Wessex · Handcrafted Professional
Wessex ER700 Rotary Tenor Tuba
A handmade, five-rotor B-flat tenor tuba/euphonium that brings German-style rotary ergonomics and a 300 mm bell to orchestral and band playing.
Provenance under review. Reported as China, but the country of manufacture is not yet independently cited — the maker's page does not state one.
Specifications
| Model | ER700 |
|---|---|
| Line | Handcrafted Professional |
| Tier | Professional |
| Price band | $$$ |
| Pitch | Bb |
| Valves | 5 — 5 rotary |
| Compensating | No |
| Bore | 15.5 mm |
| Bell | 300 mm · German brass |
| Weight | 4.16 kg |
| Finishes | gold lacquer, silver plate |
| Options | custom-order manufacture |
The verdict
The ER700 sits at the border where the euphonium’s names stop being interchangeable. It is a true B-flat rotary tenor tuba: five rotors, a straight 15.5 mm bore, a 300 mm bell, and no British-style compensating system. Wessex positions it for orchestra and band, where a player may want the rounder physical form and rotary articulation associated with continental tenor tubas.
Its 4.16 kg published weight is comparatively manageable, and Wessex says the body is fully handmade and hand-hammered from German brass. The instrument is built as a custom product, however, so this is not a casual substitute for an available 3+1 euphonium. Start with the sound and role you need, read what “tenor tuba” means, and confirm the low-register fingering system and delivery terms before ordering.
- Who it's for
- Orchestral tenor-tuba players, rotary-valve specialists, and euphonium players seeking a German-style alternative to the usual British 3+1 compensating design.
- Known for
- Five rotary valves, hand-hammered German-brass construction, a 15.5 mm bore, 300 mm bell, relatively light 4.16 kg published weight, and made-to-order availability.
- Watch out
- This is a non-compensating rotary tenor tuba, not a conventional British-style euphonium with different valve hardware. Its ergonomics, fingerings, low-register strategy, and custom-order purchase all call for a deliberate trial.