“I packaged the baritone neatly and received it at short notice. When I used it for the first time, the first valve was stuck. The linkage on this valve keeps rattling. the sound is ok and always depends on the musician and the mouthpiece. The screwed-on decorations on the first valve were not at an angle, so when you use it you think it's a bit crooked. All in all it's okay, but there are also significantly cheaper models from China. What bothers me the most is the cheapest suitcase. Other manufacturers can do that better.”

3 Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

Chaichan Wiriyaswat

Verified Reviewer

“This is my second purchase from Wessex, but I have eyed it since before the first purchase. And it is as good as I expected. Pros - Excellent build quality and finish especially for this price point. Too bad I accidentally dropped the heavy valve cap and dented it 5 minutes after unpacking... - Reasonably good intonation. The flat 5th partial (that of D above the staff) can easily be corrected with alternate fingering and 4th valve. - Good baritone sound: unique and unlike euphonium. - Compact and sturdy case. Cons - The main tuning slide is quite loose. I almost dropped it many times. Right now I use homemade velcro pad to secure it, but if I have money in the future I might have a trigger built. - No strap for the case. - The supplied mouthpiece is good for me who is familiar with large bass trombone mouthpieces, but I think it might be a bit too large for those who are familiar with tenor trombone or euphonium mouthpieces. Overall, it will definitely be the 2nd most played of my horns (the 1st is of course my main bass trombone). At this price point I don't think one can find a better Kaiserbariton!”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

Chaichan Wiriyaswat

Unverified Reviewer

“Background I have purchased the German Tenor Horn from Wessex in 2019, so some parts of the review are comparison. I mainly plays bass trombone, but occasionally plays euphonium and baritone. Pros - Solidly and beautifully built. Too bad I have dented it already 5 minutes after unboxing... (dropped the valve cap onto tubing, minor dent, but still make my heart hurts). - Good sound: a dark, full sound with “bariton-ness” in it, not 100% euphonium-like. - Surprisingly good intonation. The tenor horn is painfully flat in 4th partial (D over the staff) to the point that I always has to use alternate fingerings. This horn is almost not flat at all. - VERY good case. Much more compact than the foambody case of the tenor horn, while much sturdier as well. Pity it has no backpack strap, no side pocket, and space for accessories is small. - LIGHTNING FAST delivery to Thailand: 3 days! Cons - The main tuning slide is quite slippery and came out on its own once, luckily it dropped onto my lap. Extra-hard grease and maybe a rope might do the trick. - The slides are quite rough, same as those on the tenor horn. But this is me being picky. At this price point I don’t expect more. To sum up, I am very satisfied with this purchase. This is definitely my 2nd favourite horn! (The most favourite is of course my bass trombone.)”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“This I a well built instrument. It feels very solid. It is all that I expected of it. I did have a problem with the main tuning slide. I contacted James at Wessex and he was very helpful. He authorized me to have the tuning slide adjusted. I did this and I sent the bill to Wessex. They have reimbursed me for the repair. I am very happy with their great customer service. Would definitely buy from them again.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

“I am enjoying this instrument a lot. Since I am a Bass Bone Player by trade getting the right mouth piece is in the works. I find this instrument great for church pieces and some low brass group work. It plays well and the intonation is manageable in the middle and upper register. The workman ship is great for the money. Keep this up Wessex. Now to find an German band.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

David Donnahoo

Unverified Reviewer

“First off, at this price point, there just isn't another horn out there this good for the money (or even twice the money) - not even close - not that I could find after countless hours scrounging endless forums, reviews, and videos over many months. I struggled over choosing the silver or the lacquered versions. I'm partial to silver, but the coloring and detail on the lacquered horn was just too much to pass up! The good: Shipping was fast - like stupid fast! I ordered this late Monday night, and I had my new horn in my hands Friday, and I live in a very remote town (like the closest McDonald's is nearly a two hour drive kind of remote). The pictures really don't do this instrument justice: the gold brass bell really is a wonderful, subtle accent against from the yellow brass body and nickel silver slides, valves, and keys. The engravings on the bell, keys, and rotor caps are a wonderful touch. Fit and finish is great - polish and lacquer are even all around the instrument. Slides are smooth, rotors have an excellent spin, and are plenty quiet. Slides and valves each have a great seal: pulling any slide out a bit, then pressing the corresponding valve results in a satisfying "thunk" as air rushes in to fill the vacuum - superb! (Valves also pass the pressure test in reverse: pushing in a slide to create a high pressure and pressing the corresponding key also results in a satisfying "thunk") Horn feels like it "wants" to be in tune, with each note "slotting" into place perfectly and easily. Some horns feel like they have to be wrestled with a bit to get the right tone, but this euphonium is humming! Horn has a great, full sound with the supplied Wessex 5G mouthpiece. I'm thinking the Helleberg 5E mouthpiece would make this horn even better (nothing against the supplied Wessex mouthpiece, I'm just partial to Hellebergs). Wessex even included a baseball cap with the instrument. Nice! The not-so-good: For this price, something has to give, so where does this horn get it wrong? I mentioned the engravings are a great touch (and they are), though a discerning eye will see the placement of the engravings on the keys are not exactly uniform - some are closer to one side or edge of a key than another. Also, the depth of the engraving of the Wessex logo/scrollwork on the bell is also not perfectly even. All engravings are obviously machine-made and not craftsman made. The good news: unless you're closely examining it, odds are you won't notice, and onlookers will most likely to be too bedazzled with this horn to see the flaws (but to be honest: as the player, you know all your horn's foibles and quirks). The case is lightweight and easy to carry, but doesn't seem to be the best fit for the instrument. When placing the horn inside the case, the lead pipe scrapes the case fabric/foam body, and it is difficult to put away. It's not so bad to where I'm worried about damage to my instrument, but this spot on the case will definitely wear through quickly. More annoying: the case latches don't like to line up and close easily. They have to be fiddled with to line up and close. Imperfections/grievances really are relatively minor, and at this price point, surprisingly few This horn really is stunning value for money. If you're worried that Made In China" automatically means "shoddy," remember Yamaha instruments are also made in China. It really comes down to quality control, and, reading the forums, reviews, and now from personal experience, it is clear Wessex is good a great job on that!”

Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago

Patrick Zuniga

Verified Reviewer

“I really liked it and came out how I wanted it to. Thank you so much!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

Douglas Tannas

Verified Reviewer

“What a beautiful instrument--I don't think you can buy something prettier at this price point. And I love the way it sounds and plays--definitely a different tone than my larger compensating euphonium, more focused somehow but still dark, not bright like a baritone horn or trombone. This instrument is also much lighter to hold than a compensating instrument and probably would be more comfortable to play when standing for an extended period. I ordered the lacquer version and was sent the silver one instead--and I have to say I'm kind of glad, even though I always feel a need to wear gloves when playing silver-plated instruments, because the finish is really gorgeous. The case is well-made as well, lightweight but secure. The low range doesn't feel quite as confident or resonant as would be the case with a compensating instrument (this is not the euphonium to use if you're trying to play tuba parts), but in the mid-range, this horn really sings, and I think it will be a lovely solo instrument. The rotary valves are also nice for trills or quick passages. Wessex has a definite winner with this one.”

1 Helpful Report

Posted 5 years ago

Kaiser Baritone – ER120 Lacquer with gold brass bell Reviews