Posted by K on September 17, 2003 at 17:31:59:
In Reply to: Re: Besson 981 vs. 982 posted by bruce h on September 17, 2003 at 16:50:29:
About the leadpipe lengths: Your statement was true, until B&H gave the 981 the same leadpipe length and position as the one of the 982. The visual difference now is, that the 981 leadpipe expands right out of the receiver and reaches its full .689 bore at a point well ahead of the entrance into the valve cluster, whereas the 982 has a much slower expansion rate. It only makes the .689 bore at the entrance into the valve cluster.
If I with my usual restraint and modesty in usage of terms should tell the difference in sound qualities, then I must say, that this is not possible. Because the 982 in the hands of a lot of players has no musical qualities to its sound. Whereas it is very good at making its own laquer peel off and at making the glasses of bespectacled bystanders shatter into pieces. One could also say, that it has the projection of a projectile. The 982 is named the "parade" model by B&H. I would call it the artillery model.
Wit a medium to smallish sized mouthpiece like the PT-50 the 981 has the hall filling qualities of a larger contrabass tuba as long as it (the 981) is kept within it main working range above low Bb. The tritone area between the pedal and that Bb calls for immense loads of practising, if it shall compete with contrabasses in dynamics.
In short:
If you are a tubist wanting to sound like a travesty of a bad bassbone, then go for the 982.
If you have any musical aspirations, then go for the 981.
Klaus