The vastly experienced Stuart Haigh has enjoyed first hand experience of Wessex tubas....

"When I was asked to help out my local band at a contest last year I didn’t hesitate offer my help – although you can imagine my dismay when I found the band’s Bb tubas in a shocking state of repair – almost unplayable in fact!

Thankfully, I was given the task of replacing the tubas with new ones – although my budget was £5k for both!"

Good reports

"I’d heard some good reports about Wessex Tubas, so I travelled to the North West Regional Contest in Blackpool to try a Wessex on their tradestand.

I was handed a silver plate bass that looked splendid. I warmed it up and used my electronic tuner and was very surprised at the good results!

It was quite well made despite it being over £5k cheaper than the leading brands, and I was able to get all of the pedal notes and the valves were very slick.

10 minutes blowing on a tradestand is not the ideal test so I came away still a bit uncertain."

...for bands on a budget or for personal use you can’t beat a WessexStuart Haigh

Splendid

"However, five months later the band decided order a Wessex!

A gold lacquer bass arrived 4 days later in perfect condition, and again looked splendid, with slick and silent valves — the best I’ve ever played.

We were all waiting for the valves to stick, slides to fall out and the lacquer to turn black like it did on many of the leading brand tubas of the late 80s! Not a bit of it!"

Like new

Eight months later the Wessex still looks like new, never fails, and has had none of the aforementioned problems. This convinced the band and myself to buy another, which we did in January 2013.

They have done the job well with no faults whatsoever. Yes, our very top bands will always buy top of the range instruments, but for bands on a budget or for personal use you can’t beat a Wessex.

I won’t pay seven grand, plus for a tuba when a Wessex will do the job."

Stuart Haigh

Find out more yourself

Go to: http://www.wessex-tubas.co.uk/

Stuart Haigh

Stuart Haigh has been playing Bb and Eb bass for nearly 40 years. At 17 he was solo Eb bass with Yorkshire Championship Section Hepworth. He has been a member of over 20 bands, many in the Championship Section including Hepworth, Carlton Main and British Steel.

He is much in demand as a guest player with bands in all sections.