York Monster Eb rebuild thread

[Lectron]

Here's the li'll fella that's gonna hold the thumbring
A little dremmeling, and that would be the final touch of the tuba

[TWTuba]

Beautiful instrument.

[Lectron]

thumbring.jpg

[Lectron]

Big beak

HA HA HA, yes, I can see that one and was waiting for it

I was aiming for a naked lady preparing for diving off springboard with her arms back
but that particular figurine was hard to find

[Lectron]

Now with some time behind the tuba getting to know it's secrets I can add.

It is rather MP sensitive. I can't find a formula on what works and what don't
but what I can state is. A Kanstul Geib is totally not working. With any rims.
BEAUTIFUL tone and excellent response but intonation too much of a challenge.

A small and shallow makes it easier to control but why play a big tuba and
sound like a wet fart? OK. I have a heavy-mass rather shallow that sounded good.

What worked best in most aspects was Blokepiece Symphony, and that was
what lead me to believe that the tuba wasn't very MP sensitive in the first place.
That combined with an AGR. Hate to say it, but that thing works.
It changes the intonation and all of a sudden most of cash is in tune with it-selves
with a few alternative fingerings.

I really enjoy the sound I get to make with this instrument and starts to understand
what that York fuzz is all about

DSC_0090.JPG

[Lectron]

These and other large taper American Eb tubas were not designed with a large mouthpiece in mind.

They were designed for someone who is used to playing the smaller American Eb tubas to pick this up and fill out the band a bit more like a like BBb.

Those people were using smaller, shallower, traditional Eb tuba mouthpieces.

Mudgey out.

That was also some hundred years ago
I am not sure they had a particular MP in mind when designing it
thou most old MPs I've seen are moderate depth, bore and width

[opus37]

Although these tubas may have had the small shallow mouthpiece in mind when developed, my experience has been that the Symphony and the Stoffer Geib are the best for these horns. I do not own a York, but do have a Kanstul (which was designed from the York) and a Martin (from the period). Both horns like the large deeper bowl like mouthpieces. I've been on my mouthpiece safari and have tried a lot of different things. When Oystein Baadsvik tried my horns, he tested a couple of mouthpieces. When he tried the Symphony, he said, "definitely more manageable". Most owners of the Kanstul Eb horns use the larger mouthpieces. So with this unscientific evaluation, I believe the larger mouthpieces are best for these horns.

[Lectron]

Well here's a funny one:

I have one 2 piece Symph. and a new 3 piece one
The newer works quite a bit better than the 2 piece.

I might also add. I had the 2 p. made with a slightly larger bore (+.2mm/+ 5%)

I've now ordered new shanks to the 3 p. to try out. One smaller and one larger.
I do not expect the larger to work out, but prefer that one on my compensated.
I am curios thou on the < 8.2mm

And as mentioned. The Geib sounded awesome, but intonation did not work very well.
Cup seems quite similar to Symph. thou.

My experience with a large 6/4 York BBb BAT was that also that one, or we, preformed best
with a moderate bore (not small) MP but a rather generous cup and weight

"have had the small shallow mouthpiece in mind when developed" is also not the same as
"developed for small shallow mouthpiece" so I am not surprised other find the symph and Geib to work

[SousaSaver]

What a cool horn! Nice!

I have a York Eb with a modified King valve set...no where near as cool as this beast.

[Lectron]

Thanks BRSousa

I would like a new leadpipe for it thou
The one I have is good length and tapering, but the radius in the bend by the valve section is rather small.
I had a more 'curved' one earlier (that I ended up bending to death) that gave better response.

So what I am in the marked for is a 16"/40cm leadpipe to fit AM shank (~.519"/13.21mm) to .709"/18mm in valve block
I know allied has a fitting one, but I am not a customer at theirs

Thank You

[Lectron]

It's still alive

[tbonesullivan]

Great build! Glad to see it's still going strong. Always good to see old metal still being used.

[arpthark]

I like the eagle. What is the rotor from? Is that a clockspring mechanism?

[Lectron]

That's a clockspring mech, yes. A hassle to maintenance, but there again. Only need to every 200 year or so
Both clockspring and rotor is from an old B&S BBb