New Y**K Tuba?

[Dan Schultz]

I had a chance to see a 'first time showing' in the US of a new tuba at NABBA over the weekend. It's being marketed by Sonare' Winds. According to the salesman, it is being made by Keilwerth and will be sold under the name of Y**K. No... not the old familiar US manufacturer's name... but one that is known in the UK. I didn't have much time to spend with it and only tried it with the one mouthpiece I happened to have in my pocket (a Mirafone TU33). It's a 'largish' four-piston top-action compensator with the 4th piston on the side. I'm not keen on compensating tubas (sorry UK guys) but this one might be 'interesting'. I understand that there are some legal issues that have to be dealt with before the Y**K name can be sold in the US. I would be interested if any of your guys in the UK have seen this one.

[AndyCat]

We're looking at new EEb's and BBb's at the moment. I've had a "York" Schreiber Keilworth BBb for a test, a London Musical Instruments (the old Sovereign workers) BBb and EEb, and am soon to recieve the new "Sovereign" BBb and EEb's made by Meinl (Buffet Crampon). The Miraphone Ambassadors are here this week (EEb and BBb) for us to try.

Haven't blown the York EEb, but the BBb was nowhere near as good as the LMI model I had. It's very interesting as all 3 "new" companies claim heritage from Besson, and all have strong links (York- Old MD of Besson, John Rogers, LMI-Old tooling and workers from Boosey Edgware Factory, and Besson Buffet, Roger Webster and Steven Mead) and they're all trying to "get right" the existing sovereign 981, 982, 994 designs, but with tweaks. I know Buffet are going back to the "Fletcher" leadpipe, and I think the others may be doing other things too!

I'll let you know which we decide on after playing them all!!

[Dan Schultz]

....I've had a "York" Schreiber Keilworth BBb for a test.....
I'll let you know which we decide on after playing them all!!

Thanks, Andy! I knew you would be on top of this one! Yes... the "York" (Keilwerth) that I tried at NABBA appears to me to be very much like the big old Bessons. Let us know what you think of them. After all... anything bearing the name of 'York' can't be all bad... whether it be the Grand Rapids or the UK variety!

[iiipopes]

FYI: I've been to York, England. Nice place. Immense depth of history and tradition. Huge cathedral, see of the other Archbishop of the Church of England besides Canterbury. I'm sure the instruments are worth trying, although living in Missouri I'll probably never get to.