb bugle...but WITH a horizontal main slide.
It concerns me that I'm seeing a shorter mouthpipe (re: piston) YET the horizontal tuning slide being gone...
...so (the concern being) they've obviously gone off into a rabbit hole away from the successful Hirsbrunner-copy bugle, in some significant way - apparently adding length to a (successful) B-flat bugle in other places.

under-$2000 Jinbao rotary B-flat...


...which is a knock-off of this rotary Hirsbrunner 192 B-flat:


Years ago, I sold a few of those Jinbao rotary tubas to schools (probably not as cheap as Laabs...probably c. $1750 ea.), and - other than "good enough to function" valvesets - they were OK.

Those HB 192 clones play well, especially the newer ones with improved valves/linkages. A little too punchy for my taste, but you can light it up when you want to