The art of sound. Expressed through the best-built tuba youve ever held. This is what defines the Besson Sovereign BE981 Eb tuba in silver plate. Designed in France and manufactured in Germany the BE981 is the standard to which all other tubas are judged against. Thanks to Bessons meticulous attention to detail the BE981 tuba has a rich and vibrant sound filled with tonal colour- perfect for blending with a brass band. Its this sort of extensive expertise that simply cannot be found with other tubas. As per all Besson Sovereign instruments the BE981 tuba offers the quintessential British brass band sound. So whether youre preparing for a concert or attending one of the many brass band competitions the Besson BE981 tuba will suit your needs. Built For Winners The Besson Sovereign tuba has been purposefully designed to suit top-level players. Thanks to the hand-hammered yellow brass bell its beautiful tone allows for exciting melodic lines – no matter what the dynamic. Yellow brass is the preferred material of choice by musicians who require a versatile tone. This is especially important with the Besson tuba because unlike cheaper models its easy to control your tone with a Sovereign. To ensure you have a seamless experience the valves in the BE981 tuba are crafted from stainless steel. Steel valves are found in all large premium instruments from Besson thanks to there resistant properties. Thanks to the dense characteristics of steel it is more resistant to corrosion meaning they wont flake and are less likely to seize up. Legendary Reputation Over many years Besson Sovereign instruments have gained a legendary reputation among the brass band community. Handmade in Germany all Sovereign instruments are built to be easy-blowing and flexible to play. The sound quality of Sovereign instruments has become the very essence of the brass band tone and this is why they are the most widely used band instruments in the world. All Sovereign instruments have their own devoted solo players and even whole sections of the worlds finest bands perform on Sovereigns. Everything You Need A premium instrument deserves a premium case. This is why the BE981 tuba includes a professional hard case. The exterior of the case is made with robust ABS and finished with the Besson logo. The inside of the case is finished with a beautiful soft-touch burgundy material that will keep your instrument gleaming. To ensure that you can start playing straight away the tuba includes an Alliance mouthpiece. Made in conjunction with Dr Roger Webster and James Gourlay this mouthpiece offers a great starting point for the tuba. At the front of the case you will find a large compartment which is ideal for storing all of your accessories. Also included is a Besson branded micro-fibre cloth so you can keep your instrument looking its best. Specifications Key Of: Eb Bell Diameter: 483mm (19) Bell Material: Yellow Brass Bore Size: 17.30mm (.681) Valves: 4 Stainless Steel Finish: Silver Plate Waterkeys: 4 Included Accessories: Hard ABS Case Micro-Fibre Cloth and Alliance Mouthpiece